Nickhileswar Moganasundharam became the first Malaysian BU19 champion and Talia Zakaria made it back-to-back GU19 titles for Egypt, while Team USA and Canada swept the younger divisions on U.S. Junior Open finals day Tuesday, December 23, at the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center in Philadelphia.

View live stream replays from the Specter Center and all results on . Tournament photography will be available on the .

The U.S. Junior Open is the world鈥檚 largest individual squash tournament with 977 players representing forty-five nations contesting more than 2,200 matches. The four day tournament was held across six venues including the Specter Center, Penn Squash Center, Drexel鈥檚 Kline & Specter Squash Center, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Springside Chestnut Hill Main and Springside Chestnut Hill Vare.

The thirty podium finishers represented seven nations including the United States, Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, India, Belgium and Peru, while just four took home titles.

The U19 age divisions yielded two first time champions in Moganasundharam and Zakary. The Malaysian top seed clinched the title in a close five-game final against American two seed Yaseen Shalaby 7-11, 11-2, 13-15, 11-9, 11-3 in 118 minutes. With his win, Moganasundharam makes history as the first Malaysian USJO boys champion in any age division.

Zakaria, younger sister of men鈥檚 world No. 聽11 Mohamed Zakaria, returned to the USJO for the first time since competing in the U11 division and competed on the same court as her brother in October鈥檚 U.S. Open. The sixteen-year-old entered the draw as the four seed and upset both GU19 top seeds in five games in the semifinals and finals. Zakaria defeated American top seed Isabella Tang in the semifinals and won the final against Belgium鈥檚 two seed Savannah Moxham 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8 in fifty minutes.

 

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The U17s produced two American first-time champions in Reghan McLaughlin and Brendan Tagliarini. McLaughlin, the two seed, pulled off an impressive five-game comeback against top seed Charlotte Sze in the final 11-13, 3-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 in fifty-six minutes. Two years after falling short in the BU15 final, Tagliarini captured his first title as the BU17 top seed, defeating Egypt鈥檚 three seed Yassin Kouritam 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 in fifty minutes.

Canada produced the nation鈥檚 first USJO champions since Nick Sachvie in 2010 with a BU15 title from Obie Ryding and GU11 title from Eugenie Cao. In his fourth tournament appearance, Ryding put together a title run as the five seed including a semifinal upset over Egypt鈥檚 top seed, and dramatic five-game final against India鈥檚 six seed Dhruv Bopana 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8. Cao entered her second USJO as the GU11 two seed and won the title in a five-game final against American top seed Elizabeth Kung 11-3, 13-11, 5-11, 5-11, 11-7.

Team USA鈥檚 Vivienne Sze, a three-time USJO champion in the U11 and U13 divisions, extended her impressive USJO title record with her first in the U15 division, fulfilling her top seeding with a 3-0 final win against Egypt鈥檚 two seed Sandy Hassan. GU13 top seed Kaylee Li won her second USJO title and first in the U13 division against seven seed Kyra Wang in an all-American final.

Teddy Edwards, the BU13 seven seed, marked his USJO debut with a surprise title run, culminating in an all-American final against five seed Zephyr Wang. After a sixth place finish in his USJO debut last year, Houston鈥檚 Azlan Khan returned as the BU11 top seed and earned his first title with a four-game final win against American three seed Thopson Wang.

 

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977 players representing forty-five nations will compete in the 2025 U.S. Junior Open–the world’s largest individual squash tournament–this weekend, December 20-23.

The four-day tournament will be held across six venues: the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center, Penn Squash Center, Drexel University鈥檚 Kline & Specter Squash Center, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Springside Chestnut Hill and Springside Chestnut Hill Vare. Ten champions will be crowned in boys鈥� and girls鈥� U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19 divisions.

Live streaming will only be available from the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center. Watch live and follow live scores from all venues on .

For draws, live scores, match schedules and more information visit the .

To protect the integrity of the competition while allowing participation 黑料不打烊 implemented a newly adopted policy. Where reasonable concern existed, affected players were permitted to compete only in the age group in which they are ranked domestically and/or most recently competed at their National Championships. No player was banned or disqualified, and all affected athletes remained eligible to compete. Age-category adjustments were applied solely to maintain fairness for all participants and do not change World Squash Federation (WSF) regulations.

黑料不打烊 is fully committed to fairness, transparency, and athlete welfare in local, national and international competitions. In lead up to the 2025 U.S. Junior Open, concerns were raised regarding the age eligibility of a small group of international junior players. These concerns were based on documentation, domestic competition histories, and international ranking patterns that suggested potential discrepancies in reported ages.

