Silicon Valley, 24 October (H.S.):

India’s rising squash star Anahat Singh bowed out of the Silicon Valley Open after losing 1–3 to Malaysia’s third-seeded Sivasangari Subramaniam in the semifinals on Friday.

World No. 4 Sivasangari faced an early challenge from Anahat, who made an impressive start by clinching the opening game 11–5. The Malaysian, however, regrouped and mounted a strong comeback, winning the next three games 11–6, 11–4 and 11–7 to seal victory in a match that lasted 37 minutes.

The defeat marked Anahat’s third loss to Sivasangari on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour and her fourth defeat against the Malaysian across their overall head-to-head meetings. Sivasangari had also beaten the Indian teenager in the women’s singles final at the 2026 Asian Games, where Anahat had to settle for the silver medal.

Despite the semifinal exit, the 15th-ranked Anahat delivered an impressive performance throughout the tournament. She made headlines by defeating Egypt’s top-seeded Nour El Sherbini, an eight-time world champion, in straight games to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Indian then overcame Egypt’s sixth-seeded Salma Hany in a thrilling five-game encounter, securing her place in the semifinals for the first time at a PSA Gold-level tournament. Her run in California marked a significant milestone in her career, demonstrating her ability to challenge some of the sport’s leading players on the international stage.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar