17-year-old Anahat stuns defending champion Tinne Gilis to reach Canadian Open squash semis

India’s 17-year-old rising star Anahat Singh stunned defending champion and second seed Tinne Gilis of Belgium to storm into the semifinals of Canadian Women’s Open squash tournament here.

Unseeded Anahat won 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-9) against her world number 7 opponent in the quarterfinal match that lasted 36 minutes Tuesday night. The Indian is currently ranked 43^rd in the world.

This was Anahat’s biggest win in her career and first against a top-10 player.

She has been in tremendous form in the tournament, a PSA Tour silver level event, having also beaten world number 20 Melissa Alves of France in the pre-quarterfinals.

She now faces world number 10 and fourth seed Gina Kennedy of England in the semifinals.

“I’m really excited and she’s (Tinne Gilis) a top 10 player and this is the first time (to beat a player in top 10),” said Anahat.

“I’ve been really happy with the way I’ve been playing this week and I was talking to my coaches earlier today and they said if I play the way I played yesterday, I have a chance against anyone.”

“I just came in with the mentality that I’m just coming in to play my best squash and it paid off at the end.”

The Indian teenager said coming into the event, she was not thinking of going so deep in the tournament.

“I wasn’t really playing too well the week before this event was coming up, but Greg (Gaultier) was there during the US Open and I went and trained with him for four days. I knew that if I trained hard and I was focused, I had a chance coming into this event and I’m really happy.”