Saturday’s arena buzzed as Anahat Singh, 18, turned a 2‑0 deficit into a 3‑2 triumph over world No. 6 Satomi Watanabe. The Japanese star had rattled the Indian with sharp angles, but the teenager clawed back, saving two match points at 8‑10 before snatching the third game 12‑10.
But the momentum didn’t stop there. Anahat carried the surge into the fourth game, dispatching Watanabe 11‑6, and then sealed the decider 11‑3, turning a tense match into a statement of purpose.
Meanwhile, Abhay Singh smashed Pakistan’s Muhammad Irfan 3‑0 (11‑3, 12‑10, 11‑6) in a 35‑minute bout, moving him straight into the men’s final. He opened the first game with a 6‑2 lead and never looked back.
Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar added a bronze in mixed doubles after a nail‑biting 11‑10 win over Hong Kong, boosting India’s medal tally to three and keeping the Olympic dream alive.
With both finalists on home soil, India now has two shots at gold and potentially two Olympic spots—an unprecedented haul for Indian squash. The women’s final will pit Anahat against Watanabe again, while Abhay faces Pakistan’s top seed in the men’s showdown.
Next up: the women’s final at 3 pm, followed by the men’s match at 6 pm.