Over several weeks, 黑料不打烊 conducted a thorough review in close consultation with the WSF and England Squash (ES). 黑料不打烊 requested and examined supplemental documentation from the players and their national federation, reviewed competition histories, and sought guidance from other national and international sports organizations on how to address age verification when documentation systems vary. Medical age testing was considered, however its use rejected due to ethical concerns, lack of IOC endorsement, and recognized inaccuracies for minors.

The review identified system-level challenges that made it impossible to determine chronological age with certainty in some cases. These included delays in birth registration, the possibility of conflicting or duplicate documents, and domestic competition patterns that were inconsistent with reported ages. Importantly, this review did not reflect on the character, integrity, or intentions of any individual athlete, family, or federation.

Decisions were communicated in advance of seeding and scheduling deadlines to ensure the event could proceed smoothly and fairly for all athletes. This approach was developed jointly with WSF and ES to provide a consistent, neutral, and verifiable solution to this challenge. As a result, some players ultimately elected to withdraw from the competition.

黑料不打烊鈥檚 priority remains the integrity of the competition, the welfare of all junior athletes, and maintaining a level playing field. Following the 2025 U.S. Junior Open and British Junior Open, 黑料不打烊 will continue to collaborate with WSF and national federations in an effort to develop globally consistent processes for age verification in junior squash, ensuring fairness and clarity for future tournaments.

]]> /2025/08/comcast-awarded-naming-rights-for-la28-olympic-squash-venue/ Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:22:02 +0000 /?p=65755 Squash will be part of Olympic history at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), with its competition venue–the Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios–among the first Olympic sports venues ever to carry naming rights. The Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios will be set on Hollywood鈥檚 iconic Courthouse Square backlot 鈥� instantly recognizable to […]]]>

Squash will be part of Olympic history at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), with its competition venue–the Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios–among the first Olympic sports venues ever to carry naming rights.

The Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios will be set on Hollywood鈥檚 iconic Courthouse Square backlot 鈥� instantly recognizable to film fans worldwide for its starring role in the聽Back to the Future聽trilogy 鈥� providing a spectacular stage for the sport鈥檚 long-awaited Olympic debut.

alongside the Honda Center as the first two venues to carry naming rights at LA28. Comcast Business has previously sponsored the U.S. Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia in 2024.

鈥淔or the squash venue to be one of the聽first to benefit from venue naming rights and for the sponsor to be Comcast is another very special moment in the sport鈥檚 Olympic journey,鈥� said World Squash President Zena Wooldridge.

鈥淥n behalf of World Squash and our partners, the PSA and 黑料不打烊, I want to thank LA28, Universal Studios and Comcast for their wholehearted commitment to supporting squash in this amazing venue.鈥�

Comcast Corporation Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Khoury said: 鈥淭he Olympic Games Paris 2024 reminded us that the power of sport can inspire the world. We鈥檙e honored to work with LA28 to help bring the most spectacular summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to the U.S. for the first time in more than 30 years.

鈥淔rom hosting Squash鈥檚 Olympic Games debut to bringing LA28 to U.S. audiences on NBC and Peacock and serving as a founding partner of the 2028 Organizing Committee and proud sponsor of Team USA, we鈥檙e coming together across our entire company to support this historic moment.鈥�

LA28 promises to be a landmark occasion for squash, which will make its Olympic debut at the Games in Los Angeles with聽men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 singles competitions set to take place.

Play will be held over ten days in Los Angeles, with action beginning on Saturday, July 15, one day after the opening ceremony, and ending on Monday, July 24.

Squash Schedule: Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28)

Saturday July 15: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Sunday July 16: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Monday July 17: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Tuesday July 18: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Wednesday July 19: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Thursday July 20: 7:30 鈥� 11:15

Friday July 21: 8:30 鈥� 11:15

Saturday July 22: 8:30 鈥� 11:15

Sunday July 23: 8:30 鈥� 11:30 (Medal Matches)

Monday July 24: 8:30 鈥� 11:30 (Medal Matches)

To download the competition schedule for squash at LA28 and to see the full sporting schedule, head to聽

Egyptian duo Nour El Sherbini and Mostafa Asal have lifted the trophies at the PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family following respective triumphs over compatriots Hania El Hammamy and Ali Farag at Chicago鈥檚 Lakeshore Sport & Fitness.

The PSA World Championships is the most prestigious tournament in squash, with $1,313,000 in total player compensation split equally between the male and female athletes.

