Indian Open 2026: Squash Stars Anahat Singh And Abhay Singh Reign Supreme

Last Updated:March 22, 2026, 22:22 IST

Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh win JSW Indian Open 2026 squash singles titles at CCI, beating Veer Chotrani and Hana Moataz in dominant finals.

Local favourites Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh clinched the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively on the final day of the JSW Indian Open 2026 squash tournament at the CCIon Sunday.

The men’s title clash was an all-Indian affair, with second seed Abhay overpowering his fourth-seeded compatriot Veer Chotrani 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-4).

Young sensation Anahat defeated Egypt’s Hana Moataz 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6) in the women’s final.

Abhay Wins Battle Of Indians

Abhay was in superb form in the men’s summit clash. Although Chotrani put up a spirited fight in the first two games, the second seed shifted into a higher gear as the match progressed.

The opening game was a hard-fought contest, with every point fiercely contested. In the see-saw battle, Abhay eventually edged ahead to take the game 11-9 and secure the early lead.

The second game followed a similar pattern, with long rallies keeping the spectators engrossed. Abhay, however, managed to quell his compatriot’s intense challenge to win 11-8 and double his advantage.

In the third game, Abhay raised the intensity further, leaving Chotrani struggling to read his deceptive angles and powerful smashes. The second seed wrapped up the game 11-4 to seal the match and the title.

Anahat Beats Hana

Earlier, top seed Anahat produced a sublime performance to outclass Hana and clinch the women’s title.

Although the second-seeded Egyptian was the more experienced player, the younger Anahat was in a league of her own.

The top-seeded Indian employed a lethal combination of deception and rapid cross-court movement, leaving her opponent struggling to cope with the pace.

In the early exchanges, both players were evenly matched, trading points regularly. The first game saw the lead change hands repeatedly before Anahat rattled off six consecutive points to take it 11-5 and move ahead.

Anahat maintained her dominance in the second game, racing to a comfortable 5-1 lead in double-quick time. Hana tried hard to mount a strong challenge but could not keep up with the in-form Indian, who closed out the game 11-6 to extend her lead to 2-0.

Despite being outplayed in the first two games, Hana staged a spirited comeback in the third, edging a tight 11-9 verdict to stay alive in the contest.

The Egyptian tried to slow down the rallies to counter her much faster Indian opponent, and the difficult angles on her shots served her well.

The loss of the third game appeared to disrupt Anahat’s rhythm, with Hana forcing the pace and surging to a 4-1 lead in the fourth. To her credit, Anahat regrouped, fought back to lead 5-4, and then reeled off five consecutive points to take the game 11-6 and seal the title.

Reaction To Win

Reflecting on winning the title for the second consecutive year, Anahat said, “I think I played well in the first two games. I went a bit off track in the third. I was excited that I was winning. But I spoke to my coach when he came to my corner in the middle of the game, and he told me to focus on getting a good start because it was important not to let it go to the fifth.

“I started the fourth well, and I’m glad I was able to get through it. I tell myself to focus because I lose focus quite easily, and if I lose two points in a row, I remind myself to stay motivated, focus on the next few points, and get back into the game.

“I think it’s really amazing how Hana played. She was not well the past week, reached the finals after a tough full-hour match yesterday, and still came out and put on such a great performance. It’s amazing to see," she added.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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