Alina: Trending Upward And Excited For The Second Half.
Hey to everyone who’d rather hit squash outside than anywhere else!
With the holidays around the corner and winter slowly creeping in, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on the first half of my season—before we all bundle up, grab our rackets, and sneak in a few more hits on the Maspeth steel court whenever the sun is out. This season has been packed with travel, culture, lessons, and plenty of squash across the globe.
China: World Games Experience
The first half of the season kicked off with a big trip to China for the World Games. The World Games is an international multi-sport event for sports not currently in the Olympics, held every four years. This year, I had the honor of representing Ukraine on the world stage alongside some of the best athletes in the world. It was my first time in China, and I truly didn’t know what to expect—it ended up being one of the wildest trips I’ve ever taken.
Every time I stepped outside, I felt like I was in a sci-fi movie: towering buildings, glowing bridges, high-tech transportation, and even robot police dogs. But honestly, the thing I was most excited about was the food. Street markets were full of things I’d never seen before—chicken feet, stinky (fermented) tofu, and noodles and dumplings of every shape and size. As much as I love food, I’ll admit… chicken feet were a hard no for me. Another challenge was getting around—Google Maps doesn’t work in China, and everything is in Chinese, which made directions an adventure of their own. It’s definitely a place I’d love to return to one day as a tourist, because I know I only scratched the surface.
Squash-wise, the experience was tougher. I lost in the first round after dealing with extreme jet lag and a 24-hour travel day right before my match. Full credit to my opponent, and a big lesson learned for me about scheduling flights when traveling across major time zones.
Malaysia: Training in the Heat
The next stop on my Asia tour was Malaysia. To avoid unnecessary travel, I decided to spend an extra two weeks training in Seremban, a small town near Kuala Lumpur, before my first PSA event of the season. Training conditions there are truly mind-blowing—no air conditioning, extreme heat, and bouncy balls that just never die. I had to bring extra T-shirts to practice because I was completely soaked halfway through sessions. Every rally felt long and brutal, but it was incredible preparation.
Outside of training, I was lucky to explore Kuala Lumpur and immerse myself in the culture. I’m incredibly grateful to the Kumar family for hosting me for three weeks and making me feel at home. Malaysia is such a diverse country, and I got to try Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisines. My favorite dish was nasi lemak—fried chicken with coconut rice and chili sauce—followed by durian for dessert. The entire experience reminded me how special the squash community is and how much this sport allows me to see the world.
Egypt: Squash Capital of the World
The final stop on this long trip was Egypt, where I played the qualifiers for the Egyptian Open. This year, the iconic court in front of the pyramids returned, making the event extra special. It was my first time traveling to Egypt alone as a pro, and the scale of squash in Cairo absolutely blew my mind. Courts are packed all day with juniors and pros—honestly, I think I could play with a new person every day for six months and still not meet everyone.
Beyond squash, I loved learning about Egyptian culture. Driving through Cairo, instead of trees, all you see is sand and dunes—it felt surreal. I also visited the Grand Egyptian Museum and saw mummies and massive collections of artifacts, including the full Tutankhamun collection. An unforgettable experience.
Back on Tour: Non-Stop Competing
After being away from home for nearly a month, I was very ready to get back to Philly. I still had plenty of tournaments left, but thankfully, they were much closer geographically. I competed in London (Canada), NYC, Lancaster, Springfield, San Jose (Costa Rica), and then back home. Jumping from event to event gave me a lot of match play and valuable experience. Not every tournament brought the results I hoped for, but each one came with small wins that I could build on.
By the end of this stretch, I reached two finals at 15k events, made the second round of a Silver event, and climbed to my highest world ranking yet—No. 55. There’s still a long way to go, but my game is trending in the right direction. I’m excited for the second half of the season, which promises more adventures, new people, and—most importantly—more squash.
And hopefully, a few more sunny days on the steel court too!
