The NYC Open at the University Club of New York added a thrilling chapter to this season’s women’s squash tour, with a $20,000 prize fund marking it as the biggest purse of the season so far. Now in its eighth year, the event is one of the longest-standing on the women’s circuit. The University Club’s dedication to promoting women’s squash and the overall strength of there female membership shone through, highlighted by the participation of eight club members in the draw.
In the bottom half, wildcard team Jen Coxe and Mckenna Stolz gave a thrilling performance, taking Nessrine Ariffin & Lauren Johnston to five games. Meanwhile, Rachel Mashek and newcomer Olivia Walsh staged an impressive comeback after falling two games down to French pair Celia Pashely—playing her first match post-shoulder surgery—and Julia LeCoq. Mashek and Walsh ultimately clinched a five-game upset victory, which propelled them into the quarterfinals, where they continued their spirited run by pushing 3rd-seeded Canadians Jackie Moss and Jamie Minerson to five games.
In the top half of the draw, Meredeth Quick—a four-time NYC Open champion—teamed up with Haley Mendez for the first time. The duo made an impressive debut, taking out Lily Taylor-French and Audrey Berling before putting up a strong fight against top seeds Kayley Leonard and Maria Elena Ubina. Leonard and Ubina advanced to the final, where they faced Georgina Stoker and Lauren West, the 2nd seeds, in a rematch of last month’s Philadelphia Open final, where Leonard and Ubina had edged out Stoker and West in a five-game battle.
This time, the tables turned. Leonard and Ubina fought off two match balls to tie it at 14-14 in the fifth game, but a perfectly timed backwall knick from Stoker and West clinched the championship, giving them a thrilling victory in a fittingly dramatic conclusion to an intense tournament.