Redwood City, Oct 24 — Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh bowed out of the Silicon Valley Open after losing 1-3 to Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam in the semifinals, bringing an end to an impressive campaign that included a major upset over eight-time world champion Nour El Sherbini.
The 18-year-old from Delhi started strongly against the third-seeded Malaysian, winning the opening game 11-5. However, World No. 4 Subramaniam raised her level in the subsequent games to secure a 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 victory in 37 minutes and book her place in the final.
Anahat dominated the early exchanges, recovering from a point down to string together eight consecutive points and establish control of the first game. She needed two attempts to convert her game balls, but Subramaniam responded with greater consistency and gradually took charge of the contest.
The Indian attempted to revive her chances in the fourth game after falling 3-7 behind, narrowing the gap to a single point. Subramaniam, however, regained control at the crucial stage and closed out the match.
The defeat marked Anahat’s fourth loss to the Malaysian overall and her third on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour. Subramaniam had also beaten the Indian in the women’s singles final at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where Anahat secured silver to become the first Indian woman to reach the tournament’s singles final.
Despite the semifinal exit, Anahat’s run in Silicon Valley underlined her growing stature on the international circuit. Ranked World No. 15, she produced one of the tournament’s standout results by defeating top seed El Sherbini in straight games to reach the quarterfinals.
She followed that performance with a spirited comeback against Egypt’s sixth seed Salma Hany. Trailing 1-2 in games, Anahat rallied to win 4-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-2, 11-5 in 42 minutes, securing her maiden appearance in the semifinals of a PSA Gold-level event.
The Indian teenager has enjoyed a landmark year, having won the girls’ singles title at the 2026 World Junior Squash Championships to become the first Indian to claim the crown, ending Egypt’s 15-year hold on the event.
Anahat had previously won two bronze medals at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, in the women’s team and mixed doubles competitions, before adding the women’s singles silver in 2026.