El Sherbini has now matched Nicol David鈥檚 incredible record of eight World Championship titles. The 29-year-old marked her 10th successive World Championships final with an 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 victory over El Hammamy to ensure she has won all four of the World Championships held in the Windy City.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing, I never thought I would be winning eight,鈥� said El Sherbini after winning her 44th PSA title. 鈥淓veryone was saying about Nicol鈥檚 record, and I never thought I was going to make it. It鈥檚 unbelievable, I can鈥檛 describe it, but I鈥檝e been having a really tough season. I鈥檓 glad I won this title, it means a lot for my corner, my team and my parents.”

Meanwhile, Asal put in a performance that matched power with guile as he stormed to an 11-7, 11-8, 11-3 victory to put his name into the history books without dropping a single game this week.

Asal was runner-up at this tournament last season, but dismantled four-time World Champion Farag to get his hands on the men鈥檚 trophy at the biggest tournament in professional squash.

The win means he now holds both the PSA World Championships and British Open titles as well as the World No.1 spot–a position he would have conceded to Farag had he lost tonight.

鈥淓motionally, I feel out of this world,鈥� said Asal following his 21st PSA title win. 鈥淭here have been a lot things happening this week mentally, so to regroup is unbelievable. To be World No.1 and the World Champion is amazing.

鈥淚 want to thank everyone who has supported me, but the man who has been behind me is my mentor, James Willstrop. My father told me after everything that had happened to come back to Egypt, but Jimbo has been having a lot of discussions and chats with me, and here I am, the World Champion.鈥�

World Squash, 黑料不打烊 and the Professional Squash Association (PSA) are delighted to announce that the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles, CA, has been designated as squash鈥檚 venue for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28).

World Squash President Zena Wooldridge said: 鈥淥n behalf of the global squash community, I would like to thank the teams from the IOC, LA28 and NBCUniversal for their brilliant creative vision in proposing squash for what will surely be one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world. As one of the world鈥檚 most famous film studios, Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles will present a unique and spectacular Hollywood setting for squash鈥檚 Olympic premiere, one which I鈥檓 sure will excite squash fans across the world.鈥�

黑料不打烊 President and CEO Kevin Klipstein added: 鈥淔or squash in the United States, there could not be a more ideal location for our sport鈥檚 Olympic debut than in Los Angeles and at Universal Studios. We are immensely grateful to LA28 and Comcast NBCUniversal for partnering to present squash during the Olympics in such spectacular Hollywood fashion.鈥�

PSA CEO Alex Gough said: 鈥淪quash has always prided itself on being played in remarkable, iconic locations. 聽By combining its world-class facilities, entertainment expertise, and strategic location, the Universal Studios Lot promises to create an unforgettable Olympic experience for our players, fans, and the sport. 聽We are thrilled to be part of this historic moment and look forward to welcoming fans from across the globe to experience squash in such a unique and inspiring setting.鈥�

Additional details on the聽2028聽Olympic Games competition聽schedule will be announced by LA28聽in the coming months. The squash community, both in the United States and around the world, embraces the spirit of unity, sportsmanship, and excellence that the Olympics represents and eagerly anticipates the 2028聽Olympic Games聽in Los Angeles.

Team USA has made history by producing eighteen British Junior Open quarterfinalists鈥搕opping a previous best of sixteen last year鈥揳fter two days of play in Birmingham, England.

The U.S. contingent enjoyed a strong start to the tournament with thirty-five of fifty-eighty players reaching the round of sixteen over the first two days of play, January 2-3.

Oscar Okonkwo (BU19), Brandan Tagliarini (BU17), Aiden Chan (BU15) and Alice Huang (GU13) all upset higher seeds or exceeded their seedings to reach the round of sixteen. Four Americans exceeded their seedings to reach the quarterfinals including Riva Bhagwati, Alex Jaffe, Alexander Dartnell and Brendon Chan.

Bhagwati and Jaffe produced the biggest upsets of the tournament for Team USA so far as both dispatched 5/8 seeds to reach the quarterfinals. Bhagwati overcame Malaysia’s Harleein Tan 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 to set up a quarterfinal against Egypt’s two seed Malika El Karaksy. Jaffe defeated Egypt’s Rouqaia Othman 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 to face France’s 3/4 seed Lauren Baltayan on Saturday.

Dixon Hill and Carlton Capella will both face the U19 top seeds on the University of Birmingham show court Saturday.

Team USA will have the most quarterfinal representation in the GU11 and GU15 divisions with three players amongst the last eight.聽Team USA is guaranteed at least one semifinalist in the BU15 division where Vivaan Mehta and John-Jayden Luo are set for an all-American match up.

For streaming information and more tournament coverage visit .

