Aria Bannister - NZ Squash Open, 2022
By Rod Bannister | Posted: Wednesday November 16, 2022
Year 10 student Aria Bannister played the NZ Squash Open in Tauranga from the 11th - 13th of November at the Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre.
It was her first event as a female on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) ranking system, which you can join at 15 years of age, Aria turned 15 two weeks prior. At the time she was the youngest player in the world on the PSA circuit.
The event was a local PSA satellite event, for NZ-based female players only, all seasoned on this circuit, far more experienced and older.
Aria more than held her own throughout finishing in 9th - 16th place overall. In 2023 she plans to travel to Auckland to contest as many PSA events as she can.
The event ran alongside the prestigious NZ Open that world ranked no.2 Paul Coll and Joelle King world ranked no.5 played at in the Trustpower Arena, the trip to see this and all the other world's top pros live was worth its weight in gold!
In three more weeks, Aria and her Dad fly out to the Canadian Junior Champs in Niagara at the White Oaks Club and USA Junior Champs in Philadelphia at the USA National Squash Centre along with a 28-strong NZ Junior contingent where she will play in the under-17 age groups versus the best players the game has to offer at world-class venues.