Buoyed by squash's Olympic inclusion and date change, Canadian Women's Open on rise

When Squash Canada CEO Jamie Nicholls thinks about the impact Pro Squash Association tournaments have had in this country, a conversation with former world No. 1 Jonathon Power comes to mind.

"He mentioned to me one time, 'If you want to be the best in the world, you have to actually see the best in the world,"' Nicholls said. "That really resonated with me."

It's one of the reasons why Nicholls is so proud to see the growth of the Canadian Women's Open, which has been elevated to a silver PSA event this year in its second season. Play begins Sunday on the all-glass showcourt in the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place, the same location where Power thrilled home crowds nearly a quarter-century ago. The event will be live streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem beginning on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

Canadian No. 1 Hollie Naughton, fifth-ranked Nele Coll of Belgium and defending champion Amanda Sobhy of the U.S. are some of the headliners at the $85,000 US tournament, which features eight players in the top 20.

"I definitely think it's a very close field, I would say," Naughton said. "I think on any given day, anyone can beat anyone. So I think it's quite an exciting time for women's squash and for the Canadian Open to showcase it."

The sport is still riding high from last year's announcement that it was finally — after several attempts — being added to the Olympic program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Naughton, from Mississauga, Ont., said the news was "very, very emotional" as she had dreamed about the possibility since she was a youngster.

"It definitely gave me the [jump] to keep going," said Naughton, now 30. "For me, I've definitely got my eyes set on it. That is the next big thing. I've competed at the Pan Am