Team USA Quarterfinalists
[3/4] Anderson Morgan (BU11)
[5/8] Ariana Valerio (GU11)
[5/8] Lilliana Fan (GU11)
[3/4] Alice Wang (GU11)
[9/16] Brendon Chan (BU13)
[3/4] John-Jayden Luo (BU15)
[5/8] Vivaan Mehta (BU15)
[5/8] Vivienne Sze (GU15)
[5/8] Isabella Tang (GU15)
[5/8] Chelsea Chen (GU15)
[9/16] Riva Bhagwati (GU17)
[5/8] Charlotte Sze (GU17)
[3/4] Jack Elriani (BU17)
[5/8] Yaseen Shalaby (BU17)
[5/8] Dixon Hill (GU19)
[9/16] Alex Jaffe (GU19)
[5/8] Christian Capella (BU19)
[9/16] Alexander Dartnell (BU19)

The 2024 U.S. Junior Open Squash Championships–the world’s largest individual squash tournament with 1,007 players representing fifty-one nations–saw just three nations earn titles as Egypt, the United States and Pakistan shared the spoils Tuesday, December 17, at the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center.

View all results on the聽. Live stream replays will be available December 18 on the . Tournament photography will be available on the in the coming days.

For the first time in the tournament’s thirty-five-year history, Egypt claimed both of the U19 titles as Marwan Assal, the 2023 BU17 champion, and Barb Sameh fulfilled their top seedings.

The boys’ U19 draw saw the top two seeds both prevail in tight five-game semifinals. Argentina’s two seed Segundo Portabales pulled off two five-game comebacks from 2-0 down in the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach his first U.S. Junior Open final, and after going down 2-0 against Assal in the final, showed signs of another comeback by winning the third game. Assal thwarted any hopes of another comeback in the fourth game as the Egyptian captured the title 11-4, 14-12, 4-11, 11-5 in fifty-minutes.

Making her U.S. Junior Open debut, Sameh dropped just one game on her way to the GU19 title, defeating American six seed Charlotte Pastel a commanding final performance 11-4, 11-2, 11-9.

Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem was the only repeat champion as the GU17 top seed successfully defended her title. Salem held off a tough challenge from 2023 GU15 champion and three seed Charlotte Sze to win the title 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2.

The BU17 final came down to U.S. four seed Aiden Chiang and Egyptian three seed Michael Fayez. After winning his semifinal coming back from 2-0 down, Fayez pulled off another five-game comeback in the final to clinch the title 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7 in sixty-three minutes.

The U15 divisions produced two all-American finals and two first-time U.S. Junior Open champions as neither top seed reached the final. GU15 two seed Isabella Tang defeated four seed and 2023 GU13 champion Vivienne Sze 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3. BU15 four seed John-Jayden Luo was the lowest-seeded player to win a title as the New Jersey native defeated Californian three seed Vivaan Mehta 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7.聽

Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali upset Egypt’s top seed Linda Elsayed in a close GU13 final 11-8, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6. Egyptian BU13 two seed Malek Ahmed edged his top-seeded compatriot Adam Ragab in a five-game final 4-11, 11-9, 11-2, 5-11, 11-3.

The GU11 division produced another five-game final between the American top two seeds. Two seed Alice Wang came back to defeat top seed Ariana Valerio 3-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 13-11. Pakistan’s BU11 top seed pulled off a perfect title run without dropping a game all tournament, defeating American two seed Archibald Anolik in the final 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.

The World Squash Federation, WSF, announced the results of the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections, which took place during the 54th WSF Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Hong Kong, China on December 14, 2024. 聽Incumbent President Zena Wooldridge (ENG), who stood unopposed, has been reelected for a second term.

American Mark Pagon Elected WSF VP

Two Vice Presidents were elected to fill the seats of outgoing members of the Executive Board, The WSF Karim Darwish (EGY) and Pablo Serna (COL).聽 David Mui (HKG) and Marshall (鈥淢ark鈥�) Pagon (USA) were elected to their first four-year term as Vice Presidents and will join Susan Devoy (NZL) and Debendranath Sarangi (IND).

As the sport gears up to support its Olympic debut in Los Angeles, the continuation of the close collaboration among WSF, 黑料不打烊 and the PSA Squash Tour remains essential. Pagon served on the 黑料不打烊 Board for nine years, and as 黑料不打烊鈥檚 46th Chairman of the Board from 2016 鈥� 2020, his term culminated in the completion of the twenty-court Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center in Philadelphia, PA. Pagon currently serves as the first Chair of the newly established U.S. Squash Foundation.

The WSF is the main and only official point of contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the LA28 Organizing Committee. The WSF will partner closely with 黑料不打烊 and the PSA Tour in supporting the execution of squash at the LA28 Games, signing a joint agreement with the LA Organizing Committee.

