RIYADH: The trailblazing Nada Abo Alnaja said she was “truly overwhelmed” after becoming the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour.
Alnaja, a wildcard for the event in Riyadh, was pitched against world No. 3 Camille Serme, who reached the semifinals of last month’s PSA Women’s World Championship, in round one and although she lost in straights, the appearance in the first ever women’s professional squash tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia will live long in the memory.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would one day stand here, in front of a Saudi crowd, playing Camille, in front of Nour [El-Sherbini] and all the top players,” Alnaja told the PSA website. “I’m truly overwhelmed, I don’t realize I think what just happened, and it will take some time to sink in … I enjoyed every minute of this match, I just hope I can get better, but I couldn’t hope for a better match. I want to thank Camille for allowing me to play, I know she was very nice to me today.”
Serme, the No 2 seed for the $165,000 event, was thrilled to be part of history at the Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh.
“It’s such an honor to play against the first ever [female] Saudi player and to live through that historical moment,” said Serme. “I hope she is going to keep on playing and make more and more tournaments.”
Saudi Arabian businessman Ziad Al-Turki is the chairman of the Professional Squash Association, and he felt Alnaja’s participation represented a landmark day for the sport and the Kingdom.
“So proud of Nada Aboalnaja today,” he tweeted. “Her 1st ever #psaworldtour match, with so much riding on her shoulders. KSA pride!”
Her appearance at the PSA event is the culmination of years of hard work for Abo Alnaja. The 32-year-old trains once, sometimes twice, a day and is continually fine tuning her game under the guidance of French coach Fabien Polly after initially teaching herself how to play.
“I started to play squash and I realize that it was a great way to get fit, but also it gave me the motivation I needed in the gym,” Alnaja said. “I just couldn’t go and do exercises: I needed a reason to go to the gym. Squash gave me that goal, that motivation.”
Alnaja hopes the staging of the maiden ranking event in Riyadh helps to raise the profile of the sport in the Kingdom and leads to a raising of standards and the breaking down of barriers.
“Playing squash in Saudi for a woman is a bit challenging, we have a long way to go to take Saudia Arabia to the next level,” she said. “We need to bring in here the expertise from abroad, we need coaches, we need clubs, we need courts. But you know, when I was hitting the ball for hours in my club in Jeddah, looking like a crazy woman, never would I have imagined where it would take me. So the lesson is: ladies, whatever it is, if you love something, whatever activity, make up, clothes, if you love it enough, just do it, just put all your energy in it, because you never know where it may take you.”
Saudi squash ace ‘overwhelmed’ to play in Riyadh in PSA tour event
Saudi squash ace ‘overwhelmed’ to play in Riyadh in PSA tour event
Alcaraz, Sabalenka star as Australian Open second round begins
- Sabalenka also has a point to prove after being upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final as the overwhelming favorite
MELBOURNE: Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka resume their quest for more Grand Slam glory on Wednesday, headlining the day four action at the Australian Open.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev is also on a mission to safely negotiate the second round at Melbourne Park, as are third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz started his bid for a career Grand Slam with a three-set defeat of home hope Adam Walton on Sunday and faces German Yannick Hanfmann.
He is the star attraction in the afternoon session on Rod Laver Arena, following Sabalenka onto the center court.
The Belarusian takes on China’s Bai Zhuoxuan in her bid for a third Australian Open title in four years after dropping just five games in her tournament opener.
Spanish superstar Alcaraz already has six major titles aged 22, but success on the Melbourne Park hardcourts remains a glaring hole in his resume.
He has not made it past the quarter-finals in four trips to Australia.
“I just really want to perform better than I did previous years,” he said.
“So I just feel this year probably it is one of those years that I will be able to, or will have the chance, to go further.”
Sabalenka also has a point to prove after being upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final as the overwhelming favorite.
After winning the lead-up Brisbane International, she was in ominous form in her first-round clash, coming to the net 22 times as she adds more serve and volley to her repertoire.
“I think it’s very important to always be working on your game, always developing as a player, always searching for something that is new, that is going to help your game,” she said.
The unpredictable Medvedev, runner-up in 2021, 2022 and 2024, is trying to keep his emotions in check this year and will again be put to the test against Frenchman Quentin Halys on John Cain Arena.
Gauff takes on Venus Williams’ conqueror Olga Danilovic of Serbia after a straight-sets first round win as she looks to better her best performance in Melbourne which was a semifinal in 2024.
Zverev is in action in an evening match on John Cain Arena against France’s Alexandre Muller, the latest challenge in the German’s decade-long quest for a first Grand Slam title.
The world number three, runner-up last year to Jannik Sinner, dropped a set in his opening clash but said it was good to be stretched early in the tournament.
“It’s a positive for sure,” he said.
“Because you have been tested and you know where you are and you know where your level is at, especially in difficult moments.”
Home hopes dominate the evening action on Rod Laver Arena with sixth seed Alex De Minaur facing Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic before Priscilla Hon meets American Iva Jovic.
