From Irish Champion to Global Challenger: Hannah Craig's Squash Journey

At Open Squash, we're incredibly proud to celebrate the journey of our sponsored PSA pro, Hannah Craig, who has captivated us with her dedication, resilience, and recent successes on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour. 

In a recent "Boast About It" interview to coincide with teaching a summer camp for juniors, Hannah talked about how she’s risen through the PSA rankings, her mental approach to the game, and her unwavering commitment to squash, all while embodying the spirit of the Open Squash community.

Hannah's journey to professional squash comes from a deep-rooted passion. Growing up in a "very sporty" family, with her grandfather playing rugby for the Irish national team and British Lions, and her grandmother playing field hockey for Ireland, squash was introduced by her father, who played for the Irish team. Following in the footsteps of her two older brothers, Ben and Michael, Hannah found her calling. "I kind of just followed along and wanted to fit in with the crowd there," she recalled. She credits her brothers, who also played on the European tour for the Irish team, as significant inspirations.

Her commitment to squash intensified around age 12 or 13, driven by her competitive spirit. "I just got that fire for the game and I was like, wow, okay, I want to get really good at this sport or as good as I can," Hannah said. She set a mission to become the Irish number one at each age group, eventually playing on the European Tour. A pivotal moment came at 16, when Gillen Markets sponsored her to play European tournaments, leading to her winning the French Junior Open and Swiss Junior Open at 17. As a junior, Hannah truly "lived and breathed squash".

Her talent led her to Harvard, where she played alongside formidable players like Gina Kennedy, who is now World #9 and also sponsored by Open Squash. Hannah spoke highly of her Harvard experience, playing on an "incredibly strong team" and learning from Coach Mike Way, a Senior Advisor at Open Squash. "One of the most important things about being at Harvard and training under Mike was to have a perspective on personal growth that feeds into squash," she said, emphasizing gratitude and managing internal conflicts during a game.

After graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hannah initially balanced coaching with a consulting career at Arthur D. Little, a management consulting firm she highly recommends. However, the pull of competitive squash was too strong. "I still felt I had an itch to compete that I couldn't scratch unless I went all-in on the game," she explained. This pivotal decision to leave her consulting career and fully embrace the "struggles and sacrifices of a career in squash" has proven successful.

Open Squash played a crucial role in her transition. A serendipitous encounter with Director of Squash Operations David Hughes at the Harvard Club led to her joining Open Squash as a coach, and later, an ambassador. Her coach, Peter Creed, who leads the squash program at Open Squash Bryant Park, has been instrumental. "Because Peter played on the pro tour himself, he's so experienced in every aspect of the game," Hannah said. "Every session with him is eye-opening; he brings so much energy and enthusiasm that’s just infectious. I learn something new every time we step on court together." Peter's belief and mental fortitude training were key in helping her make the "all-in" commitment to the tour.

Hannah's dedication quickly yielded results. In her first few months as a pro, she reached the final of a 12K tournament in Costa Rica, helping her break into the top 100. In September, she achieved her maiden PSA title, winning the Paraguay Open. The victory was hard-fought, with Hannah winning 3-1 against Diana Garcia in the semi-finals and clinching the final against Lucia Bautista 11-7 in the fifth game. "I was so happy and excited to win my first PSA title," Hannah said. "There was also a big relief that came with it because I knew I'd put in a lot of the work in the summer, a lot of hard training. So, to actually be able to have something to show for it is motivating for the rest of the season."

With a current ranking of 61 and "on the way up" despite a recent injury, Hannah is focused on reaching the top echelons of the sport. She acknowledges that her game has relied heavily on physicality so far, but her next step is to incorporate more "nuances in terms of bringing in deception" and "increase the accuracy" while maintaining her intensity. She draws inspiration from top players like Nouran Gohar and Hanya El Hammami, who combine ferocity with accuracy. "I'm just trying to keep no stone unturned and I’m trying not to look at it as so much as a number, but just to every day get that bit better and at the end of this I want to be able to say I reached my full potential and I did every single thing that I could," she said.

Looking ahead, Hannah aims to play around 16 PSA tournaments a year, plus national and international team events, totaling about 20 competitions. Her goal for the next season is to be "closer to top 50" and to "win another PSA or so and challenge myself to get some titles," while striving for greater consistency to avoid burnout. Her ambition extends to the Olympics, with Arthur Gaskin, Brown University Head Coach and Ireland Coach, expressing high hopes for her. Hannah is equally excited: "I'm going to do everything I can to to get in and compete and so yeah the next couple years I'm looking at trying to build the experience, put myself in challenging situations so hopefully when that time comes I'm as prepared as I can possibly be. I will be pushing for sure.”

Hannah also shared her immense pride in being part of the Open Squash community, especially having witnessed the opening and growth of the FiDi club. She was struck by the "coolest squash club" and its glass court, noting that "for kids to be able to come here and see this" is incredible. 

We at Open Squash are incredibly excited to continue supporting Hannah on her journey. Her dedication, self-reflection, and determination to reach her full potential are truly inspiring. We wish her the best of luck in her upcoming tournaments. Your Open Squash family is cheering you on, Hannah – you can do it!