Anahat Singh Storms into Squash Semifinals After Beating Tanvi Khanna at Asian Games 2026

Anahat Singh continued her impressive campaign at the Asian Games 2026 by defeating compatriot Tanvi Khanna 3-0 in the women’s singles quarterfinal and booking her place in the semifinals.

The 18-year-old Junior World Champion produced a commanding performance to win 11-2, 11-5, 11-3, completing the match in just 15 minutes. Her victory sets up a major semifinal test against Japan’s Satomi Watanabe, the world No. 6, on Saturday at 10:30 AM IST. For Anahat, the quarterfinal was another opportunity to demonstrate her ability on the Asian Games stage. For Tanvi, it brought an end to her singles campaign, but the all-Indian quarterfinal also highlighted the depth of India's women's squash contingent.

The quarterfinal began with Anahat immediately establishing control. The young Indian raced to an 11-2 opening-game victory in just five minutes, using her movement and precise shot selection to put Tanvi under sustained pressure. Anahat repeatedly found success with well-directed drops, forcing Tanvi to cover significant ground and preventing her from establishing a consistent rhythm.

The second game followed a similar pattern. Anahat's flat and fast play, combined with her attacking kill shots, created problems for Tanvi. The 30-year-old tried to fight her way back into the contest and produced a late surge, but Anahat maintained control to close out the game 11-5.

With a 2-0 lead, Anahat was firmly in command.

The third game saw Anahat complete the job without allowing Tanvi an opportunity to force a fourth. She continued to dictate rallies with her pace and variety before eventually winning the game 11-3. The 3-0 scoreline meant Anahat needed only 15 minutes to secure her place in the final four.

The victory also underlined the difference in momentum during the quarterfinal, with Anahat able to impose her preferred attacking style throughout the contest. For Tanvi, the defeat brought her women's singles campaign to an end, while Anahat moved one step closer to a potential Asian Games medal.

Anahat's semifinal opponent will provide a substantially different challenge. She will face Satomi Watanabe of Japan, currently ranked World No. 6. Watanabe also brings Asian Games experience, having won bronze at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The semifinal is scheduled for 10:30 AM IST tomorrow.

The previous meeting between Anahat and Watanabe offers an intriguing backdrop to the contest. The two players have faced each other once before, with Anahat taking a 2-0 lead before Watanabe changed her tactics and fought back to win the match 3-2. That comeback gives the Japanese player a clear understanding of Anahat's game, while Anahat will have the opportunity to draw on that experience ahead of their latest encounter.

The semifinal therefore represents Anahat's first major test of the Asian Games singles campaign.

India Still in the Medal Hunt

Anahat's progress adds to India's strong presence in the squash competition. Earlier, Abhay Singh also reached the men's singles semifinals after defeating Japan's Ryunosuke Tsukue 11-4, 11-3, 11-6. Abhay completed his quarterfinal victory in 24 minutes and will face either compatriot Veer Chotrani or Pakistan's Muhammad Irfan in the semifinals.

An all-Indian men's semifinal between Abhay and Veer would guarantee India at least a silver medal in the men's singles competition. In the women's singles, Anahat is now India's remaining challenger after her victory over Tanvi. Her progression also keeps alive India's hopes of adding another squash medal at the Asian Games.

At just 18, Anahat now finds herself one victory away from reaching the Asian Games final. Her quarterfinal against Tanvi was a controlled performance, with the Junior World Champion dictating the pace from the opening rally and completing a straight-games win without allowing her compatriot to build sustained momentum.

The challenge will be considerably greater against Watanabe. The Japanese world No. 6 has already demonstrated her ability to respond to Anahat's game, having overturned a two-game deficit in their previous meeting. Anahat will therefore need to maintain the precision and attacking intensity that carried her through the quarterfinal.

The semifinal at 10:30 AM IST will determine whether Anahat can move into the gold-medal match or whether Watanabe's experience and tactical adjustments prove decisive.

For now, Anahat Singh has completed another important step in her Asian Games campaign, reaching the women's singles semifinals with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Tanvi Khanna.