The Realities and Challenges of a Professional Squash Career

Professional squash is an exciting but demanding career path. Elite players push their bodies and minds to the limit, travel the globe for tournaments, and often face financial and physical obstacles unknown to athletes in more high-profile sports.

From heavy training regimens and constant travel to the struggle for prize money and the reality of career-threatening injuries, the life of a squash pro is as challenging as it is rewarding. The sections below look at the key parts of a professional squash career, with a global perspective and real examples from today's top players:

• Training
• Travel
• Finances
• Injuries
• Life after the pro tour

Intense Physical and Mental Training Demands

Succeeding in squash requires exceptional fitness and mental fortitude. Players train for hours every day to build the speed, strength, and endurance the sport requires, and it is not uncommon for top athletes to train multiple times per day.

New Zealand's Paul Coll, known for his fitness, has said he is fanatical about training and trains three times a day, constantly pushing himself to improve. Former world champion Nick Matthew described training about four hours a day, six days a week, while stressing the importance of training smart with recovery and one rest day each week to avoid breakdown.

These schedules blend on-court practice (drills, match play, solo hitting) with off-court conditioning. A typical routine might include morning fitness work (running, circuits, strength training) followed by on-court sessions later in the day, six days a week, with only Sunday for rest and physiotherapy, a pattern that even World No.1 players follow in their pre-season prep.

The physical demands of squash matches are extreme. At the elite level, a single match often lasts around 50 to 60 minutes of near-continuous action. Studies suggest that players may cover roughly 1.8 kilometres in a hard-fought match, through repeated 5 to 10 metre sprints and lunges.

Heart rates average about 92 percent of maximum during play, indicating sustained high intensity, and top players can burn a large number of calories per hour on court. Squash needs a rare mix of aerobic endurance and explosive anaerobic power; players repeatedly accelerate, brake, and change direction in rallies that require full-body effort.

Training is designed to mimic these conditions. For example, athletes do interval-style court drills (known as ghosting) to simulate rally movements with minimal rest, or mix steady-state cardio with sprint intervals to mirror the stop-start rhythm of competition. Flexibility and core strength also matter, both for stretching to reach shots and for preventing injury during deep lunges.

Beyond the physical side, mental toughness is equally important. Squash is often described as a chess match played at high speed in a confined space, where concentration can never lapse. Players must stay mentally engaged through each rally and each game, holding tactical focus while their bodies fatigue.

The pressure can be intense during long matches or when clawing back from a deficit. Coaches and sports psychologists note that squash players need resilience and the ability to handle pressure, pushing through physical discomfort and mental fatigue while keeping focus and intensity.

This mental training takes many forms: visualisation of game scenarios, breathing techniques between points, and learning to embrace the hard-work mindset the sport demands. Top professionals often work with coaches on the psychological side as much as on technique, for example staying present in the moment, resetting after mistakes, and managing the flow of the game. As champion Ramy Ashour has observed, talent and hard work must work in parallel in a game this physically and mentally demanding, and finding the right balance is key to staying on top.

The mental side also extends to training discipline. The solitary hours of practice, the dietary routines, and the sacrifices (such as a limited social life) test a player's motivation, and focus becomes a skill in itself. Many elite players keep journals or have coaches set structured training cycles to stay mentally fresh. They also emphasise recovery, since knowing when to back off is as important as pushing hard.

A professional squash career begins with embracing an intense daily workload, both physical and mental. Aspiring pros must be ready to treat training like a full-time job, often four to five hours or more per day of practice, fitness, and recovery, and to develop the mental resilience to handle pressure and continual self-improvement. The ones who succeed at the top are not only the fittest and fastest but also the most focused and mentally strong.

A Global Sport: Travel and Lifestyle Challenges

One defining feature of professional squash is its global tour. Unlike league-based sports, squash professionals spend much of the year on the road, moving between continents for tournaments big and small. The Professional Squash Association (PSA) runs a worldwide circuit of hundreds of events across various tiers, meaning players can find themselves in North America one week, Europe the next, then on to Asia or Africa.

In the 2023-24 season, PSA tournaments took place in 74 different countries, from squash strongholds like Egypt and England to newer markets like Namibia. Major championships such as the British Open (England), the U.S. Open (USA), the Egyptian Open (at the Pyramids of Giza), and the Hong Kong Open draw the tour's top stars, but there are also dozens of smaller events worldwide that players attend to earn ranking points and prize money. The result is a constant travel schedule that can be as challenging as the matches themselves.

