Mumbai, Jan. 24 -- After a "chaotic", as she called it, concoction of playing junior events, senior events and both its World Championships while surging from outside 80 to inside 30 in the PSA charts last year, Anahat Singh is bracing up for a significant step up. Starting with the ongoing Sprott Tournament of Champions - one of the prestigious events on the PSA tour - Anahat will compete in three back-to-back tournaments in the US, two of them top-tier Platinum. It marks a conscious shift in the career trajectory of the 17-year-old, from creating waves in pocketing lower-level Challenger titles aplenty over the last couple of years to throwing herself in the deep end of the pool with the world's best in bigger events this year. "I'm definitely going to slow down on the Challenger events now, and play a lot more of the bigger events," Anahat told HT. "This (US swing) is a good start, just getting a chance to play against the top players and getting to see where I am at the beginning of the year. It gives me an opportunity to build up over the next couple of months to see how I can improve and implement that quickly." The 2025 junior worlds bronze medallist made frequent deep runs in Challengers last year. Also sprinkled around it were some appearances in the bigger PSA events. Even as her rankings and level have gone through a bump up, her mindset would have to follow. "Last year my aim was just to get into the tournaments and play a few matches. But now that I've been able to do that for the past couple of months, it's changed into trying to win matches. The approach will be a lot different," she said. That said, Anahat is still 17, and the difference in fronting up with the world's elite is huge. For a player too used to winning at the junior and Challenger level - she has 14 PSA titles - and, according to her mentor Saurav Ghosal, hates losing even in practice games, India's brightest young talent may have to go through a phase where she won't be winning as much. "I'm aware that there's a chance of me losing matches, because most of the players are higher ranked than me right now. But I'm excited, either way. Just getting onto court with them is an experience completely different than playing junior or Challenger events," Anahat, who is supported by JSW, said. "I'd end up learning more if I lose, because then I reflect on the match a lot more than if I win." She's won plenty of matches over the last two years, hastening her ranking rise at a pace she "wouldn't have expected". "But the toughest part now is maintaining it. And making sure I can climb higher, hopefully in the next couple of months," said the current world No.31. It will place her on a hassle-free qualification zone for the 2028 LA Olympics through the rankings route. Ensuring that, apart from improving the colour of silverware at this year's Asian Games of which she is a twice bronze medallist, are big goals this year. "Just getting my ranking as high up as possible. Because the Olympics selection criteria will be out soon, and I want to make sure that I'm at a safe spot where I'm not confused about whether I'm going to be playing or not."...