The dust has settled on an historic Canadian Women’s Open, with a tremendous Championship climax last Thursday evening on the Power Court presented by Syra Group at Brookfield Place. Belgium’s Tinne Gilis and Amanda Sobhy of the United States met on the court for their fourth and most significant showdown to date. Prior to this match, Sobhy had bested Gilis with the results of 2 – 1, but this wasn’t weighing down the Belgian.Gilis upended the defending Champion, Sobhy after a 20-minute 15-13 first set and paved the way to a hard fought 3-0 victory. Sobhy fought like a champion throughout and thrilled with her trademark attacking style, playing at an impressive level only 11 months after fully tearing her Achilles tendon. However, she could not fend off Gilis’ accuracy and unrelenting pressure.
“I’m a little speechless at the moment. It’s been a really special week for me and Toronto will definitely have a special place in my heart after this week and I just can’t wait to come back already” said the World #6 Gilis upon raising the trophy.
On the Men’s side, a dream final between a Plague Doctor, also known as #1 seed Baptiste Masotti of France, and Jason from Friday the 13th, also referred to as rising Mexican star and #2 seed Leonel Cardenas got the Halloween crowd into the spirit by appearing in masks for their introductions. The first game started with long, athletic rallies, as Cardenas looked the fresher of the two, having spent almost an hour less time on court throughout the week. Masotti kept fighting but the young Mexican put the bit between his teeth and closed out his second PSA World Tour title 3-0, hoisting the reacclimated 2000 YMG Canadian Classic trophy, last won in the same venue by Canadian legend Jonathon Power.
Squash Canada thanks Platinum partners Slaight Music, Altas Partners, Brookfield Properties, Kingsett Capital, Oxford Properties and Scotiabank, as well as our gold, silver, bronze partners and the dozens of patrons, program, venue and production partners that made the 2024 event a success.
The all-glass Power Court now heads to White Oaks Resort & Spa for the 2024 Canadian Junior Open presented by Forthlane Partners, December 7 – 10, 2024. Before making its way to Calgary for the highly anticipated 2025 Canadian Men’s Open presented by AirSprint Private Aviation, February 24 – 28. Squash in Canada has never had so much momentum as an Olympic sport on our road to LA 2028 and beyond.
To relive all the excitement from last week’s action, full matches can be watched on CBC Sports YouTube (R1, R2, Quarters, Semis, and Finals), draws can be reviewed on the PSA website (Canadian Women’s Open 2024 & Cambridge Group of Clubs Classic), and photos can be found on the Squash Canada Flickr.
- Canadian women’s squash open – CP24
- Canadian Squash Open – ETalk
- Buoyed by squash’s Olympic inclusion and date change, Canadian Women’s Open on rise – CBC
- Canada’s Eltorgman, Naughton eliminated in quarterfinals of Cambridge Classic squash tourney – CBC
- Canadian Women’s Squash Open is a watershed tournament inside Toronto’s crystal cathedral of commerce – The Globe and Mail