For the players, life can resemble a perpetual road trip, and it is common to spend well over half the year away from home. Czech player Jan Koukal, known for his extensive travel, once played 24 PSA tournaments in a single year across 16 countries and was described as the tour's most-travelled player.

In 2013 alone he logged about 113,000 km of air travel (nearly 70,000 miles) chasing events around the world. Koukal estimated he spent only around three to four months at home in Prague that year because of his schedule. Such a lifestyle means living out of a suitcase, constantly adjusting to new cities, climates, and time zones.

Jet lag becomes a familiar opponent: one week you might be playing in New York, the next in Cairo. Koukal, for his part, said he adapted quickly by syncing to local time and could fall asleep almost anywhere on flights, but not everyone is so fortunate.

With tournaments often scheduled back-to-back, players may have to compete while still recovering from long-haul flights. Managing jet lag, unfamiliar food, and foreign environments is an acquired skill, and top professionals develop routines to cope:

• Seeking out healthy meals.
• Finding local gyms or courts for practice on arrival.
• Budgeting time to rest.
• Arriving at important events several days early to acclimatise.

England's former World No.1 Laura Massaro has spoken about how, during the busy season, the constant travel can leave players momentarily unsure which country they have woken up in.

The travel demands also influence where players choose to base themselves. A number of pros relocate from their home country to training centres in areas with a higher concentration of tournaments or training partners.

New Zealand's Paul Coll, for example, moved to Europe during his career, acknowledging that living away from home is hard but necessary, since the top competition and his coach were based there. Similarly, many Egyptian players spend time in the UK or U.S. for training stints, and some Asian players base themselves in Egypt, positioning themselves closer to where major events are held. This nomadic existence can strain personal life and relationships, and players often miss family milestones and have to maintain long-distance relationships or bring partners on tour where possible.

Despite the hardships, many athletes also speak of the rewarding side of a globetrotting career. They get to see the world, experience different cultures, and build an international network of friends. Tournaments are hosted in iconic locations, from front-of-pyramid glass courts in Cairo to all-glass showcourts in Grand Central Terminal, New York.

Squash's global nature means a player might one month be competing in front of packed, knowledgeable crowds in Cairo, where squash stars are national heroes, and the next month promoting the sport in a newer market. Adaptability is key: champions adjust their games to different court conditions (some venues are hot and bouncy, others cold and slow) and manage their energy through hectic travel.

Relentless travel can affect on-court performance through fatigue and disrupted training routines. A heavy schedule forces players to plan their year carefully, choosing which tournaments to prioritise and when to schedule training blocks versus competition.

Some veterans trim their schedule to preserve their bodies, focusing on the bigger prize events, while younger players trying to climb the rankings may grind it out week after week on the road. The tour can be a grind, and squash players truly earn that description. Balancing the global tour lifestyle, staying physically and mentally fresh amid constant travel, is one of the toughest challenges in professional squash. Those who manage it well, building recovery time into their schedule and creating a home away from home on tour, give themselves a real advantage in consistency and longevity.

Financial Realities: Sponsorship and Prize Money

Financially, professional squash sits in the shadow of sports like tennis or golf. Prize money and sponsorship have grown in recent years but remain modest, and only the very top players make comfortable earnings.

In the 2023-24 season, total player compensation on the PSA Tour exceeded 10 million dollars for the first time (about 10.6 million dollars), an increase of roughly 18 percent on the season before, following new investment in the sport. The men's and women's tours have moved closer together, and the sport's biggest events, such as Platinum tournaments and the World Championships, now offer equal prize money for men and women. Across the whole tour, however, the men's prize pool still exceeds the women's.

The figures below show how the season's totals and top earners broke down:

A landmark came in 2019, when the PSA World Championships in Chicago became squash's first event with a total purse of one million dollars.

These headline numbers can be misleading about what most players earn. The financial reality for those ranked outside the top 10 or 20 is much tougher. By most accounts only a relatively small group of top players, perhaps those inside roughly the top 50 to 100, can earn a sustainable living from prize money alone, and even some players within the top 50 report financial pressure despite their elite skill level.

Reported estimates of typical pro earnings vary, with some commentators suggesting an average closer to 100,000 dollars a year for established professionals, though many earn considerably less. Unlike team sports, there are no guaranteed salaries in squash; income comes from prize money, which is performance-dependent, plus whatever sponsorship or national funding a player can secure.

