WSF World Junior Squash Championships 20 July – 31 July 2026, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
The 2026 World Squash Junior Championships got underway, with 134 matches contested across White Oaks Resort and Spa and Ridley College in an exciting opening day of competition.
With the event returning to Canada for the first time since 1984, the world’s best Under-19 athletes delivered thrilling performances as they began their bids for the world junior titles.
Among the excitement of the opening day, India’s Saanvi Kalanki was able to impress and book her place into the next round after enduring a five-game battle against the Netherlands’ 25/32 seed, Elcke Mols.
Kalanki, who took the lead in the opener, 11-9, was forced into a back-and-forth battle, with Mols levelling the scoreline twice to force a fifth game. However, it proved that the 25/32 seed’s efforts were for nothing, as Kalanki was able to claim the fifth 11-6.
Elsewhere, the top seeds signalled their intent early as they were able to book their places into the second round with straight-game victories.
Among the victors were top seeds India’s Anahat Singh and Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem, who advanced into the next round after straight-game victories against Australia’s Lilly Wilson and Colombia’s Maria Gomez, respectively.
In the men’s event, defending men’s champion and No.1 seed Mohamad Zakaria started his run with a straight-game victory over Macau, China’s Wu Cheok Io, as he aims to become the first men’s player to win the title three times.
“It was pretty good. This is my fifth World Juniors Championship, and I have been pretty excited to get this one going,” Zakaria shared after the match.
“These tournaments are for Egypt. It’s not just for yourself, so I am happy today and excited to hopefully win my third World Junior title. And although I have that goal, it is about getting the matches in and not really thinking about what’s next. I have had a really good summer training, so I am excited.”
However, the World No.7 wasn’t the only player to record an impressive straight-game victory, as Pakistan’s Nauman Khan upset the order, eliminating Japan’s 13-16 seed, Ren Makino, in straight games, claiming the match 11-5, 11-5, 11-4.
Elsewhere, No.2 seed Adam Hawal advanced after beating Germany’s Alessio Fumagalli; Paraguay’s Pan-American U19 Women’s Champion, Fiorella Gatti, progressed after beating Chinese Taipei’s Wei-Yu Pan in straight games; South Africa’s Joseph Feast forced a comeback to win 3-1 against Brazil’s Owen Hendricks; Hong Kong, China’s Helen Tang secured a spot in Round 2 with a straight-game win against Cordelia Wan-Ya Hsu; England’s Ronnie Hickling endured a five-game encounter to get past India’s Purav Rambhia.
Day Two of the 2026 World Squash Junior Championships takes place tomorrow, 21 July, with play beginning at 9:15am (GMT-4).
Action from the all-glass court and select traditional courts will be streamed live on WORLDSQUASH.TV.
Click here to view all the results from Day One.
Click here to view the schedule for Day Two.
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