Latest news with #WorldSquashChampionship
Egypt Independent
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Egypt Independent
Making history again: Nour al-Sherbini clinches 8th World Squash Championship title
Egyptian champion Nour al-Sherbini, the Sporting Club player and world number two in women's squash, has clinched the World Squash Championship title hosted in Chicago, USA, from May 9th to 18th, Youm7 reported. The tournament boasted a total prize money of $635,000 for both men and women. In the final match, al-Sherbini triumphed over her compatriot Hania El Hammamy, the world number three, with a score of 3-1. The match lasted 60 minutes, with the individual game scores as follows: 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7. With this victory, the world-class Egyptian squash player secures her eighth World Championship title, equaling the all-time record held by Malaysian legend Nicol David, who also won eight world championships before her retirement. Prior to this season, al-Sherbini had already achieved seven World Championship titles in the following seasons: 2015, 2016, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Anahat Singh up for squash world championship, but Olympic medal is ultimate goal
Anahat Singh of Team India plays a shot against Jada Ross of Team Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Photo by) NEW DELHI: By the time the chill of Chicago's late spring curls into the glass walls of the squash courts at the University Club, the brightest young star of Indian squash will already be warming is something both graceful and unrelenting about Anahat Singh 's movements. On court, she is a blend of youthful audacity and a veteran's poise. As she prepares to make her mark on the biggest stage of her career — the World Squash Championship 2025 , Chicago — Anahat carries not just her racquet but the hopes of a nation as India's lone woman representative in the prestigious Delhi girl grew up in a family with strong sporting culture. Father Gursharan Singh, a lawyer, and mother Tani Vadehra, an interior designer, both played hockey in their Anahat's elder sister, was a top-ranked U-19 squash player before enrolling at Harvard University for her bachelor's degree. She continues to compete for the Harvard women's squash early brushes, though, were not with squash but badminton. Inspired first by PV Sindhu, she briefly flirted with shuttlecocks before the squash court stole her heart. The speed, the strategy, the raw physicality of it attracted her.'I started playing badminton when I was six years old. When I was eight, I started going to the Delhi Gymkhana Club and started playing squash with my sister. Eventually, I started doing a lot better in squash and enjoyed it a lot more as well,' Anahat told TOI .By 9, she had won her first national title. By 11, she was dominating the U-13 circuit, rising to No. 1 not just in India but also in Asia and came a crowning moment for Anahat. She captured the British Junior Open — a tournament considered the 'Wimbledon of junior squash' — in the U-11 category, stunning higher-ranked players with the cold precision of her drop as the grand stage of Chicago beckons, Anahat stands on the cusp of transitioning from prodigy to a professional powerhouse. For India, Anahat's solo representation in the women's draw is symbolic. It's the torch being passed to a new generation. 'I am just excited to play against the best in the world,' she said. 'That's what I've always wanted — to see how far I can push myself.'At present, Anahat is ranked world No. 60, and every match at the world championships is going to be challenging. And yet, one gets the sense that she relishes it. 'I don't really think about rankings,' she said. 'On court, it's just me, the ball, and the walls. That's all that matters.'Regardless of the outcome in Chicago, Anahat holds immense promise for the future. After squash was included as a medal sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 17-yearold has now firmly set her eyes on an Olympic medal.'Now that Olympics is in the picture for us squash players for the first time, I'm hopeful I can win a medal at the LA Games,' Anahat, who has two bronze medals (women's team event & mixed doubles) from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games , currently, has a full team around her with former pros Gregory Gaultier (of France) and Stephane Galifi (Italy) as full-time coaches. Saurav Ghosal, who has won CWG and Asian Games medals for India, is her mentor.
Express Tribune
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
The Heat is On! Karachi witnessed heat in more sense than one can think..
Karachi is experiencing a heat wave currently, but the city is experiencing heat in another sense, in the sense of the World Squash Championship, held at the prestigious DHA Creek Club. Players from all over the globe are here to win the coveted title. In the first-ever Under-23 World Squash Championship, it was heartening to witness the interactions between international players and the local youngsters. Pakistan has a rich history in the world of sports, especially Cricket, Hockey, and Squash, where Pakistan stood proudly as the undefeated champion in the world of squash, such as the unbeatable Jehangir Khan. A squash legend, Khan won 555 matches for Pakistan, and is deemed as the greatest sportsman of the millennia. Jehangir Khan is not the only one; squash legends like Jansher Khan, Qamar Zaman, Gogi Alauddin, and Maqsood Ahmed consistently made Pakistan proud in the global arena. However, Pakistan lost the crown, and squash took a backseat only to be remembered in conversations as people relived the glorious past in their drawing rooms. This era was a dark time for the lovers of the game. Now, one can safely say that the dark era has reached its end, and it is the beginning of a new dawn, as the first-ever Under-23 World Squash Championship kicked off, and Pakistan again witnessed girls and boys descend to the court to win the title for their respective countries. It is to be noted that Pakistan was also in the forefront of the women's game; three girls participated in the tough matches, played against the world's strongest. This is a ray of hope that Pakistan needed. Sports bring with them an electrifying energy, which is contagious. Seeing the sportsmen and sportswomen in action, one feels the burdens of life melt away as their focus is on the match. This adds to the beauty of any sport, and it teaches us to focus on things that truly matter to us. During the week, this is what DHA Creek Club witnessed — an unwavering determination to win. Pakistan as a country is known for its hospitality, and at the venue it was evident, as the foreign players and their coaches praised the food and the hospitality. They were treated to different cuisines, and they loved the culinary delights. 'I love the food here, it is a bit spicy, but the flavours are great. I love the hospitality of the people here,' said a player from Egypt. South African, Malaysian, and Czech Republic players echoed the same sentiment. 'The food is great, and the hospitality of the people and the weather is lovely here. As we have cold weather, it's great to be in the sun,' said Tamara from Czech Republic. The courts and the overall environment were greatly appreciated by the foreigners as well. 'The courts are great, it's easy to play here, and I love the environment. Everyone is treating us so well, it's like a family atmosphere here. I would visit Pakistan again for sure,' said Noa Romero from Spain. CEO, World Squash Federation, William Louis-Marie, was very happy at the mega event, saying, 'It's great to be here and Pakistan, known for its hospitality, has lived up to its name. The courts here are world-class.' DHA Karachi has taken the lead to provide a safe and secure environment for the foreign delegates. This mega event is hopefully the first of many to come in the future. The successful hosting of the Under-23 World Squash Championship signifies that Pakistan is a sports-loving, peaceful country to host international sports events for the future as well. Written By: Beena Khan The writer is a Karachi-based journalist. The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.