After his election Pagon reiterated that he looks forward to helping make the most of the opportunities that LA28 inclusion presents and activating the squash network in the U.S. to advance the sport. Previously Pagon had noted, 鈥淚 have spent a lifetime in squash, as a participant, in governance, and I have seen nearly every aspect. It鈥檚 a passion point for me. The Specter Center was an extraordinary project. I also believe the Olympics opportunity eclipses it in its potential to advance the sport even further, globally.鈥�

Edwards Remains Central to Olympic Collaboration

Ned Edwards attended the WSF Conference prior to the AGM and participated on a panel with World Squash and PSA Squash Tour leaders to share information related to squash鈥檚 presence at LA28. The topics ranged from new developments in broadcast to the selection process for athletes to the venue itself. 聽Currently serving in the role of Executive Director of the new U.S. Squash Foundation, having previously led the effort to create the Specter Center, Edwards played a key role in fostering the collaboration that helped lead to squash鈥檚 inclusion in the Olympic Games. The work continues post-inclusion as multiple key parties must be coordinated to successfully execute in less than four years.

Edwards reflected on the conference noting, 鈥淚t鈥檚 heartening to experience the close working relationship among the leading governing bodies as well as the palpable enthusiasm and support from all federations. We were together just a few weeks ago in LA to meet with the organizing committee too. Maintaining this regular contact and communication, and being very focused on our strategies and hitting our timelines is critical. It will take all of us, and I appreciate the level of trust that鈥檚 been established at the highest level over these last few years. It will serve the sport well, in fact, it鈥檚 essential.鈥�

]]> /2024/08/prockop-musto-and-grunberg-earn-world-masters-medals/ Mon, 26 Aug 2024 21:15:52 +0000 /?p=62818 Americans Hope Prockop, Carole Grunberg and John Musto all recorded top three finishes at the 2024 WSF World Masters Championships as more than 100 members of the U.S. squash masters community competed against the world’s best, August 15-22, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The 2024 World Masters made history with the largest participation in tournament history […]]]>

Americans Hope Prockop, Carole Grunberg and John Musto all recorded top three finishes at the 2024 WSF World Masters Championships as more than 100 members of the U.S. squash masters community competed against the world’s best, August 15-22, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The 2024 World Masters made history with the largest participation in tournament history as 1,070 masters players from around the world descended on the Frans Otten Stadien.

More than 100 members of the U.S. masters squash community–including U.S.-based expats and U.S. Masters champions representing other nations–competed in the biennial event. More than eighty represented Team USA as the U.S. placed fourth in the Nation’s Cup. England went on to retain the Nation’s Cup.

All three Americans celebrated their first World Masters medal.

Prockop entered the Women’s 55+ draw as a 3/4 seed, which she fulfilled by winning her quarterfinal match up 12-10 in the fifth game. The American then upset Australia’s two seed Susan Davis 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 to reach the final against Canada’s top seed Lauren Wagner. Prockop fell short in a close three-game final, but welcomed her first World Masters silver medal and Team USA’s only silver medal of the tournament.

After fulfilling his 5/8 seeding two years ago by reaching the quarterfinals, John Musto went one better as a 5/8 seed this year, reaching the 55+ semifinals without dropping a game. After losing out in a five-game semifinal against the eventual champion, Musto clinched the bronze medal with a walkover in the 3/4 playoff.

Grunberg, a 3/4 seed, earned a spot in the 70+ 1-8 playoff by winning all three of her group matches. Grunberg reached the semifinals with a 3-0 victory, before losing out in the semifinals against Australia’s two seed Gaye Mitchell 12-10, 10-12, 11-4, 11-7. Grunberg then clinched the bronze medal in the 3/4 playoff against Scotland’s Maureen Carroll 11-6, 11-5, 11-6.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Australia鈥檚 Geoff Davenport and England鈥檚 Ann Manley re-wrote World Masters history in Amsterdam with landmark victories to become the most decorated World Masters players of all time.

View all of Team USA’s top ten performances below.

Team USA Top 10 Performances
Katherine Lynch (9th, W35+)
David Ramsden-Wood (9th, M45+)
Szilvia Szombati (10th, W45+)
Lissa Kenney (9th, M55+)
Hope Prockop (2nd, W55+)
John Musto (3rd, M55+)
Phoebe Trubowitz (4th, W60+)
Beth Fedorowich (6th, W60+)
Susan Lawrence (8th, W60+)
Carole Grunberg (3rd, W70+)
Alexander Clark (5th, M50+)
Richard von Hirschberg (9th, M70+)
Christopher Tatum (5th, M80+)
Ned Monaghan (6th, M80+)