Hi Maspeth Squash Fam and Steel Court Lovers!
It’s so exciting to be a part of the Maspeth Squash Team and help grow the sport in such a unique way - outdoor steel squash! Anyway, here I want to tell you a little about myself and take a sneak peek at my life tour.
Maybe, you have seen me before on a Maspeth socials as the cool girl with tattoos and always wearing sunglasses… Yes, that’s me! I am a squash player from Kyiv, Ukraine, and have been playing full-time on tour for a little bit more than a year, reaching my highest world ranking of 72. Currently, I am living in Philadelphia training at the US National Center with other US Team players including Timmy Brownell, we are good buddies:). Of course, I can’t not mention my second base in New York, Queens - Maspeth Steel Court. I am often a visitor there, especially during sunny summer days.
First Stop: Mexico City
I just came back from a short Central America trip, where I played tournaments in both Mexico and Costa Rica. I had such a great time in both places, starting from my first stop in Mexico City I was blown away by the kindness of the squash community there. All the players lived in the promoter’s house, which reminded me of squash summer camp! Everyone came down to eat breakfast at the same time and we had some planned group activities, it was super fun.
The tournament itself was crazy too! Mexico City is located at around 7000 ft, so we all play with a green dot high-altitude ball. Still, the conditions are brutal, the ball is flying through the court due to oxygen density and the fatigue comes so suddenly. This was my first time playing in such an environment and it was quite the experience. Unfortunately, I lost in the semis to the eventual winner of the tournament Habiba Hani 3:2 and 12:10 in fifth, but during matches, the courts were always full of spectators cheering loud with passion! They would love to see some matches on the outside steel court. Outside of the tournament, I was excited to explore the city full of ancient history and eat lots of tacos!
Next Stop: San José, Costa Rica
My next stop was San Jose, Costa Rica. Pura Vida! This is my second time playing this tournament and it is a place to come back. Lush greenery, fresh tropical fruits, and warm weather all year around… isn’t that beautiful? I guess the only missing part would be the outside steel court, otherwise I would never leave.
Coming back from such a high altitude, I had to quickly adapt to the new conditions again. In Costa Rica the courts were hot and humid. To be honest, it was so humid that the walls were wet and you get so sweaty that you need change your shirt after every game. This time around I made it to the quarter-finals losing to Marina Stefanoni - the winner of the tournament. It was a great match, always clean and tough squash with Marina, just did not have enough that day to close out the games.
My trip to San Jose was extended by a week due to unforeseen circumstances. A huge shout out to Sebastian Jimenez and his family, who let me stay at their house for a few extra days. But, there are way worse places to be stuck, so I had to take advantage of my extra days and see the beautiful nature of Costa Rica. Waterfalls, exotic animals, and zip-lining in the mountains, we did it all! Thanks to my friends who spoke Spanish and helped me through the trip.
What’s Next?
Now, it’s time to get back home, and enjoy some Thanksgiving turkey before I hit the road again for another tournament in Madeira, Portugal. Stay tuned for some more squash tour insights and do not forget to come out and play outside on the Maspeth steel court!