Prize money is heavily weighted toward the later rounds of big tournaments, so a lower-ranked player who often exits early collects only small cheques, sometimes not even covering the trip's expenses. Early-round payouts at major events can be a few hundred dollars, and prizes at smaller tournaments are modest.

It is not uncommon for professionals ranked outside the top 30 or 40 to effectively operate at a loss for the year, investing their own funds or family support to travel and compete in the hope of breaking through. Many pros have no steady income and rely on irregular results, which makes it hard to budget or save. A few federations or clubs provide stipends to their top national players, and equipment sponsors might pay a retainer or bonus, but these are rarely large sums for players outside the spotlight.

Sponsorship opportunities in squash exist but are relatively limited. The very top players can supplement prize winnings with a range of deals:

• Endorsements with racquet and apparel brands.
• Eyewear or nutrition sponsors.
• Personal backers who help cover training costs.
• Backing from national banks, telecom companies, or other sponsors (typical for an established champion from a squash-loving country such as Egypt or England).
• Fees from professional leagues, with many competing in seasonal club leagues in Europe for extra income, or from exhibition matches.

These deals can be significant for stars, and the leading players often earn more through endorsements than through tournament prizes. For rank-and-file pros, though, finding sponsorship is difficult given squash's relatively low media profile. They often have to market themselves on social media to attract interest, or rely on local businesses and family connections for support.

Expenses in a squash career add up quickly:

• Flights
• Accommodation
• Coaching fees
• Physiotherapy
• Equipment
• Entry fees

Without substantial sponsorship, a full-time player can spend tens of thousands of dollars a year, with annual costs commonly running into the 30,000 to 40,000 dollar range or more. Travel is one of the biggest burdens, since airfare, hotels, and visas for an international schedule mount up fast. There have been cases of up-and-coming players crowdfunding to afford tournament travel. Governing bodies and player associations are aware of these challenges, and ideas floated include travel grants or negotiated airline discounts, though such support is not yet widespread.

The gap between the top and the rest is stark. The highest-paid male player in a recent season earned around 350,000 dollars, while many full-time pros scrape by on a small fraction of that. This raises concerns about retaining talent, with some players in their mid-20s retiring early or moving into coaching because they cannot make ends meet on tour.

The sport's middle class of players often supplements income by coaching in their spare time or playing in lucrative invitational events and league matches. National federations in some countries provide modest funding or cover some travel for their top players, but support varies greatly by country. Egypt's top players, for instance, enjoy strong support thanks to the sport's popularity there, whereas players from smaller squash nations may have little or no federation funding.

The financial picture is gradually improving. The PSA reported an 18 percent jump in prize money after the 2023-24 season thanks to new investment, and average earnings for the top 10 players, men and women, have been rising and now sit in the low-to-mid six figures, up significantly from a decade ago. There is also a push for more prize-money equality and more tournaments, which means more earning opportunities further down the rankings. Squash's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics could raise the sport's profile further and attract more sponsors and prize funds.

Even so, an aspiring pro should enter the career with eyes open: outside the top echelons, a squash career can be financially precarious. Passion for the game often drives players as much as any monetary reward. Those who reach the summit can earn a respectable living, but almost all pros have stories of scraping by in the early years, staying in budget hotels or on hosts' couches, juggling part-time coaching, and stretching every dollar on the road to chase their dream.

Injuries and Recovery: Battling Wear and Tear

The intense, stop-start nature of squash, played in a confined court, makes injuries a constant hazard. The sport is taxing on the joints and muscles: players lunge low to retrieve shots, twist and turn at full sprint, and sometimes collide with walls or each other. Common injuries tend to fall into two categories:

• Acute traumatic injuries
• Chronic overuse injuries

For acute injuries, the lower limbs are most at risk. Squash involves explosive movements and sudden direction changes on a hard floor, so ankle sprains are frequent and sometimes severe. The Achilles tendon is another vulnerable spot, since the push-offs and quick lunges can lead to strains or even ruptures.

Knee injuries are also a major concern, and orthopaedic specialists report seeing many ACL tears in squash players. The combination of quick pivots and a grippy court surface (similar to a basketball court) means a player's foot can stick while the knee keeps turning, causing ligament damage. Meniscus tears or sprained collateral ligaments can happen during a split-second slip or an awkward lunge.

Even falls are not unheard of, since sprinting full speed in a small box can lead to collisions or tumbles, risking bruises or fractures. Professional players develop strong legs and good footwork to control these risks, but a single misstep can still mean months on the sidelines.

