As squash continues its global surge, more women from emerging nations are turning to this sport as their career. Competing alongside some of the greatest players ever seen on court and making sporting history as they go.
Emily and Sabrina both found transitioning to professional squash an exhilarating and demanding process, but have been immensely grateful to MSRA/NY Squash for helping them reach success.
1. Amanda Sobhy
Many people enjoy watching squash for good reason: it is an exciting, fast-paced and skillful game where rallies may last more than two minutes showcasing athleticism, strategic decision-making skills and sheer talent.
Women can compete at an elite level in tennis thanks to one person: Amanda Sobhy of Long Island. Now ranked third worldwide, Sobhy has carried American hopes of returning to the top of the game for over a decade, an arduous task especially for someone so young at 22.
Sobhy first achieved fame as a junior, winning the world title at age 16. Her outstanding freshman season at Harvard resulted in 62-0 record and four consecutive college titles won, but this success put Sobhy under greater scrutiny and she has since suffered injuries (Tearing her Achilles tendon in 2017) and mental issues such as eating disorders that has placed an additional strain on her health.
Sobhy remains determined in her goal: she wants to become the best in the world and has already proven that she possesses what it takes.
Squash enthusiasts of all ages were on hand at SCH McCausland Squash courts this week to witness Sobhy and Olivia Fiechter ’14’s impressive athleticism and skill, both among the top 10 rankings. This event, sponsored by various local companies and organizations, was part of a larger conference to promote squash as an inclusive sport that encourages more girls and women to take up playing it.
The World Squash Federation is an affiliate member of the International Olympic Committee and functions similarly to tennis ATP/WTA tournaments. Their Professional Squash Association, or PSA, hosts more than 100 tournaments annually around the globe on their Professional World Tour circuit; all governing bodies also recognize membership from National Olympic Committees or Ministries of Sport to ensure voting rights at WSF General Assemblies.
2. Sabrina Sobhy
Sabrina Sobhy was born December 30th 1996 on Long Island New York United States and currently boasts an estimated Net Worth between $1-5 Million. Her primary source of income comes from playing Squash as her career.
Sabrina first began playing squash at nine, making her professional debut soon thereafter. Since then she has won 76 tournaments and reached 10 Finals. Currently her world ranking stands at 24.
Sabrina Sobhy was an integral member of Harvard elite squash team and three-time NCAA Champion. As such, Sabrina serves as an excellent role model for young women aspiring to a successful career in squash. With a positive outlook and always giving 100% in every match she gives it her all to give their best performance every time out.
Sobhy has been training at the Arlen Specter Center in Philadelphia, the headquarters of US Squash, for some time. She participated in USA teams which advanced to quarterfinals at each world championship since 2014. Being younger sister to Amanda Sobhy – considered one of the greatest female squash players ever – can both be an advantage and disadvantage in life.
Harvard graduate Sabrina was pleased with her performance despite losing to Mark Fiechter of Germany in the semifinals. Sabrina won game two 7-5 but then allowed Mark to gain momentum; ultimately she could not recover and lost straight sets.
Sabrina keeps herself extremely busy between training five days per week and attending college classes in psychology and becoming certified life coaching. Additionally, Sabrina works tirelessly on honing her coaching abilities as well as being a role model and mentor for other female squash players looking to enter the sport.
Sabrina Sobhy goes above and beyond her squash career by getting involved with community outreach efforts to spread the game of squash to kids through clinics she hosts at schools. Additionally, she represents the Free People Movement while supporting various other charities and foundations; ultimately being an advocate for equality while striving to become her best version each day.
3. Emily Mendez
Squash has traditionally been dominated by men. But over the last decade, women have begun making strides up the rankings to compete against them for prize money and inspire younger players to pick up racquets themselves.
Sport has never been known as an exceptionally lucrative endeavor, but its promise of college scholarships and professional work as professional players keeps many top players coming back for more. Furthermore, being a sport that requires intense concentration and focus makes it ideal for careerists looking to pursue it full time.
Recently, some of the greatest players from around the globe have flocked to America – such as Harvard’s Amanda Sobhy (currently No. 23 in the world) and Ali Farag, currently No. 32 globally ranked players who both won several victories for their college teams while honing their skills at tournaments worldwide.
Professional players enjoy their lifestyle and feel they have achieved something worthwhile, while college players like Dickinson’s Abbie Wingerd and Drexel’s Eva and Ona Prokes may feel similarly about playing for their respective universities.
Last month, they came together at SCH Blue Devils Club for an event featuring clinics for both Middle and Upper School squash teams and an exhibition match. Following these clinics, everyone gathered for a reception where senior captains discussed their goals for this year. Tim Levin (parent of two SCH squash players) shared an update on Campaign for the Commons; trustee Ed McDevitt gave another update about that effort.
The PSA Foundation is the charitable arm of the PSA World Tour, providing professional players and their support staff an avenue to make a positive difference through squash worldwide. Their mission is to galvanize the squash community to make this game more accessible and viable so as to enrich more lives around the globe through this sport. For more information about how you can become involved in their efforts visit their website here.
4. Laura Davies
As squash has historically been considered an elite-only activity, it’s impressive when someone from another nation enters into its history books – Davies is just such an individual, having joined the 2022 women’s team as one of its members.
She is the only Canadian ever to reach a final on the PSA tour and, despite injuries that have hindered her game over recent years, has continued to improve it. Although her racquet is currently being repaired at a shop, she will compete in satellite tournaments until its return.
Professional squash can be an arduous journey that demands many sacrifices from its participants. Prize money at PSA events often doesn’t cover travel expenses, plus players must cover training fees, travel costs and living costs which quickly accumulate.
Sports require dedication, time and hard work if athletes wish to succeed at them. Davies credits her coaches for helping her reach this point and has promised them continued support moving forward.
Even with its challenges, golf can bring great rewards. For Davies, her wins have translated to multiple coaching jobs and sponsorship deals that she plans on using to expand the sport in her home country of Ireland.
Davies originally began playing squash in Canada but has spent an increasingly large portion of her career playing in the United States, where its unique training culture gives her an edge against her competitors.
Even as high revenue sports like basketball and baseball draw talent away from college sports programs, squash has proven itself an attractive college option for many students. Quaker athletes such as Reeham Salah (freshmen) and Anaka Alankamony (juniors) have gained experience competing at the collegiate level; although this form of competition does not compare directly with professional circuit events, it still helps broaden exposure while honing skills further.