“It’s So Exciting” – Alexandra Fuller Previews The SA Open

While the eyes of the sporting world may be on South African rugby this weekend, attention at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Club will soon turn to the squash courts, where the 2023 SA Open will take place, streaming live on the PSA Live Streaming YouTube Channel. 

The Wanderers – best known as one of the world’s most famous cricket grounds – will welcome 48 players for the PSA Challenger Tour 20 event, 24 in each of the men’s and women’s draws. 

Among them will be South Africa’s own Alexandra Fuller, who is returning to play a PSA event on home soil for the first time since 2018. 

Currently ranked No.39 in the world, Fuller is the No.3 seed in the women’s draw and will carry hopes of home success on her shoulders. 

The 30-year-old won back-to-back 5K titles on home soil five years ago, but PSA events in the rainbow nation have been few and far between ever since. Now, with the SA Open back on the calendar as a 20k – the biggest event it’s ever been – Fuller is relishing the opportunity to get going. 

“It’s so exciting,” she said. “It’s great to have South Africa back on the map again, and it’s always nice to play on home soil.  

“The only time I really get to play on home soil is when I come back for nationals, so it’s going to be even more special playing a PSA event, competing against other international girls. 

“A few years ago, we had a run of 5k tournaments in South Africa and it was just so exciting to welcome so many overseas players. Everyone loved it, everyone loved playing here in South Africa.  

“The people that we stay with, and the tournaments, are always great and we haven’t had that for a few years, so it’s going to be amazing to have an even bigger event on, and to include South Africa back onto the professional tour again. 

“I think there’s a lot that’s gone on behind the scenes. It’s been amazing to have some proactive squash players themselves actually try and give back, and put money into hosting such a big event to try and attract all the professionals here.” 

Having been consistently inside the world’s top 50 over the last five years, Fuller plays much of her squash in World Tour events, taking her across the USA and Europe, as well as the like of Egypt and Malaysia. 

As soon as she knew about this event, though, there was never any doubt in her mind that she would enter.

“I actually kept looking on the calendar for it to come on because I knew that it was happening,” she said. 

“I was really excited, and when they put the tournament on there wasn’t too much going on around it. Now there’s a lot of other smaller tournaments happening at the same time, so there’s been quite a good spread around our ranking that have chosen to either go to the States, or stay in Europe, or come down to South Africa, so I think there will be really good matches.” 

Speaking on whether she’s feeling nervous or excited, Fuller added: “I think more excited to be honest. I think it’ll be more fun.  

“It’s not really fun playing when no one is there to support you and you can’t talk to your coach, so I think it’ll be more fun. The crowd’s going to be behind you, so that kind of spurs you on and keeps you going, and hopefully I can try and turn the nervous energy into an exciting energy.” 

Fuller is somewhat of a torch bearer for South African squash, as the country’s only player inside the world’s top 100 in either the men’s or women’s game. 

She took that mantle from Stephen Coppinger, who retired in 2017 after an 11-year career among the world’s best players. 

That pair aside, South Africa has had little success at the very top of the sport. 

The reasons why are complex. South Africa is roughly 5,000 miles to Europe and 8,000 miles from the USA, meaning the cost of simply getting to most events is significant. 

Fuller herself now lives in Dublin, but believes the distance from South Africa to Europe and the Americas is a major factor, as is the isolated nature of going from the junior to professional in South Africa. 

“It’s hard for South Africans because it’s just so expensive and a lot of sacrifice,” she said. 

“We don’t have academies here where juniors can filter into the professional life and get a feel for what it’s like. When you finish your juniors, you’re either going to go to university where you’ll play university squash, or you’re going to go overseas and you sacrifice a lot, you sacrifice your home, your family, your friends sometimes. 

The scaling up of the SA Open to a 20k event will certainly help put South African squash on the map, in the short-term at least, but the inclusion of squash in the 2028 Olympics presents even more potential. 

The rainbow nation has notable Olympic pedigree, producing the likes of Chad Le Clos, Wayde Van Nierkerk and Caster Semenya in recent years, and Fuller hopes that the inclusion of squash in Los Angeles can give her own sport a boost. 

“I hope it’ll somehow attract some money into the sport in South Africa,” she said. 

Like many players, Fuller would have loved the opportunity to play in the Olympics earlier in her career. 

She will turn 35 during the 2028 games, and is remaining open-minded about the possibility of playing, but for now, is focused on what will undoubtedly be a special few days, not only playing in a tournament on home soil, but also being in South Africa for the rugby world cup final. 

Laughing as she discussed being in South Africa for the final, she said: “It was perfect timing, that’s why I was so glad that we beat England in the semi-finals… sorry.”