Young squash star Robyn McAlpine is ready to take her game to the next level as she prepares to play in the Springfield Scottish Squash Open 2023.
After securing one of three wildcards for female players, the chance to play in Scotland’s flagship squash competition is one that she is relishing.
Having just turned 17 years old, Robyn is the youngest player in the field, but she has no intention of letting that impact her thinking ahead of the tournament.
Robyn said: “Being the youngest competitor doesn’t really faze me too much because I know that if I play well, anything is possible.”
First up, a tough tie against world number 94, Katerina Tycova from Germany.
The Western youngster has taken heart from the Junior World Championships in Australia, where she went head-to-head – and often point-for-point – with the world’s best young players.
Along with many memorable performances, Robyn showed incredible heart and resilience in a losing effort against Egypt’s Fayrouz Aboelkheir, ranked number 33 in the world.
Robyn said: “That match – along with the whole experience – gives me confidence that I’m able to compete with that level of player.
“I gained a lot of experience from the tournament in Melbourne, but also from all the different events that I’ve played this year, so I hope to take that experience into the competition.”
Having made her first appearance for Scotland’s senior team in a winning effort at the European Teams Squash Championship in Helsinki earlier this year, it has been a breakthrough year for the young Scot.
She is the first Scottish woman to hold the Under 17, Under 19 and Under 23 national championships at the same time – and she is in the running for the Scottish Squash Junior Player of the Year Award.
The tournament, taking place at Inverness Tennis and Squash Club, will be special for Robyn off-court as well as on.
She explained: “I’ve got family members up in Inverness that have never seen me playing squash before, so it will be nice to have them watch.
“I think I’ll have family coming up from Glasgow too, which is going to make it a great experience.”
With a passionate home crowd in attendance, Robyn’s family are unlikely to be the only ones cheering her on in the first round in Inverness.
Tickets for the Springfield Scottish Squash Open 2023 are on sale now and can be purchased on Eventbrite. The tournament will run from Wednesday 20th September to Sunday 24th September, with tickets starting from just £10.
