Season Review: Breakthrough Performers – Part Two

After a thrilling 2023/24 season on the PSA World Tour, it’s time to look back at some of the players who have enjoyed breakthrough seasons. Read part one of our breakout performers series here.

Olivia Weaver

Season Ranking Change:

• World No.9 > No.6

Notable Highlights

• Back-to-back titles at the Cincinnati Gaynor Cup and the DAC Pro Classic
• Semi-finalist at U.S. Open and PSA World Championships

American No.1 Olivia Weaver has certainly enjoyed the most successful season of her career to date, breaking into the world’s top four in May after a string of superb tournaments throughout the campaign.

Working under the tutelage of coach and former World Champion Rodney Martin, Weaver has developed all areas of her game in the last 12 months, managing to reach the U.S. Open and PSA World Championships semi-finals as well as her maiden Gold final at the Black Ball Open. In this time, wins over top ten players came with regularity, with the 28-year-old defeating names such as Tinne Gilis, Georgina Kennedy, Rowan Elaraby and Sivasangari Subramaniam all since the New Year.

Weaver featured in 17 PSA World Tour events over the season, reaching the latter stages of nearly all of the events that she has played in. Back-to-back titles at the Silver duo of events, the Cincinnati Gaynor Cup and the DAC Pro Squash Classic, were just rewards for her hugely consistent squash over the course of the 23/24 season.

After moving from strength-to-strength this year, the tricky task of attempting to bridge the gap to the top three in the women’s rankings awaits Weaver.

Greg Lobban

Season Ranking Change

• World No.30 > No.17

Notable Highlights

• Maiden Platinum quarter-final at Qatar Classic
• Runner-up finish at Manchester Open

After sitting on the fringes of the world’s top 20 over the last few seasons, Greg Lobban chartered new territory in the 23/24 campaign after a string of impressive performances.

The Scottish No.1 started the season in style by reaching his maiden Platinum quarter-final at the Qatar Classic back in September, defeating Todd Harrity, Ramit Tandon and notably Victor Crouin, before eventually falling to Joel Makin.

Further standout wins for the 31-year-old followed later in the season against Miguel Rodriguez at the El Gouna International, and Fares Dessouky in Manchester – the second result of which saw Lobban reach his maiden final on the PSA World Tour.

Despite once again coming unstuck against World No.9 Makin in the final, this was a fitting way for Lobban to cap off his season, which also saw him capture the 20k Montreal Open title, as well as secure Scottish Nationals success.

Currently sitting at a ranking of World No.17, Lobban will no doubt be looking to reach the business end of tournaments next season and consolidate his position in the top 20.

Amina Orfi

Season Ranking Change

• World No.43 > No.13

Notable Highlights

• Became youngest-ever Platinum quarter-finalist at U.S Open
• First World Tour title win at Squash On Fire Open

Egypt’s teenage sensation Amina Orfi has certainly lived up to her billing in her first full season on the PSA World Tour, surging through the world rankings all the way to the fringes of the top ten.

Orfi has proven she has the attacking weapons to challenge any player in the world on her day, recording wins over the likes of Joelle King, Georgina Kennedy and Tinne Gilis this campaign. At the US Open, the 16-year-old became the youngest-ever player to reach the quarter-finals of a Platinum event, before eventually losing out to Amanda Sobhy in a thrilling five game encounter.

Further success followed Orfi throughout the rest of the season, reaching the finals of both the Hong Kong FC Open and Australian Open, and clinching her maiden World Tour title at the Squash On Fire Open.

What has also become notable is Orfi’s maturity and calmness under pressure, with the teenager winning five out of her six matches that went to a deciding game. Coupling this mental strength with her all-round game will have her earmarked by many as one of the few players who could potentially break up the dominance of Nour El Sherbini, Nouran Gohar and Hania El Hammamy at the top of the world rankings in the years to come.

Eain Yow Ng

Season Ranking Change

• World No.17 > No.13

Notable Highlights

• Career-first World Tour title at German Open
• First Malaysian man to reach a British Open quarter-finals since 2009

Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng has long been touted as one of the best movers on tour, but he managed to add a killer instinct to his game as the 23/24 season progressed, capturing his first World Tour title at the German Open and claiming a couple of big scalps over top ten players.

After losing out to Aly Abou Eleinen in the Hong Kong FC Open title decider in November, Eain Yow used this experience to his advantage as he defeated top seed Joel Makin in the semi-finals of the German Open and followed this up with victory over Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann in the final. This title win was the Malaysian No.1s first-ever World Tour title.

Eain Yow subsequently reached a career-high ranking of World No.16, and continued to make positive strides after becoming the first Malaysian man to reach the quarter-finals of the British Open since 2009. The 26-year-old came through a pair of gruelling matches against Eleinen and World No.6 Karim Abdel Gawad to achieve this feat.

Now sitting at World No.13, Eain Yow will surely be looking to carry this form through to the new season and attempt to break into the world’s top ten.

Who have been your breakthrough stars for the 2023/24 season? Let us know on X, Facebook, Instagram or Threads.

Watch the best of the 2023/24 PSA World Tour action over on SQUASHTV.