The other side is repetitive strain injuries, especially in the upper body. Squash's swinging motion, with a fairly extended wrist and a lot of volleying, puts stress on the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Common upper-body complaints include:

• Chronic shoulder problems, with rotator cuff and biceps tendinitis common from repetitive overhead swings and volleys.
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), caused by the strain of gripping the racket tightly and hitting hundreds of balls daily.
• Wrist sprains or tendon issues, arising from the explosive flicking motions squash requires, particularly when technique falters under fatigue.
• Lower back pain, as the trunk is constantly bending and twisting on shots.

It is telling that even top players often tape ankles, knees, or elbows as a precaution.

Because injuries are so common, prevention and recovery are a crucial part of a pro's life. Athletes devote significant time to conditioning aimed at preventing injury. A proper warm-up and cool-down routine is essential: players do dynamic stretching, short sprints, lunges, and mobility exercises before stepping on court, warming up every muscle and joint.

Off-court, squash players add cross-training such as strength work to build muscle support around the joints, along with agility drills. Sports medicine specialists advise players to vary their movement patterns to work on agility rather than relying solely on straight-line cardio. Exercises such as plyometrics (jumping and landing on one foot, hop drills) and multidirectional lunges can simulate the unpredictable movements of squash and help the body handle them more safely. Players also do a lot of core and balance work to improve stability, since a strong core protects the back and helps maintain control during off-balance shots.

For the upper body, prevention focuses on technique and conditioning of specific muscle groups. Coaches stress proper swing mechanics to reduce undue stress on the shoulder and wrist. Many players do shoulder strengthening (rotator cuff and scapular stabilising exercises) to withstand the demands of hitting, and keeping the shoulder and forearm flexible can help stave off tendinitis. Rest and rotation of training is also key in preventing overuse: smart players cycle their training focus to avoid repetitive strain, and they listen to warning signs such as persistent soreness so they can treat problems early.

Injuries still happen, and then recovery becomes the focus. Professional players typically have access to physiotherapists who manage injuries with treatments such as massage, ultrasound, and taping, and who guide rehabilitation. The timeline can range from a few days for a minor muscle pull to a year or more for an Achilles rupture or ACL tear.

During rehab, players often modify training, for example doing pool workouts or stationary biking to maintain fitness while a leg injury heals. The mental challenge of recovery is significant too: staying patient and motivated through repetitive rehab, and managing the fear of re-injury when returning to play.

Squash has produced some dramatic stories of injury and comeback. One recent case is Amanda Sobhy of the United States, a top-10 player who suffered two separate ruptured Achilles tendons. In 2017, at age 23 and at a career-high ranking of World No.6, Sobhy tore her Achilles in competition, an injury that required surgery and many months of rehab. She fought her way back onto the tour and eventually regained her top-10 status.

Then in late 2023 she ruptured the Achilles in her other leg during a tournament final. Facing rehabilitation again, she spent about eight months in recovery before returning in 2024. Sobhy has described following a careful, structured recovery, including a progressive program of physical therapy several days a week and mental resilience work, to get back to playing shape. Her return to competition and to the world's top ten reflects modern injury management and personal determination.

Other pros have similar stories. Ramy Ashour, one of the most gifted male players, struggled with chronic knee and hamstring injuries throughout his career, requiring multiple surgeries and comebacks before retiring in his early 30s. Joelle King of New Zealand ruptured her Achilles in 2014 and returned to become a Commonwealth Games gold medallist. These examples show that injury is less a question of if than when in squash, and that a top player's career is often defined by how they handle setbacks.

To reduce the risks, players now approach their careers proactively on the injury front. Recovery methods such as sports massage, physiotherapy, cryotherapy (ice baths), and adequate rest are built into training plans, and many carry portable recovery tools such as foam rollers and massage guns in their luggage.

It is also common to see players wearing support braces or kinesiology tape during matches, not always because they are injured, but sometimes as a preventative measure or to support a previously injured area. The tour schedule can be unforgiving, with back-to-back tournaments, so players have to be willing to skip events to let injuries heal. The PSA has introduced on-site medical care at major events, with doctors or physiotherapists available, reflecting how important injury management is in the sport.

Coping with wear and tear is an integral part of a squash career. The players who last on tour for a decade or more usually credit their dedication to injury-prevention routines and smart scheduling. When injuries do strike, successful pros tackle rehab with the same intensity as training, often coming back physically stronger and mentally tougher. It is an ongoing battle to stay healthy in a sport so hard on the body, and it is one of the less glamorous realities behind the brilliant dives and lunges we see on court.

