Islamabad (Sports Desk): Egypt’s Mohamad Zakaria and India’s Anahat Singh have been crowned the 2026 World Squash Junior Champions after recording victories over compatriots Adam Hawal and Ruqayya Salem at White Oaks Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The pair produced dominant performances throughout the tournament, with both writing their names into the history books.
Zakaria became the first men's player ever to win the World Junior title three times, while Singh became the first Indian player to lift the prestigious trophy.
Already ranked World No.7, Zakaria has quickly established himself as one of squash's brightest young stars, having become the youngest-ever men's World Junior champion at just 16 years old in 2024.
His performance in the final underlined why he entered the match as a two-time World Junior champion, producing another commanding display to defeat No.2 seed Adam Hawal in straight games.
From the outset, it was clear Zakaria would have to work hard to overcome his compatriot, with long and intense rallies a constant throughout the opening game. Nonetheless, the No.1 seed overcame these challenges, producing some high-quality squash to take the opener 11-4.
After claiming the opener, the second game proved far more competitive, with Hawal refusing to give the World No.7 any space on court as the pair battled into a tie-break. However, Hawal was unable to capitalise on his opportunities as Zakaria swung the momentum back in his favour to edge the second game 12-10.
With Hawal's best chance of getting back into the match slipping away in the second, the momentum remained firmly with the top seed.
Despite play being halted after Zakaria was accidentally struck on the chin by Hawal's racket, the Egyptian quickly regained his composure and sealed the title by taking the third game 11-4.
"Winning this tournament three times in a row without dropping a game is a huge thing," Zakaria said after the match.
"Adam played an amazing final. He pushed very hard and is a force to be reckoned with on the Tour. He made it very tough and I'm glad I won it in three, so I'm over the moon."
Zakaria continued: "I've always thought of myself as the best junior ever to play, and now I've basically stated that. I'm happy that I was able to back up my words with my actions and make sure I got it done."
In the women's final, India's Anahat Singh became the first Indian player to win the World Junior title, following a straight-games victory over Egypt's No.2 seed Ruqayya Salem.
Singh, a former quarter-finalist and semi-finalist at the event, enjoyed an impressive run throughout the tournament, recording a string of victories to become the first Indian to reach the World Junior final since Joshna Chinappa in 2005.
With the chance to secure a historic title, Singh made a fast start to the final, taking control of the match as she claimed the opening game 11-3.
Having taken the opener, the match appeared to be moving in only one direction as Singh found her rhythm, building a commanding lead over her opponent to take the second game 11-7.
However, despite leading by two games, the third initially threatened to swing in Salem's favour as the Egyptian moved into an 8-6 lead.
With the pressure mounting and a fourth—and potentially fifth—game looming, the Indian No.1 clawed her way back to seal the third game 11-9 and secure a historic victory.
"I still feel like I'm dreaming!" Singh said after the final.
She continued: "This tournament has been the worst tournament for me. I've been losing in the semis and quarters over the last four years. I've always said, if anyone's asked, 'This tournament's a curse,' and I've never been able to play well in the event.
"This is my last year [as a junior] and my only chance to win it. It means the world.
"So, I knew if I'm stressed, I play terribly, so I just came out on court and hit my lines well. It's always tough with her and I wanted to enjoy every moment of getting to play in a world championship final."
