New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) The stakes are incredibly high, and so are the expectations from herself, as India’s transformed squash star Anahat Singh returns to the Asian Games stage.
Squash is one of the few sports in the continental showpiece offering direct Olympic qualification for the singles gold medallist. This raises the stakes massively, especially since India has never won a singles gold in the competition.
Anahat, now 18, was the baby of the team when she had travelled to Hangzhou for her maiden Asian Games appearance three years ago. She has come a long way since then.
The recently crowned world junior champion and world number 20 (soon to be 17) is expected to win a medal as the third seed in the women’s singles draw. And if that colour of the medal turns out to be gold, she would guarantee her presence in squash’s long-awaited Olympic debut in couple of years time.
“Of course, it’s a lot different than the last Asian Games that I played. There’s a lot more at stake. I’ve got a lot more experience playing in the last three, four years as well.
“And the level is definitely a lot different. And even in terms of what I expect out of myself going into the Asian Games, it’s a lot more,” Anahat told PTI before boarding the flight to Japan.
She wants to embrace the high pressure that comes with multi sporting events like the Asian Games.
“I would not be honest if I said that there wouldn’t be pressure as of course. It’s whether the Olympic qualification was there or not, the stakes are incredibly high. And in events like this, you’re playing for a lot more than just yourself.
“You’re playing for your country, you’re playing for everyone who’s supported you throughout the years. Right now it’s just a lot more excitement to get there and just be in Japan and get settled in and make sure everything gets started off well.
“As the matches start playing on and getting towards the later rounds, the pressure is going to build up. Knowing that having that sort of pressure is always a really good thing and just taking that on with me and making sure that it’s converted and changes my game into a better aspect of it rather than making it worse,” said India’s first ever world junior champion.
Standing in the way of gold would be home favourite and world number six Satomi Watanbe, her likely opponent in the semifinals, and defending champion and world number five, Sivasangari Subramaniam from Malaysia.
Anahat lost to both of them on the PSA tour recently but knows exactly what she needs to do to get over the line against the two top-10 players. Her attacking from the front of the court even has former world number one and current India coach James Willstrop in awe of the Delhi-based athlete.
Talking about her main rivals, Anahat said: “Of course, as per ranking, I’m expected to reach the semis, but I have played Satomi before a couple months back and we had quite a close game. She’s playing in Japan (at home), so it’s going to benefit her a little bit more.
“But, going into the match (probable semifinal), of course I don’t really have much to lose. She’s higher ranked, she’s much more experienced and played a lot longer. So, yeah, I think I’m just going to carry on from the last match that we played where I felt pretty good and confident throughout.
“Even though I lost, I felt like I had a lot of good things to take away from that. Just think about that, rewatch those matches and make sure that (I learn from that).
“Once that’s done, Siva’s (defending champion) another person, a new opponent, and I need to take that in a completely different manner,” said Anahat.
Anahat has beaten top-15 players multiple times but to climb up the rankings ladder, she knows the importance of consistency and becoming physically stronger.
“Most people do say that I have quite an attacking game. It’s been something that I’ve always done since I’ve started playing squash. Now just the main aim is going to be, try to balance that out.
“Of course, hitting and attacking is a really good trait to have, but also balancing it out and making sure that my back court game and my basic game is solid. And it’s not just, fancy things all the time.
“Sometimes if I’m not playing my best or I’m hitting a few more errors than I should be, I should be having, you know, a plan B or another way to win match, even though I’m not playing my best. And of course, work physically as well a little bit more, become stronger,” said Anahat.
In her third multi-sporting event, she also wants to enjoy the experience off the court.
“The last Asian Games and Commonwealth Games was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to learn so much from it. Just the whole atmosphere of being surrounded with top athletes and being in a village.
“It’s not just squash players and something different than just playing a PSA event. I’ve followed badminton for a long time and I’ve not really had the chance to meet the badminton team much. Hope I get to do that,” said Anahat who idolises P V Sindhu and played badminton before switching to squash. PTI BS BS AH AH
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