Mariam Eissa is unarguably one of the hottest prospects on England's junior squash scene, already achieving success against much older rivals at home and abroad.
Last year, the Warwickshire starlet lifted the girls' U19 title at the British Junior Championships in Sheffield aged just 15. Earlier in the year, she won the English Junior U19 Championship whilst she was only 14. She also made her debut in the World Individual and Team Junior Championships in Houston, Texas, that year.
Eissa, who is now 16 and based at Kenilworth Squash Club in the West Midlands, will be sticking to her own age category as she takes on the world's best U17 girls at the forthcoming 100th edition of the British Junior Open in Birmingham, just a short drive from home.
Her father, Prof. Ahmed Eissa, is from Cairo and was a semi-professional squash and badminton player. Her older brother, Abdallah Eissa, recently graduated from the junior ranks and has begun competing on the PSA Tour.
Squash Player chatted to Mariam about her squash upbringing, facing the mighty world no.3 Amina Orfi and her pride at wearing a hijab on court.
How did you first get involved in squash?
I’ve played squash from a very young age. It’s always been a big part of my life. My dad, who played the sport at a high level himself, has always been my coach, so he’s the one who introduced both me and my brother to the game.
Growing up, my brother was older and already competing, so I would always go along to the club to watch him train. Seeing him on court was really inspirational, and I naturally wanted to follow in his footsteps.
I started playing properly around the age of four or five, and began competing by the time I was seven. What I love most about squash is how challenging it is — both mentally and physically. It constantly pushes me to improve and test my limits in so many different ways.
How do you combine the competitive squash calendar with your school studies?
It’s definitely a challenge, and I think it’s something that’s often overlooked. Balancing schoolwork with a demanding training and competition schedule requires a lot of organisation and discipline.
I try to stay on top of everything by planning ahead and being efficient with my time, but it does mean a lot of long nights and sacrifices along the way. Still, I’ve learned that with commitment and good time management, it’s possible to give your best to both.
What is a realistic target for you at the British Junior Open in January?
I go into every tournament with the goal of winning — that’s always my mindset.
At events like the BJO, anything can happen, so my main focus will be on taking each match one at a time and playing the kind of squash I know I’m capable of. If I can do that, I believe the results will take care of themselves.
How important is the BJO in your own competitive calendar? Is it particularly special for you as a local girl?
For me personally, this is a very important tournament. It’s been a tough few months for many reasons, and I’m currently recovering from an injury that meant I had to miss some tournaments at the start of the season. Starting the season like that definitely hasn’t been ideal, so this event feels like my chance to get back on track and build some momentum again.
It also holds extra meaning for me because it’s so close to home. Having family and friends nearby, makes it a really special event for me.
What do the BJO and World Junior Championships that you've played in so far tell you about your progress compared to the best players in the world?
Competing against the best players in the world has been an incredible experience. It’s shown me the level that I’m now playing at, and it’s been a huge source of motivation to keep working harder.
Every big win reminds me how far I’ve come, but every loss reminds me of how much more I still want to achieve. Those moments — both the highs and the lows — push me to keep improving every day.
You took a game off France's Lauren Baltayan and beat Germany's Maya Weishar at the European U19s in April — girls who are a lot older and more experienced than you. How much confidence does that give you?
Those matches definitely gave me confidence. I trust the work I put into my training and I know the level of squash I can produce, so testing myself against players who are older, more experienced, and already competing professionally really motivates me.
Performing well against them shows me that I’m heading in the right direction, and it pushes me to keep raising my level.
You've played world no.3 Amina Orfi at the last couple of World Junior Team Championships, what have you learned from those experiences?
Playing Amina Orfi has been such a privilege. She’s an incredible player and competing against her has taught me so much.
It’s highlighted the areas I still need to work on, but it’s also been really inspiring to share the court with someone at that level. Every time I play her, I come away with something new to improve on, and it gives me a clearer sense of what it takes to reach the very top.
How proud are you to be one of the few girls wearing a hijab on the squash court and representing Muslim women in the sport?
I feel incredibly thankful and proud to be able to do that. It’s not always easy, but seeing a few of the older girls on the PSA Tour wearing the hijab really inspired me and gave me the confidence to do the same.
If I can now be that source of inspiration for younger Muslim girls coming into the sport, that means a lot to me. I want them to know that it’s possible to stay true to who you are while still competing at the highest level.
