Why a Professional Squash Tournament in Rochester?
Ali Farag, featured on our home page, is a long time world #1 PSA player who retired in June 2025. Ali won the Rochester ProAm in 2012 as freshman playing #1 for Harvard. We were dazzled by his skill, athleticism, and humility.
Giving you and our community the opportunity to see and cheer up-and-coming players like Ali is an important reason that the Rochester ProAm exists.
Our motivations for hosting the Rochester ProAm tournament are: to inspire and bring together the squash community; to support rising players; and, most important, to grow squash in Rochester.
Starting in Fall 2024, a PSA ($6k) women’s tournament at the Genesee Valley Club was added. In 2025 the Fall women’s tournament rose to $9k, on par with the Spring men’s PSA tournament.
Every year, the ProAm brings a group of dedicated professional squash athletes to Rochester. We can learn much from these players who have dedicated themselves to becoming among the top few hundred, world-wide, in their sport. Details on past Rochester ProAm tournaments are below.
Rochester ProAm History
In the past we have had players rated from No. 50 to No. 200 in the world hailing from USA, Australia, Egypt, Pakistan, Canada, Colombia, Austria, South Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, Botswana, Zambia, Japan, Argentina, Wales, England, France, Switzerland, Finland, New Zealand and Brazil.
Rochester ProAm history (Eric Hernady, 2006)
Our event started six years ago when I met John Power at his camp at Dartmouth College. He was coordinating the North American PSA circuit, and tried to convince me to start a tournament of my own with his help. I was very enthusiastic about bringing pro squash to Rochester which had seen a tournament like that in many years. The following year (2002) I along with John’s help had our first challenger event with a 13-man draw. The players were predominantly US-based teaching and touring pros ranging from #120-#300 in the world.
Each of the first three years we had an amateur event along with the PSA tournament. After the third year we elevated the tournament to full PSA Tour status by hosting a satellite event sans the amateur component.
Last year we had a full qualifying draw and main draw with a total of 28 players ranging from #70-#250 in the world. This year’s event will have 15 countries represented and players now make the trip from many parts of the globe.
The tournament has become a springboard for a number of players to reach higher rankings and higher status tournaments. Our past champions include Shawn DeLierre, Rafael F. Alarcon, Karim Yehia, and last year Ritwik Bhattacharya. Although I had originally envisioned US-born players using this event as a way to earn points closer to home, I still consider our event successful. That original goal may in fact be realized in the coming years with the recent successes of young American players like Christopher Gordon and Julian Illingworth and our strong finish in the Pan Am games.
The unexpected reward has been meeting and watching so many incredible athletes from around the world. They are enthusiastic, interesting young players that are respectful and a joy to have here in our city. I hope the word continues to spread about the hospitality of Rochester and its squash community.
Details on Past PSA Men’s Tournaments
Past results: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
Past SquashSite features: 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005
Past coverage on SquashTalk: 2008, 2004
Past champions:
2025 – Omar Said (EGY)
2024 – Ashab Irfan (PAK)
2023 – Yasin ElShafei (EGY)
2022 – Aly Hussein (EGY)
2021 – NO TOURNAMENT (COVID)
2019 – Leonel Cardenas (MEX)
2018 – Mario Yanez Tapia (MEX)
2017 – NO TOURNAMENT 🙁
2016 – Martin Knight (NZL)
2015 – Eric Galvez (MEX)
2014 – Zac Alexander (AUS)
2013 – Lucas Serme (FRA)
2012 – Ali Farag (EGY)
2011 – Alfredo Avila (MEX)
2010 – Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
2009 – Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
2008 – Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY)
2007 – Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX)
2006 – Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
2005 – Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND)
2004 – Karim Yehia (EGY)
2003 – Rafael F. Alarcon (BRA)
2002 – Shawn Delierre (CAN)
Details on Past PSA Women’s Tournaments
Past results: 2024
Past champions:
2024 – Habiba Hani (EGY)