As opposed to tennis tournaments which garner wide media coverage and draw enormous crowds, squash tends to remain more of a subculture – only its most avid supporters keep up with what goes on at the highest ranks of professional squash.
Recent Quakers who have accrued international experience such as Reeham Salah (freshmen) and Anaka Alankamony (juniors) offer the team an edge against its competitors.
Sarah-Jane Talbott
Sarah-Jane Talbott stands out in a sport characterized by flashy sports cars and sprawling mansions as one of few players to reach the upper levels while remaining grounded. Although the former world No.1 earned only $110,000 that year – less than half the minimum salary of an NBA player – but still maintains her sense of modesty and humility.
Her devotion to squash has led her to serve as both coach and mentor for up-and-coming young squash players while still remaining an elite member on tour. She hopes her journey can serve as an inspiration to other young athletes striving for greatness in their respective sports.
Yale women’s team captain Amy Lanning helped lead Yale to victory at the national championship tournament, but her victory was marred by an injury she sustained against Harvard Crimson that required surgery and required her to spend weeks in hospital with drainage tubes exiting her abdomen. Yet she never lost focus, returning to court with renewed determination for team success.
Talbott’s 25 years as a professional squash player have seen her build an impressive resume of victories and awards, including being the only woman ever to win all four WPSA major awards (Rookie of the Year 1981; Doubles Player Of The Year 1983 with Peter Briggs; Player Of The Year 1982-1983); she is also an eight-time US Champion, 12 WPSA Doubles Championship Winners as well as winning over 100 tournaments across her career.
Nick Matthew
Nick Matthew, known by his nickname ‘The Wolf,’ hails from Sheffield and is undoubtedly fierce when it comes to tennis. A former world number one himself, The Wolf is best-known for his amazing comeback from knee surgery – something few others could achieve!
After suffering a ruptured meniscus in 2009, many expected he would retire immediately; yet within seven days, he made it all the way to the final of the Tournament of Champions (upsetting Shabana and Ashour before losing out to fourth seed Gaultier), then won both tournaments! His comeback was truly astounding and has since seen him make numerous appearances on BBC’s ‘A Question of Sport’ interviewing notable athletes such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, Nicola Adams and the Brownlee brothers among others!
Squash is a fast-paced and physical sport. To perform at its highest level, players need to remain both physically and mentally fit; nutrition plays an integral part in this regard for professional squash players; this week we explore some of the top player diet strategies from around the globe.
Ramy Ashour
Ramy Ashour’s dynamic playing style and off-court charisma has contributed to squash’s worldwide growth. Considered one of the greatest players ever, with three World titles and 35 PSA World Tour victories under his belt, Ashour remains an Egyptian maverick known for his iconic playing style and off-court charisma.
The Artist is widely revered for his extraordinary retrieving skills and ability to switch directions instantly, but his breathtaking attacking play has truly become one of the great spectacles to witness.
Ramy began playing squash at six, and his passion quickly developed into an overwhelming love of the sport. Soon enough, both Ramy and Hisham became proficient players; before long they were competing professionally in tournaments around Egypt.
Ashour was one of the premier players of his era. Winning two men’s world junior titles and reaching number one ranking made Ashour an unstoppable force.
Ashour was so dominant that he won most of his matches without dropping a set. This included defeating Nick Matthew during their rivalry and James Willstrop and Amr Shabana with ease.
Ashour achieved great success during his time as one of squash’s premier players, winning over one hundred tournaments and earning over $1 Million in prize money. Ashour was also renowned as an innovator; creating RAM scoring system in 2016 to broaden its appeal and attract new audiences; this system employing digital scoreboards with points displayed and time display is now used by over 300 professional events worldwide.
Ryan Cuskelly
Ryan Cuskelly recently retired after an impressive run on the PSA World Tour. Throughout his tenure he won multiple PSA tournaments, two World Championship titles, a Commonwealth Games gold medal and was British National Champion twice over. His personality made him popular on court as he garnered many admirers around the world.
Cuskelly made history during his final match at the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions when he defeated Mohamed Elshorbagy, reigning world champion Mohamed Elshorbagy for an important win against an Australian who had never previously managed to defeat Elshorbagy before playing at Grand Central Terminal in New York City – it was truly impressive display from both players!
Cuskelly now holds great promise as he coaches at his club in Greenwich, New York and competes on the North American circuit with partner Cameron Pilley in doubles play – it will be exciting to see whether their partnership can make an impactful statement on a global stage!
Raneem El Welily is an award-winning Egyptian squash player who has captured multiple World Open and European titles. She married fellow Egyptian player Tarek Momen, was twice awarded WISPA Player of the Year status, and three-time world champion.
Keep in mind that these athletes aren’t only world-class at their sport; they also serve as role models to younger players. Many of them have overcome significant adversity to reach the pinnacle, making them great examples. We urge all our readers to follow these players and draw inspiration from them!
Nicky Mueller
Since 2012, the top tier of squash has seen minimal turnover – which makes sense given the depth of talent at the very top. Dislodging existing players may take significant effort – making it all the more intriguing to witness what newcomers bring and whether or not they can dethrone established players.
Nicky Mueller is an American professional squash player who holds the career high ranking of World No. 15. At 24 years old, Mueller has won two PSA titles and represented her country at several major tournaments. Outside of squash she enjoys participating in triathlons as well as hiking with family.
As an alumna of SEA, Mueller continues to take part in our Speaker Series and mentor SquashBuster students. She serves on both boards – both SEA and the US Squash Federation – and has been recognized for her commitment to giving back to squash.
Sarah-Jane is a British professional squash player and former World No. 6. As a junior she won two British Junior Championships titles; currently, she holds seven tour titles including winning at Qatar Classic 2017 where she also secured victory.
Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, Pakistani professional squash players who are widely considered two of the greatest of all time. Beginning their professional careers at age 8, Jahangir and Jansher became the top team in Pakistan by age 10; later going on to win numerous international tournaments and ultimately three World Championship titles each.
James Willstrop, born in North Walsham, England is an English professional squash player who is best known for winning two World and four Commonwealth Games gold medals, eight World Open titles and 81 professional titles over his career. Known for his incredible endurance and stunning play on court.