Squash may not be Canada’s most popular sport, but it’ll make a big presence this weekend in Medicine Hat.
It’s even slated to become an official Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Twenty-four professional squash players from 14 countries are competing in the annual Gas City Squash Tournament. There will also be an amateur side of the event.
Brazil’s Guilherme Melo is back in Medicine Hat for his second time, the last being in 2019 when he made quarter finals.
“I feel very welcomed when I’m here. I feel like Canadians, they go out of their way to make people feel welcome and everything, so I’m really happy every time I’m here,” Guilherme told CHAT News at a practice before the tournament.
Melo is a two time national champion in Brazil and holds a gold medal for the team event in the South American Games.
He’s in Medicine Hat to rack up points for his PSA World Tour standings.
“[I] definitely want to go for the title here,” Melo said.
“I have an interesting draw. I’m on the same side as the number one seed in the tournament. I actually lost to him in the last event in Lethbridge, so maybe I’ll get my revenge here.”
With the single knockout format, one loss and Melo is heading back home.
The format motivates some players, like Switzerland’s Robin Gadola, to play their best.
“It can put on pressure, because sometimes you fly to the other side of the world, you might play some top seed guy and lose in 20 minutes, so then you’re out,” Gadola said.
Gadola currently trains in Germany and is ranked 139th on the PSA world tour.
Pro tournament organizer Todd Christianson says having these international athletes in Medicine hat is great promotion for the sport.
“It’s amazing for the local players that haven’t been exposed to this level of squash,” said Christianson.
The tournament also acts as a fundraiser for the YMCA’s junior squash program.
Overall, Christianson hopes the event increases interest in squash. As the international players tour the world competing, they hope to do the same in their own country.
“It’s good to bring awareness to a sport that’s small. It just became Olympic, so I think the sport is probably going to grow in the next couple of years,” Melo said.
The tournament started Thursday and Hatters can head to the YMCA of Medicine Hat to see the action in person all weekend.
The complete draw can be found here.
