Will Salter Reaches PSA Bern Open Quarter-Finals

UNSQUASHABLE player Will Salter delivered an impressive series of performances at the 2025 PSA Bern Squash Open, showcasing his growing maturity and potential on the PSA World Squash Tour. Competing at Squashfarm Kehrsatz in Bern, Switzerland, the young Englishman advanced to the quarter-finals after a string of composed and confident displays against strong international opposition.

Will made a commanding start to his campaign, powering past Australia’s Remi Young 11-3 11-6 11-5 in just 31 minutes. Controlling the rallies from the outset, he combined precise length hitting with sharp front-court control to dictate the tempo and secure a dominant opening-round victory.

In the second round, the 23-year-old produced one of his most complete performances to date, overcoming Austrian No.1 Aqeel Rehman 9-11 14-12 11-0 11-9 in a fiercely contested 58-minute battle. After narrowly losing the first game, Will showed impressive mental resilience to edge a marathon second game 14-12, saving multiple game balls before storming through the third 11-0 with ruthless accuracy. Holding firm in a tight fourth game, he closed out the win to reach the quarter-finals for the first time at a PSA Challenger event of this level.

Facing top seed Toufik Mekhalfi of France in the last eight, Will once again demonstrated his composure and fighting spirit. Although the Frenchman’s precision and pace saw him take the first two games, Will refused to go quietly, saving several match balls and pushing Mekhalfi to the limit in a tense third before falling 11-4 11-3 12-10 in 43 minutes.

Despite bowing out in the quarter-finals, Will’s week in Bern was a clear statement of intent. Across three matches, he displayed tactical intelligence, physical strength, and a calmness under pressure that marked a significant step forward in his professional development.

The UNSQUASHABLE player leaves Bern having enhanced his growing reputation on the PSA World Squash tour - a sign that more deep runs at PSA events could soon follow.

In the women's draw, UNSQUASHABLE player Cristina Tartarone showed her quality and fighting spirit, producing a series of impressive performances to underline her growing stature on the PSA World Tour with a dominant opening win before narrowly missing out on a quarter-final place after a fiercely contested second-round encounter.

Cristina made the perfect start to her campaign, sweeping aside the USA’s Audrey Berling 11-4 11-4 11-1 in just 15 minutes. From the outset, she was in complete control - volleying with precision, finding immaculate length, and attacking decisively at the front of the court. Her clinical finishing and consistency allowed her to progress to the second round without conceding any real momentum.

In the last sixteen, Cristina faced a much tougher challenge in Egypt’s Nour Megahed, the No.5 seed. The Italian No.1 battled valiantly throughout the 43-minute contest, fighting back from two games down to take a thrilling third 15-13, showing determination and composure under pressure. However, despite her best efforts, Megahed held firm in a tense fourth game to seal an 11-5 11-9 13-15 11-9 victory.

Though denied a quarter-final berth, Cristina's performances in Bern once again highlighted her technical precision and competitive resilience. The UNSQUASHABLE player continues to demonstrate her ability to challenge the PSA Tour’s established names and remains one to watch as the season unfolds.

The 2025 PSA Bern Squash Open was being staged at Squashfarm Kehrsatz in Bern, Switzerland from the 5th to 9th November. For more information, visit: psasquashtour.com

2025 PSA Bern Squash Open, Squashfarm Kehrsatz, Bern, Switzerland
Men's Final:
[2] David Bernet (SUI) bt [1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 9-11, 16-14, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 (99m)

Women's Final:
[9/16] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt [9/16] Menna Walid (EGY) 2-11, 14-12, 4-11, 13-11, 11-7 (49m)

Men's Semi-Finals:
[1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [7] Marwan Mahmoud Assal (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (47m)
[2] David Bernet (SUI) bt [4] Sam Buckley (IRL) 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 (96m)

Women's Semi-Finals:
[9/16] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt [9/16] Asia Harris (ENG) 21-19, 11-5, 11-9 (45m)
[9/16] Menna Walid (EGY) bt [8] Toby Tse (HKG) 15-13, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9 (36m)

Men's Quarter-Finals:
[1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [9/16] Will Salter (ENG) 11-4, 11-3, 12-10 (43m)
[7] Marwan Mahmoud Assal (EGY) bt [3] Elijah Thomas (NZL) 14-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4 (60m)
[4] Sam Buckley (IRL) bt Sebastiaan Hofman (NED) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)
[2] David Bernet (SUI) bt [6] Shady El Sherbiny (EGY) 11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-2 (64m)

