Buoyed by squash’s Olympic inclusion and date change, Canadian Women’s Open on rise
TORONTO — When Squash Canada CEO Jamie Nicholls thinks about the impact Pro Squash Association tournaments have had in this country, a conversation with former world No. 1 Jonathon Power comes to mind.
“He mentioned to me one time, ‘If you want to be the best in the world, you have to actually see the best in the world,'” Nicholls said. “That really resonated with me.”
It’s one of the reasons why Nicholls is so proud to see the growth of the Canadian Women’s Open, which has been elevated to a silver PSA event this year in its second season. Play begins Sunday on the all-glass showcourt in the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place, the same location where Power thrilled home crowds nearly a quarter-century ago.
Canadian No. 1 Hollie Naughton, fifth-ranked Nele Coll of Belgium and defending champion Amanda Sobhy of the U.S. are some of the headliners at the US$85,000 tournament, which features eight players in the top 20.