Anahat Singh Stuns Former World No. 4 Nele Gilis to Reach London Squash Classic Quarterfinals

Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh has produced another statement performance on the PSA Squash Tour, defeating Belgium’s Nele Gilis in a thrilling three-game contest to reach the quarterfinals of the London Squash Classic, a Gold-level tournament.

The 18-year-old, who was recently crowned Junior World Champion, showed tremendous composure at Alexandra Palace to overcome the eighth-seeded Gilis 13-11, 4-11, 11-8 in 39 minutes.

It was a victory against a player who has previously climbed as high as World No. 4 and currently sits at World No. 11, making the result another significant milestone in Anahat’s rapidly developing senior career.

The Indian entered the contest ranked World No. 20 but showed no signs of being overawed by her higher-ranked opponent.

The opening game immediately showcased the intensity expected from a Gold-level PSA tournament. Anahat and Gilis traded high-octane rallies, with neither player willing to give the other an easy opportunity. The Indian youngster eventually managed to edge the game 13-11, securing an early advantage in a contest where the margins were extremely small.

Gilis responded strongly in the second game.

The Belgian began finding greater control in the rallies and prevented Anahat from establishing the same rhythm that had helped her take the opening game. Gilis levelled the match with an emphatic 11-4 second-game victory.

With the match tied at one game apiece, Anahat faced the challenge of regrouping against an experienced opponent who had already reached the final of the London Classic last year.

The teenager responded in style.

Anahat dominates the decisive moments

The deciding game became a test of both physical endurance and tactical discipline. Anahat's ability to keep Gilis towards the back of the court proved crucial. By controlling the central T position, the Indian was able to dictate the flow of rallies while limiting Gilis’ opportunities to attack from favourable positions.

When chances appeared in the front corners, Anahat was clinical.

That combination of depth, movement and precision eventually allowed her to close out the deciding game 11-8, completing a memorable 2-1 victory.

The official scoreline read: Anahat Singh (IND) bt [8] Nele Gilis (BEL) 2-1: 13-11, 4-11, 11-8 (39 minutes).

The result sends Anahat into the last eight of one of the biggest tournaments of her young career.

The victory is significant not just because of the opponent but also because of what Anahat has achieved at this level. The 18-year-old has become the first Indian woman since 2021 to reach the quarterfinals of a PSA Gold-level tournament.

That places her achievement in the context of a broader period of growth for Indian women’s squash. Anahat has already established herself as one of the country's brightest young prospects, but victories over players of Gilis’ calibre show that she is increasingly capable of competing with established names on the senior PSA Tour.

Her recent Junior World Championship triumph has only strengthened those expectations. Now, she has followed that success with a breakthrough senior performance in London.

There is another interesting element to Anahat’s victory. With her win over Nele Gilis, the Indian has now defeated both Gilis sisters during her career.

The result against Nele adds another notable name to a growing list of international players whom Anahat has managed to overcome. For a player still only 18, victories of this nature underline just how quickly she is progressing.

Anahat’s game is built around speed, movement and the ability to maintain pressure through long rallies, but her performance against Gilis also highlighted an important tactical development: she was able to adapt when her opponent fought back strongly in the second game.

That ability to reset after losing momentum is essential at the senior level.

A major test awaits in the quarterfinals

Anahat’s reward for the win is a place in the quarterfinals, where she will face either World No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia or Nardine Garas of Egypt.

A meeting with Sivasangari would present another major test for the Indian. The Malaysian is ranked inside the world's top five and represents the kind of opposition Anahat will increasingly encounter as she climbs higher in the PSA rankings. 

Anahat Singh’s journey over the past year has increasingly suggested that her potential extends well beyond the junior circuit.

Winning the Junior World Championship established her as the leading player of her generation. Reaching the quarterfinals of a PSA Gold-level tournament by defeating a former World No. 4 takes that progress into another dimension.

What makes the London performance particularly encouraging is the manner of the victory. Anahat did not simply benefit from an opponent having an off day. She fought through a close opening game, absorbed Gilis’ response in the second, and then executed her tactical plan in the decider.

The ability to win a three-game battle against an experienced top-level player is precisely the kind of experience that can accelerate a young athlete’s development.

Now comes the quarterfinal.

Anahat Singh has already made history in London. But with a place in the last four within sight, the 18-year-old Indian will have another chance to show that her rise is no longer simply a promising junior story.

The Junior World Champion has arrived on the senior stage—and London is becoming another important chapter in her ascent.