India’s Anahat Singh delivered a major upset at the Silicon Valley Open 2026, defeating Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini in straight games to secure a place in the women’s singles quarter-finals on Thursday.
The 18-year-old, ranked world No. 15, defeated the tournament’s top seed and world No. 3 by 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 in a 30-minute second-round match at the PSA Gold event.
The victory marked Anahat’s first win against a top-five player on the senior circuit. She will next face Egypt’s Salma Hany, ranked 14th globally and seeded sixth, on Friday for a semi-final spot.
Anahat credited India’s national coach for boosting her confidence before the match but admitted she had not expected such a convincing result.
“Going into the match, the national coach of India was telling me that I definitely do have a shot if I was playing really, really well,” Anahat said after the match.
She also spoke about her admiration for El Sherbini, revealing that she had followed the Egyptian’s career since childhood and considered her an inspiration.
El Sherbini, 30, has won eight World Squash Championship women’s singles titles, matching Malaysian legend Nicol David’s record. Despite the defeat, the Egyptian remains one of the sport’s most accomplished players.
Anahat’s victory stands as a significant milestone in her senior career as she prepares for her quarter-final challenge.
