Indian squash player Anahat Singh continued her impressive run at the Silicon Valley Open 2026, reaching her maiden Professional Squash Association (PSA) Gold-level semi-final after defeating Egypt's Salma Hany in a five-game quarter-final thriller.
The World No. 15 recovered twice from a deficit to beat the World No. 14 by 4-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-2, 11-5 in 42 minutes.
The victory marked another significant milestone for the 18-year-old Indian, who became the first Indian player to reach a semi-final at a PSA Gold-level event.
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"It feels great. Coming into the match, I had never played her before, so I did not really know what to expect. I have watched her play so many times and she is highly experienced on the PSA World Tour. I was just looking forward to seeing how I would match up against her. I did not start off well. The first game was 11-4, which was a pretty bad start. However, I wanted to find a way to make my way back into the match and put up a fight. Whether it resulted in a win or a loss, I did not want to let it go too easily," Anahat said after securing a spot in the semifinal.
"I gave it my all in the second game and tried to make it one-all. We kept winning games alternately, so it was quite a roller coaster. I am happy I got through it," she added.
When asked about her performance and mindset, the 18-year-old explained that "It feels amazing. I played in London, which was perhaps my first or second Gold event, and I reached the quarter-finals there. I knew coming into this event that I had a good shot. Especially after winning yesterday, I know that if I am playing well, I have a chance against whoever I play."
"I wanted to come in with that mindset. I was a bit tired coming into the match, perhaps because of the emotions after winning yesterday. I did not want to lose momentum today and wanted to give it my all. I am happy that I was able to get one step further in the tournament," she further added.
She will now face Malaysia's World No. 4 Sivasangari Subramaniam for a place in the final.
Anahat had to fight back after Hany took the opening game 11-4. The Indian responded with an 11-8 win in the second game, but the Egyptian regained the lead by winning the third 11-4. Anahat then produced a commanding response, taking the fourth game 11-2 before sealing the deciding game 11-5.
Her performance in the final two games proved decisive, as she conceded just seven points across both games combined to complete the comeback.
Anahat Singh Stuns Eight-Time World Champion Nour El Sherbini
Anahat's quarter-final victory came a day after one of the biggest wins of her career, in which she defeated Egypt's Nour El Sherbini, an eight-time world champion, in straight games to reach the quarter-finals.
Anahat won 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 in a match that lasted 30 minutes. El Sherbini was ranked World No. 3 at the time.
The win over El Sherbini set the tone for Anahat's campaign in California, and she followed it up by overcoming Hany in a much longer contest to secure her place in the last four.
Anahat Singh Faces Sivasangari Subramaniam In Semi-Final
Anahat will face a formidable challenge in the semi-finals against Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam, the World No. 4 and reigning Asian Games champion.
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The match will be a rematch of the women's singles final at the 2026 Asian Games, where Sivasangari defeated Anahat 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 to win the gold medal, leaving the Indian with silver.
The upcoming encounter gives Anahat another opportunity to test herself against one of the world's leading players as she looks to extend her breakthrough run and move within one win of the Silicon Valley Open final.
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