Toronto, Oct 29 (IANS) Reigning women’s National champion Anahat Singh maintained her strong performance at the Canadian Open, advancing to the semi-finals of the USD 96,250 PSA Silver event with a commanding straight-game victory over world No. 7 Tinne Gilis.

The Delhi teenager, who achieved her first victory over a top 20 PSA World Rankings player earlier this week by defeating Melissa Alves, triumphed with a 12-10, 11-9, 11-9 scoreline in 36 minutes against Gilis to secure the biggest win of her career so far.

“I’m really excited and she’s [Tinne Gilis] a top 10 player and this is the first time (I defeated a player in the top 10),” she told the PSA website. “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. Coming into this event, I wouldn’t be thinking that I would be here right now. 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.”

Anahat faces England No.1 Gina Kennedy in the semi-finals on Thursday, after Kennedy ended home hopes by defeating Canadian No.1 Hollie Naughton 3-1.

Meanwhile, Tanvi Khanna defeated Irish player Hannah McGugan 11-1, 11-3, 11-8 in the opening round of the PSA Challenger 12 Pierre & Vacance in Andorra.

–IANS

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