“It’s a Big Step Up” – Amelie Haworth on Playing the Challenger Tour, Her Commitment to Stanford and More

Still just 18 years of age, Amelie Haworth is widely considered to be one of the rising stars of British squash. 

A multiple-time British junior champion through the different age groups, Haworth made her breakthrough on the PSA Challenger Tour at the back end of 2023, reaching her first final at the Tesla Media David Lloyd Purley Open. 

That result came just a few weeks after the Isle of Wight native had claimed the British Junior Championships under-19 crown, and proved to Haworth that she can compete on the senior tour despite her age and relative inexperience. 

“That was definitely my best event,” she said on reaching that final. 

“Beating the No.2 seed Hana Ismail in the fifth game was definitely something I was really proud of, because she is a really strong player, and the tournament gave me confidence moving forward that I can really compete with these players.  

“Before that, my results weren’t that great, but it has given me a massive boost. 

“The Challenger Tour feels a lot different to playing junior events. It’s a big step up, you know it is always players that I have looked up to in the past and now I am playing them.   

“Sometimes I don’t deal with that very well and I don’t have enough confidence in myself, but the more tournaments I play, the more I have slightly adapted to it and produced some decent results.” 

“I think the rallies go on a lot longer and you have to be stronger and fitter. You have to be faster because they play at such a higher pace, and that is something that I have struggled with a little bit.” 

The year ahead is set to be a big one for the 18-year-old, who is not only looking to climb up the PSA rankings with more success on tour, but is also completing her A-levels at Millfield School – which boasts Mohamed and Marwan ElShorbagy among its alumni – with a college commitment to Stanford University in the USA awaiting. 

That move to California is still dependent on her results at school, but balancing her studies with squash has become a lot easier now she’s got her own transport to get her from A to B, albeit still coming at a cost to her social life. 

“I’m in my last year of A-Levels at the moment, so it is very difficult trying to keep up with it,” she said, talking about the balance of school and sport. 

“But I have finally got a car, so that helps out with it a lot. I don’t have to get the train anymore! 

“I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of social events, but I’m used to that now. I just love travelling, playing squash and playing Challenger Tour events at the moment. 

“I really would like to win a Challenger Tour event this season. Hopefully soon, but I am going to really have to work hard for it because there are a lot of really good players out there.” 

Discussing her commitment to Stanford – where she is set to become a teammate of US rising star Riya Navani – Haworth revealed her excitement, while also reiterating her desire to continue playing on tour at the same time. 

“I’ve still got to keep my grades up and stuff before going in September – it’s not 100% set in stone – but to be going over to America, it will be very different, but something that I am really looking forward to,” she said. 

“I hope I can continue to play Challenger Tour tournaments while I am out there, and I can carry on competing and training.  

“Hopefully with a lot of other girls out there of the same standard as me, it will help to bring my game forward and then I can come back here in the holidays and continue training.”