Career Longevity and Transition Beyond the Court

A professional squash career, while demanding, is also relatively short in the grand scheme of life. Many players peak in their late 20s and early 30s, and by their mid-30s the physical toll often dictates retirement from the elite level.

Unlike some sports where athletes can extend their careers into their late 30s or 40s, such as tennis or golf, in squash it is more the exception than the rule to compete at the highest level beyond the mid-30s. Three-time world champion Nick Matthew retired at 37, and the Malaysian great Nicol David retired at 35 after a celebrated career, both having spent about two decades on tour. Those count as long careers in squash terms.

There are a few notable exceptions in longevity. England's James Willstrop has continued to play competitively into his early 40s. A former World No.1, Willstrop has managed his schedule and fitness to remain a threat on court even as a veteran, while also taking on coaching roles. He has said his squash brain is the best it has ever been, even as a player in his 40s who is also coaching. His love for the game keeps him going, though he acknowledges he no longer needs to chase rankings and can play on his own terms. In general, though, the grind of training and injuries means most players step back by their early-to-mid 30s.

When a player does retire from full-time competition, the transition can be challenging, but many find ways to stay connected to the sport. Common paths after the tour include:

• Coaching and mentoring. Top champions often have a wealth of knowledge that is highly valued. Nick Matthew took up a coaching and ambassadorial role with England Squash on retiring in 2018, alongside running his own Nick Matthew Squash Academy, and has spoken about developing the next generation as his main motivation. Amr Shabana of Egypt went on to coach professional players and national squads, and Gregory Gaultier of France has also been involved in coaching since his playing days. Coaching can range from private academies and junior programs to high-performance work with national teams.
• Media and commentary. As the sport's broadcast presence has grown, with platforms such as Squash TV and other streaming services, former players have taken on roles as commentators, analysts, or event promoters. Ex-professionals such as Joey Barrington, son of squash legend Jonah Barrington, and former top-5 player Vanessa Atkinson have become regular commentators, while Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters have also appeared as commentators and pundits at major tournaments.
• Administration and business. Some retired players take on administrative or business roles within squash. Alex Gough of Wales, a former World No.5, became chief executive of the Professional Squash Association after retiring, effectively running the pro tour and helping lead its expansion. Others join national federation management, become tournament directors, or start squash-related businesses; former British Open champion Peter Nicol, for instance, has been involved in squash event management and in promoting the sport globally.
• New fields outside squash. Some players use their education or experiences to move into completely new fields, though those stories are less common at the top level given that squash often becomes a lifelong passion. Still, there are ex-pros who become entrepreneurs or who work in sports marketing, fitness training, or unrelated industries while keeping a hand in squash as a hobby or through coaching on the side.
• Giving back and growing the game. Nicol David of Malaysia founded the Nicol David Organisation, a charitable initiative that uses squash to help children from underserved communities through coaching, academic tutoring, and life-skills workshops. Others, such as Pakistan's Jahangir Khan, who dominated squash in the 1980s, have served in figurehead roles to lobby for squash's inclusion in multi-sport events and to inspire young athletes.

These media and commentary roles are not as high-profile as in some sports, but within the squash community they are respected positions that let ex-players keep contributing to the sport's visibility. Many federations, coaching committees, and youth development programs actively recruit former pros for their expertise and standing in the game.

Retiring from competition does not always mean a clean break on a single date. Some players ease into it, gradually reducing their tournament schedule, playing in masters (veterans) events, or focusing on local leagues while starting their next career. The transition can be emotionally tough, since these athletes have dedicated their lives to squash from a young age, so finding a new purpose matters. The good news is that squash is a close-knit community, and there is often a place for its heroes even after their playing days are over.

A professional squash career is a journey of intense training, worldwide travel, fierce competition, and continuous adaptation, both on and off the court. The sport demands extraordinary fitness and mental grit, tests players with constant travel and lean financial rewards, and inevitably forces them to confront injuries and the limits of the body.

Yet for those passionate enough to pursue it, it also offers the thrill of competing on the world stage, the camaraderie of the squash community, and the chance to leave a legacy for the next generation. Whether it is lifting a trophy at a major tournament or mentoring a junior at a local club, the spirit that drives a squash professional continues well beyond the glass court. The realities can be harsh at times, but the love of the game and the lessons learned, discipline, resilience, and global friendship, are the lasting rewards of a life in professional squash.