Features
Features
British Open Squash 2023: Mohamed Elshorbagy aims for mentor to tread Birmingham stage
Mohamed Elshorbagy has admitted that this year’s British Open has a special resonance for him.
It was in June last year that the best kept...
Features
Lack of Olympic razzmatazz for LA 2028 shows squash is in tune with IOC
Squash’s latest date with Olympic destiny is potentially just six months away – and it seems our sport’s highest authorities are changing their approach...
Features
5 things with Mathieu Castagnet: We have to bring squash to schools
Squash Mad asks recently-retired Mathieu Castagnet his influences and his current views on the sport
Playing for the French national team was a very important...
Features
Marine drive: Hot streak Charlie Lee hits form after trophy success
After the best three weeks of his squash career, Englishman Charlie Lee is reflecting on an ongoing season which has ushered in a change...
Coaching and Development
Squash talent proves ‘life-changing’ for girl from Nairobi slums
Dedication to squash has given 14-year-old Faith Shirwatzo a precious education and spared her from life as a peasant farmer in rural Kenya.
Faith lives...
Features
Shopping bag packing and race nights, Scotland crowdfund to world squash juniors
By any account, 2023 has been a stunning year for rising squash star Robyn McAlpine.
The girl from Scotstoun, Glasgow created Scottish history when she...
Features
How Baptiste Masotti prescribed squash as his career calling
LONDON -- Every so often, the answer to where players first started out in the sport yields an unexpected answer. Baptiste Masotti, who played...
Features
Ros Atkins: ‘Squash just has this fabulous combination of skills I love’
BBC News presenter Ros Atkins, a self-confessed squash lover, has been following Fares Dessouky for years and loves the Egyptian’s flexibility and power
I was...
Features
‘Wars at the Wintergarden’: Top 3 Canary Wharf Squash Classic matches
Sunday marks the 20th anniversary edition of the Canary Wharf Classic, sponsored by GillenMarkets. And to mark the moment we are delving through the...
Comment
Why revamped World Cup has place on squash calendar
There will be a squash World Cup in Chennai, India, this year. That is about as much as we know at this stage, other...
Features
‘Ali Farag has tough road back to World No.1 but he has the armoury’
Ross Norman believes Ali Farag’s chances of reclaiming squash's World No.1 ranking are no better than 50/50.
The three-time world champion returned to competitive squash...
Features
Nick Matthew exclusive: squash referees can learn many lessons from rugby
Every year, watching the Six Nations makes me marvel at the way rugby union is officiated – and compare it to the refereeing in...
Features
Tour battle hots up at pinnacle of women’s squash
Laura Massaro believes that the DAC Pro Squash Classic can provide Gina Kennedy with another vital stepping stone in her bid to close the...
Coaching and Development
Nick Matthew exclusive: ‘Coaches who try to influence referees should be banned’
I attended the recent British Junior Open in Birmingham and came away with many observations which caused me concern. But let me begin with...
Features
‘It’s Hand Out from me,’ says Squash Mad founder Alan Thatcher
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor and Founder)
At the end of this month I am taking a step back and retiring from editing Squash...
Features
Lucas Serme forgives Mostafa Asal for wayward shot that gave him concussion in U.S. Open as both players take to social media
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
French international Lucas Serme has forgiven world No.3 Mostafa Asal for the wayward shot that struck him on the...
Features
Alongside the many tributes, England Squash offers tournament guidance following the death of Queen Elizabeth II
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
England Squash has published advice for the game on how best to proceed during the period of mourning for...
Features
Former world squash champion Susan Devoy stars in New Zealand reality TV show Celebrity Treasure Island
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Former world squash champion Dame Susan Devoy is set for a new starring role, this time on TV instead...
Features
Olympic Games 2028: Squash is one of nine sports on bidding process shortlist
LA entry list likely to focus on ‘engaging the best athletes’ rather than a global spread
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Squash is among nine...
Features
Commonwealth Games Live Blog: Gold for England New Zealand after two epic finals
It’s gold for Gina Kennedy and Paul Coll, and bronze for Sarah-Jane Perry and Saurav Ghosal
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
After five days of...
Features
Commonwealth Games Live Blog: Semi-finals day at the University of Birmingham
Hollie Naughton and Gina Kennedy stun top seeds Joelle King and Sarah-Jane Perry to reach the women’s final
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
England’s Gina...