Women's Quarter-Finals:
[9/16] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt [9/16] Karina Tyma (POL) 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (39m)
[9/16] Asia Harris (ENG) bt [3] Saskia Beinhard (GER) 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (41m)
[8] Toby Tse (HKG) bt Celine Walser (SUI) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (18m)
[9/16] Menna Walid (EGY) bt [5] Nour Megahed (EGY) 11-8, 11-2, 5-11, 11-7 (31m)

Men's 2nd Round:
[1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [9/16] Louai Hafez (SUI) 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 (38m)
[9/16] Will Salter (ENG) bt [5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 9-11, 14-12, 11-0, 11-9 (58m)
[7] Marwan Mahmoud Assal (EGY) bt [9/16] David Maier (LIE) 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 (60m)
[3] Elijah Thomas (NZL) bt Connor Hayes (AUS) 11-8, 13-11, 11-7 (54m)
[4] Sam Buckley (IRL) bt [9/16] Manuel Paquemar (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 5-11, 11-4 (45m)
Sebastiaan Hofman (NED) bt [8] Robert Downer (ENG) 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-5 (48m)
[6] Shady El Sherbiny (EGY) bt [9/16] Ondrej Vorlícek (CZE) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (24m)
[2] David Bernet (SUI) bt [9/16] Joshua Phinera (FRA) 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (47m)

Women's 2nd Round:
[9/16] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt [1] Amina El Rihany (EGY) 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6 (44m)
[9/16] Karina Tyma (POL) bt [6] Madison Lyon (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5 (31m)
[9/16] Asia Harris (ENG) bt [7] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 17-15 (56m)
[3] Saskia Beinhard (GER) bt [9/16] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 11-6, 11-2, 11-5 (22m)
Celine Walser (SUI) bt [4] Kiera Marshall (ENG) 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (37m)
[8] Toby Tse (HKG) bt [9/16] Alison Thomson (SCO) 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-9 (35m)
[5] Nour Megahed (EGY) bt [9/16] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) 11-5, 11-9, 13-15, 11-9 (43m)
[9/16] Menna Walid (EGY) bt [2] Jessica van der Walt (AUS) 15-13, 11-13, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 (48m)

Men's 1st Round:
[1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bye
[9/16] Louai Hafez (SUI) bt Mattéo Carrouget (FRA) 11-13, 11-5, 11-9, 16-14 (54m)
[9/16] Will Salter (ENG) bt Remi Young (AUS) 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 (31m)
[5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bye
[7] Marwan Mahmoud (EGY) bye
[9/16] David Maier (LIE) bt Miguel Mathis (SUI) 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)
Connor Hayes (AUS) bt [9/16] Yehia Essam (EGY) 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (29m)
[3] Elijah Thomas (NZL) bye
[4] Sam Buckley (IRL) bye
[9/16] Manuel Paquemar (FRA) bt Finn Koch (GER) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (35m)
Sebastiaan Hofman (NED) bt [9/16] Jan Wipperfürth (GER) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (25m)
[8] Robert Downer (ENG) bye
[6] Shady El Sherbiny (EGY) bye
[9/16] Ondrej Vorlícek (CZE) bt Jakob Känel (SUI) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 (57m)
[9/16] Joshua Phinera (FRA) bt Leandro Mannhart (SUI) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (24m)
[2] David Bernet (SUI) bye

Women's 1st Round:
[1] Amina El Rihany (EGY) bye
[9/16] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt Karolína Šrámková (CZE) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (23m)
[9/16] Karina Tyma (POL) bt Pika Rupar (SLO) 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 (24m)
[6] Madison Lyon (AUS) bye
[7] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) bye
[9/16] Asia Harris (ENG) bt Stella Kaufmann (SUI) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (25m)
[9/16] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt Léa Barbeau (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (25m)
[3] Saskia Beinhard (GER) bye
[4] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bye
Celine Walser (SUI) bt [9/16] Nadia Pfister (SUI) 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 (20m)
[9/16] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Ana Munos (FRA) 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 11-2 (30m)
[8] Toby Tse (HKG) bye
[5] Nour Megahed (EGY) bye
[9/16] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bt Audrey Berling (USA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 (15m)
[9/16] Menna Walid (EGY) bt Rafaela Albuja (ECU) 11-8, 11-1, 11-8 (19m)
[2] Jessica van der Walt (AUS) bye

The 2025 PSA Bern Squash Open will be staged at Squashfarm Kehrsatz in Bern, Switzerland from the 5th to 9th November.

For the latest match updates as they happen and details of how to watch live, visit: psasquashtour.com

UNSQUASHABLE will be represented at the 2025 PSA Bern Squash Open by Will Salter and Cristina Tartarone.