18th Annual NASH Cup Crowns Champs

by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com

Photos: Kim Atkinson

The NASH Cup is a staple of local sports championships – and a world-class event, as seen again this past week at London Squash & Fitness on Albert Street in London.

The 18th annual tournament attracted 31 of the world’s Top 100 male and female professional squash players. And, for a third-straight year, the tourney featured the Jack Fairs Open PSA challenger, featuring 16 of Canada’s young squash stars including five current and past members of the Western Mustangs men’s squash program.

Fairs coached multiple Mustangs teams, but most notably guided Western men’s squash to 31 team titles and 21 singles titles in OUA play. Western’s biggest dynasty, the men’s squash program has claimed 41 consecutive OUA titles – 51 in total.

This year’s NASH Cup was star-studded, with four returning champions competing including two-time winner Auguste Dussourd, Zeina Zein, David Baillargeon and Hollie Naughton.

In total, the tourney featured players from 22 countries – this year, Croatia and Slovenia were represented for the first time.

Here are the results courtesy NASH Cup:

NASH Cup Men
Joachim Chuah (Malaysia) def David Baillargeon (Canada) 3-1 – 11-6; 11-3; 7-11; 11-1 (41 m)

This was Joachim’s first PSA World Tour title. He entered the tournament ranked 90th in the world and has now jumped 32 spots to world No. 63. As a former member of 2026 champion Trinity College, he was a competitor of Western squash, but also a good friend.

NASH Cup Women
(4) Rowan El Araby (Egypt) def Yasshmita Jadishkumar (Malaysia) 3-1 – 9-11; 11-9; 11-3; 11-4 (39 m)

El Araby has been ranked as high as 7th in the world. This was her first tour title since 2022 and showed that her recovery from injury is complete. She was the only seeded player to make the finals coming into the NASH Cup ranked #47 in the world.

Jack Fairs Open
(2) Youssef Taha def (3) Abbas Nawaz 3-1 – 11-4; 11-9; 8-11; 11-6 (45 m)

Taha is a new member of the Western men’s squash team. Fresh from Calgary, this was an amazing way to start his Western experience on a team, led by coach Chris Hanebury working toward its 42nd consecutive OUA Championship. They enter the 2026 season ranked #19 in the American CSA. Taha is a member of Squash Canada’s NexGen Squad and was ranked 342nd in the PSA – his rank will jump this week. This was his first PSA title and should propel him into the top 300.

NASHionals Amateur Draws – Mixed Draws

45 competitors from across Ontario & Michigan participated

A – Eggert Madison (North Bay) def Gabriel Platt (Kitchener) 3-0 – 11-1; 11-8, 11-7

B – Johnny Potmesil (Toronto) def Jeremiah Rusnyak (London) 3-1 – 14-12; 11-5; 4-11; 11-2

C – Ethan Yoo (London) def Owen Lu (London) 3-0 – 11-8; 16-14; 11-7

D – Champion Adam Keller; 2nd Greg Clarke (London); 3rd Alez Drozd (London)