Features
Commonwealth Games Live Blog from Day Three at the greatest squash show on earth
Big win for Lucy Turmel as she battles past Jess Turnbull to face top seed Joelle King in quarter-finals
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Day...
Features
Commonwealth Games Live Blog: All the action from Day Two at the University of Birmingham
Clean sweep for Team England as top seeds join the fray
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
The big guns enter the fray today as the...
Features
Teenage sensations Anahat Singh (14) and Lijana Sultana (15) win through on opening day of Commonwealth Games singles
Uganda veteran Mike Kawooya gains his moment in the limelight against No.2 seed Joel Makin on glass court
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
The two...
Features
Commonwealth Games: Rachael Grinham flies the flag for Australia in tonight’s opening ceremony
‘I wasn’t expecting this and am in complete shock,’ says Grinham
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Australia’s Rachael Grinham is the latest squash player to...
Features
Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022: History of squash in the competition by numbers
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
The 2022 Commonwealth Games begins in Birmingham tomorrow. The five squash competitions (men’s and women’s singles plus men’s, women’s...
Features
Commonwealth Games Countdown: Now it gets real as the squash players arrive at the athletes’ village
A fun look back at some magical memories from Manchester and Glasgow
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Excitement is building as the Commonwealth Games 2022...
Features
Angela Smith and Billie Jean King, two sporting legends who have opened so many doors for female athletes
‘Meeting BJK twice in New York was such an inspiration and she continues to be one as she nears 80’
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad...
Features
Exclusive: World champion Ali Farag talks about his third title and his wife Nour’s incredible return to top form
‘I’m super proud of my third title – and of how Nour has come back to play better than ever’
INTERVIEW by ALAN THATCHER (Squash...
Comment
Exclusive: Nick Matthew backs Mohamed ElShorbagy swapping The Pyramids for the Three Lions as he switches international allegiance from Egypt to England
‘I have always had great support from England Squash and as a British citizen I will give it my all playing under the English...
Features
Squash and the royals: As we salute Her Majesty’s jubilee, we bring you some fun stories from the royal court
‘As I dropped off TV presenter Sally Jones at a real tennis dinner where Prince Edward was guest of honour, an officer from the...
Features
How Jason Foster reached the top of the squash refereeing pyramid by handling World Champs final
‘Both finals were a credit to the game and I felt privileged to have been a part of it’
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Referee...
Comment
World Championships success: Karim’s magnificent Museum piece is a festival of fun for squash lovers
Karim’s Cairo carnival of squash raises the bar after months of innovative planning
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
Karim Darwish is one of the key...
Comment
Padel and pickleball boom leaves squash standing still
Having downgraded squash, LifeTime aims to build 600-700 pickleball courts across USA
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)
As Covid regulations are being relaxed in many...
Features
Nicol David, a brilliant champion and role model, plans a movie of her life
Film theme will focus on her long partnership with coach Liz Irving
By ALAN THATCHER - Squash Mad Editor
Squash legend Nicol David is making a...
Features
James Willstrop ready to take centre stage on court for new show about the history of squash
Athlete and actor, Willstrop portrays squash’s journey from a London prison to the Khyber Pass and beyond
By ALAN THATCHER - Squash Mad Editor
James Willstrop...
Comment
Squash numbers fall as padel helps Edinburgh to recover after lockdown
Squash Mad’s post-Covid analysis of the state of the game
By ALAN THATCHER - Squash Mad Editor
A global review of the effects on squash caused...
Comment
Mohamed ElShorbagy the latest of Egypt’s trio of world champions to express outrage against Israel
By ALAN THATCHER - Squash Mad Editor
Mohamed ElShorbagy is the latest Egyptian squash superstar to comment on political issues involving the Arab world and...
Comment
PSA link up with Jesse Engelbrecht to promote psychological training app called SquashMind
By ALAN THATCHER - Squash Mad Editor
When discussing mental health issues, those of us involved in squash for many decades will recall the tragic...
Comment
Squash gets the green (and gold) light as 2026 Commonwealth Games confirmed for Australian state of Victoria
Squash Oz celebrates as Bendigo is chosen as Games venue
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor
Many squash federations breathed a collective sigh of relief...