An oversized wooden squash racquet and a framed poster for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics hang prominently at Toronto’s Cambridge Club, symbolizing the sport’s evolving status as it prepares for its Olympic debut. Squash, long absent from the Olympic program, was officially added for the Los Angeles Games, providing new motivation for players like Canada’s Hollie Naughton.
Naughton, Canada’s top-ranked female squash player and currently ranked 37th globally, is actively pursuing a berth in the upcoming Summer Games. The 32-year-old athlete has been competing on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour, with recent matches taking place at the Canadian Women’s Open and the men’s SmartCentres Canada Cup, which is hosting events alongside the women’s tournament for the first time. Naughton was scheduled to face Egypt’s Nada Abbas, the fifth seed, in a second-round match held Monday at the Allen Lambert Galleria in Toronto.
A four-time PSA Tour champion who reached a career-high ranking of 16, Naughton is aiming to qualify for the Olympics through her performance at the 2027 Lima Pan American Games. Securing a gold medal at the Pan Am Games, combined with maintaining a top-50 world ranking, is one of several qualification pathways for the 16-player women’s squash draw in Los Angeles.
Former top-10 player Graham Ryding, who has coached Naughton in recent years, believes she remains capable of reaching her peak form. “There’s no reason why she can’t pull all the pieces together and finish strong,” Ryding said. Born in Barnsley, England, Naughton developed her game in Mississauga and Oakville, Ontario, before spending several years based in Leeds, England. She returned to Canada last year, citing the advantages of training on home soil and benefiting from local support.
Squash Canada CEO Jamie Nicholls highlighted Naughton’s role as an ambassador for the sport and for the Canadian Women’s Open, now in its fourth year as a silver-level PSA event. “Her goal right now is to maintain her level, hold on, and obviously keep improving,” Nicholls said.
Naughton, known for her powerful shots and court control, believes she has been playing some of her best squash recently, despite inconsistent results. She first broke into national prominence in 2022, when she became the first Canadian woman to medal in squash at the Commonwealth Games and was named Canada’s flag bearer at the event’s closing ceremony in Birmingham, England.
Toronto-based coach Robin Clarke, who has also worked with Naughton, noted her progress and potential to climb higher on the world stage. “I think she’s probably at a higher level than when she won the silver at the Commonwealth Games,” Clarke said, adding that additional match and tournament wins could boost her confidence further.
The Canadian Women’s Open and SmartCentres Canada Cup will continue through Friday night at the Cambridge Club, which also serves as a showcase venue for some men’s matches. Alongside the tournament, images from recent PSA events are displayed around the club, featuring iconic locations such as the pyramids of Giza, London’s Alexandra Palace, and New York’s Grand Central Station.
Looking to the future, squash’s Olympic debut will take place at the Comcast Squash Center, a temporary venue being constructed at Universal Studios’ backlot Courthouse Square, famous for its appearance in films like “Back to the Future.” This summer 2028 addition follows the International Olympic Committee’s 2023 decision to include squash alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and T20 cricket in the Los Angeles Games.
Reflecting on her journey, Naughton acknowledged the extra drive she feels as an underdog. “The Commonwealth Games, I was nowhere near what I ended up doing,” she said. “So I think it’s a fantastic challenge.”