Women’s Squash has been growing in popularity in the last several years, so much so they are changing the perception of the sport and making it popular for young people to take the sport.
When you think of the previous generation of Women’s Squash stars who made a major difference in the sport, look no further than Nicol David and Laura Massora – both of whom are still involved in the sport as mentors.
If you go further, then you can think of Karen Anderson (Jamaica), Heather McKay (Australia) – the first female Squash world champion in 1979, Audrey Bates (Wales) the first Welsh Squash player, who competed in major Squash and Tennis tournaments and our good friend Liz Irving (Australia), who won four World Team Championships Women’s tournament, and co-inventor of the Squash Labs coaching app.
So when it comes to the next generation, there are a number of female Squash stars who are forging their own way in the sport – thus you are bound to hear about them either through the mainstream media or on social media.
Success at junior to making presence known
Following a lot of research and analysis, our list of women’s Squash players who are making a difference in the sport in the decade of the 20s and beyond, the ones you can expect to hear about in this decade:
Georgina Kennedy, England
Georgina Kennedy (Photo credit: Squashsite)
Having caught the Squash bug at the age of 9, following a great career as a runner, by the age of 13, she decided to focus on playing squash and began playing for the Park Langley club, in Beckenham South London.
By 2015, Kennedy reached the quarter-finals of the 2015 Women’s World Junior Squash Championships and won the European under-19 squash championships in Prague.
Until 2020, Kennedy divided her time between playing squash and studying at Harvard University where she co-captained the university’s Howe Cup-winning women’s team, and won the US National Collegiate Individual Championship (Ramsay Cup) three times, in 2017, 2019, and 2020. In February 2020, she became the recipient of the College Squash Association’s Betty Richey Award, one of the biggest honours in US college squash.
Georgina Kennedy (England) – 2022 Women Commonwealth Games Squash (credit: BBC Sport)
In 2022, Georgina made history 2022 by winning gold in the Women’s Squash category at the Commonwealth Games; making her the first English squash player to do so in the history of the games.
Ashley Khalil, Guyana
Ashley Khalil – 2022 Ladies CASA Champions (credit Newsroom Guyana)
A Guyanese squash player, who made history in 2022 by winning two major national titles in the Caribbean, the 2022 CASA Women’s title and the 2022 Guyana National Women’s title, along with a silver medal with her brother at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Jason-Ray and Ashley Khalil (credit: SportMax)
In her two decades playing the sport, Ashley made her debut in the sport at 11 and won her first Junior Caribbean title at age 14. This was followed by another junior title at the U19 level when she was just 17. She also won silver and bronze medals at the Junior Pan Am Championships as well as bronze medals at both the CAC Championships and South American Games.
Surprisingly she holds distinct the honour of being both a squash and badminton champion.
Ashley has the makings of becoming the first World Squash champion from Guyana.
Meagan Best, Barbados
Meagan Best (L) with Nikki Shemirani (credit: Barbados Today)
Born in Barbados, Best is another rising Squash talent from the Caribbean; she started playing squash at the age of nine and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the top juniors in the Caribbean region.
Like many great Squash players, Best had a successful junior career, winning the Caribbean Junior Championships in both the U15 and U19 categories. She also represented Barbados at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she reached the round of 32.
In 2019, Best turned professional and joined the Women’s Squash Association (WSA). She quickly made an impact on the tour, reaching her first professional final at the West of Ireland Open in 2020.
Known for her athleticism, speed, and tenacity on the court, Megan has a powerful forehand and accurate backhand shot. Currently has a PSA world ranking of 92 and is seen as a rising star in Caribbean squash.
Off the court, Megan is studying business management at the University of the West Indies, at the Cave Hill Campus, and hopes to use her degree to help develop the sport of squash in the Caribbean region.
Leslie Tambwe, Democratic Republic of Congo
Leslie Tambwe (with trophy) winner of the Women’s Top Weekend Challenge
Even though she is not known to many in the global community yet, Leslie is one of the leading women’s Squash players from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When we look at the many nations that play Squash, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the many African nations that can compete amongst the elite.
Given the diversity in the sport, Leslie has the makings of putting ladies’ squash in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the map, along inspire young women to participate in the sport too.
Asia Harris, England
Asia Harris with Nick Matthew (credit: Yorkshire Post)
Back in 2020 England Squash named Asia as one of the rising stars of the sport and she was the British National u15 champion. Fast forward 3 years later, Asia is now playing on the elite circuit and being coached and mentored by Nick Matthew, former England No.1.
In 2022, Asia won the L’International des Mirabelles, just months after competing at the US Open in Philadelphia, where she secured a third-place finish bringing home a bronze medal.
A future star in making
If there’s one women’s Squash player who has a bright future in Squash, look no further than Anahat Singh; who at the age of 14 years old took part in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and recently won her division at the 2023 British Junior Open, in Birmingham.
There is no doubt that Anahat is going to progress into the elite class, as she has already competed against the seniors who have years of experience; thus she is the future star of global squash who is going to make a difference.
Continuing campaigns for participation
There are numerous campaigns that are encouraging young women to take up Squash – thus, awareness days such as International Women’s Day are the best platform for local Squash clubs to deliver coaching sessions to women of all ages to try Squash with a qualified coach.
With the young ladies mentioned as the future stars of the sport, we reckon each one of them is a title contender for any PSA-sanctioned or satellite tournament.
To conclude, it will be a matter of time before each one competes against one other in an epic game like the greatest females of the sport – thus history will be made again.
