Anahat Singh secured a place in the women’s singles squash final at Asian Games 2026 after beating Japan’s Satomi Watanabe 3-2 in a closely fought semifinal. After the fight, the Indian squash player will have a place in the gold medal match and at least a silver medal at the continental event.
The semifinal was a big test for Anahat, who had stormed her way up the women’s singles ladder. The 18-year-old reached the last four after beating Tanvi Khanna in straight games in the quarterfinals. Anahat won 11-2, 11-5, 11-3 and carried that momentum into the semi-final against Watanabe.
Watanabe was the most important match, because the Japanese player is considered to be one of the world's best squash players. Watanabe also defeated Anahat in their previous meeting after coming back from a two-game deficit. That experience allowed the Japanese player to get an idea of Anahat’s attacking style and hence the semifinal would be an important challenge for the Indian teenager.
Anahat, however, managed to negotiate the contest and win 3-2. It earns her a place in the Asian Games women’s singles final, where she will now take on the gold medal. Whatever the final result in the title clash, her semifinal victory guarantees her an individual medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The Indian player became the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship and has since been gradually making her way up to the senior level. She came to the Asian Games as one of India’s top squash medal contenders and is now at the highest level of women’s singles competition.
As of her quarterfinal victory against Tanvi, India had already won a medal in the event. Anahat had an attacking display against her compatriot, using her speed, movement and shot selection to manage the rallies. She won the match straightforward and went to the semi-final against Watanabe.
Anahat had also discussed the lessons she had learnt from her previous match with Watanabe before the semifinal. She said she watched their earlier match many times and worked on the things that she needed to do. That preparation was crucial because she had to face the Japanese player at the Asian Games.
The Asian Games final is just the next major step in Anahat’s development. She is only 18 and has already held her hand up at big international competitions and won junior golds. Her place in the singles final will give her a big senior medal to add to her growing list.
The gold-medal match also holds special meaning when squash will make its debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The women’s singles gold medal at the Asian Games has a direct qualification quota for the 2028 Olympics, and so if the title match is going to happen, its importance is high for the players involved in that.
Anahat had already been to the Hangzhou Asian Games, where she won bronze in the women's team event and mixed doubles. So her campaign in Aichi-Nagoya is a chance to add an individual Asian Games medal to her record.
India has had a good squash campaign at the 2026 Asian Games. In addition to Anahat’s progress, Abhay Singh reached the men’s singles semifinals, while Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar also reached the mixed doubles semifinals. India was guaranteed several squash medals before Anahat’s semifinal win.
For Anahat, however, the focus now shifts entirely to the final. Having overcome Watanabe in a five-game semifinal, she is one victory away from claiming the Asian Games women’s singles gold medal. She already has a silver medal after her last game but now it is up to the young Indian player to contend for the gold medal and add an Asian Games gold to her growing international résumé.
