Eleinen Determined To Push On After Successful Breakthrough Season

Egypt’s Aly Abou Eleinen played out his first full PSA season during the 2022-23 campaign after graduating from Penn University in Philadelphia last summer. The 23-year-old made his mark immediately with notable wins over World No.7 Victor Crouin at the PSA World Championships and World No.12 Youssef Soliman at the Oracle NetSuite Open.

Abou Eleinen reached the last 16 of three Platinum events as well as round three of the PSA World Championships in Chicago. He also reached three finals during the campaign, winning two titles at the Bremer Schlüssel and London Open.

We caught up with the emerging Egyptian to get his thoughts on his first season as as full-time professional squash player and his ambitions for the upcoming season:

Q. How would you sum up your 2022/23 season?

Aly – “Last season was an incredible ride that I wouldn’t trade for anything! Travelling the world and competing in squash as my full-time job was a dream come true.

“It’s a lifestyle I’ve always wanted, and I can’t believe I got to live it. The experiences I had on tour taught me so much about myself and helped me mature both as a player and as a person. Constantly hopping on the road, away from the familiar comforts of home and competing against the best players in the world truly challenged me. But that’s what made it so fulfilling – the constant push to improve and the thrill of stepping on the court chasing wins in different amazing venues around the world. I really try not to take it for granted because this truly is my dream job! As the season progressed, I understood that to make it at this level, it takes more than just talent and hard work– it demands a great deal of discipline, mental toughness, and a ton of self-belief. And that’s exactly what I committed myself to, day in and day out this summer.”

Q. You reached the third round of three Platinum events and the World Championships this season. How happy were you with those performances?

Aly: “Making it to the round of 16 in some Platinum events and the Worlds was beyond satisfying. It gave me the confidence that my hard work was paying off and that I can compete with the best in the world. But I’m not settling for just that, I’m hungry for more and determined to go after the latter stages of tournaments next season.”

Q. Victor Crouin recently said to us that he thinks you’ll be knocking on the door of the top 10 very soon. What are your goals and where do you think your squash is at the moment?

Aly: “I’m grateful for Victor’s encouragement and his nice words. Our matches this season were nothing short of intense. We played three five-gamers that all came down to the wire, and its incredible to have these matches to reflect on now. Despite the tough fights, we always maintain a spirit of good sportsmanship, and I truly enjoy competing against him.”

Q. What does this summer’s training look like for you?

Aly: “Last season has taught me the importance of surrounding myself with a great team that guides me through this journey. My head coach, Hesham El Attar, has been an instrumental figure throughout my training and progress. We’ve spent countless hours reflecting on the past season, analysing matches, and fine-tuning my game. He has been by my side as my head coach for a year and a half now, and the impact he’s had on my game is incredible. He’s not just a coach, he’s a mentor, teaching me so much about the subtleties of the game- from finding my strengths to understanding shot selection against different opponents, his guidance has truly been invaluable! 

“To challenge the top players, I recognise that my fitness level needs to be top-notch. That’s why I’ve been working closely this summer with my fitness coach, Walid Elmossalamy, on strengthening my body ahead of the long and demanding season ahead. Working with Walid not only improves my fitness but also boosts my self-confidence. Additionally, I recently added Jesse Engelbrecht to my team as my mental coach. He’s helping me become process-oriented and focused on developing good daily habits. I’m excited to continue working with him this season!” 

Q. What are your goals for next season?

Aly: “With just 4 weeks left until the season starts, my team and I are excited to get started in Paris and put into action all the work we’ve done this summer. It’s going to be an intense and competitive season, but I’m already counting the days to get started!”