Cristina Tartarone Wins 2026 Costa Brava Open

UNSQUASHABLE player Cristina Tartarone continued her outstanding season by claiming the 2026 Costa Brava Squash Open title at the Tipi Park Sports Center in Santa Cristina d'Aro, Spain, producing a series of commanding performances to secure the trophy.

Seeded third for the PSA World Squash Tour event, the Italian demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the week, dropping just a single game on her way to the title and reinforcing her growing reputation as one of Europe's most accomplished players.

After receiving a first-round bye, Cristina opened her campaign with a composed straight-games victory over England's Mariam Eissa. Controlling the centre of the court from the outset, she combined accurate length with intelligent variation to record an assured 11-6 11-9 11-5 success and advance confidently into the quarter-finals.

Her momentum continued against Croatia's Franka Vidovic, where Cristina delivered one of the most dominant displays of the tournament. Applying relentless pressure through precise shot placement and sharp movement, the Italian raced to an emphatic 11-7 11-5 11-1 victory in just 19 minutes.

The semi-finals presented a sterner challenge against second seed Kiera Marshall of England. However, Cristina once again rose to the occasion, producing a tactically disciplined performance that allowed her to dictate the tempo of the match. Maintaining control of the key exchanges and capitalising on opportunities at the front of the court, she secured an impressive 11-4 11-6 11-8 victory to book her place in the final.

Awaiting her in the championship match was top seed Kaitlyn Watts of New Zealand. Cristina immediately established authority, using her movement and accuracy to disrupt the higher seed's rhythm and claim the opening game 11-5. The second game proved more competitive, but Cristina remained composed under pressure to edge ahead 11-9 before the match was unfortunately ended prematurely due to Watts being forced to retire.

While the final concluded earlier than either player would have wished, Cristina's performance throughout the tournament left little doubt about the quality of her achievement. Across four matches, she displayed outstanding tactical awareness, consistency and attacking intent, qualities that repeatedly placed her in control of the contests.

Winning the Costa Brava Squash Open represents another significant milestone in Cristina's career and adds further momentum to an already impressive season. Her ability to perform under pressure and maintain such a high standard throughout the week underlines her growing confidence on the PSA World Squash Tour and reinforces her status as one of Italy's leading squash players.

2026 Professional Squash Association (PSA) Costa Brava Squash Open, Tipi Park Sports Center, Santa Cristina d'Aro, Spain
Final:
[3] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bt [1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) 11-5, 11-9 ret. (24m)

Semi-Finals:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt [8] Hannah McGugan (IRL) 11-7, 11-1, 4-11, 11-7 (40m)
[3] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bt [2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (31m)

Quarter-Finals:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt [9/16] Olivia Owens (ENG) 12-10, 11-3, 11-9 (39m)
[8] Hannah McGugan (IRL) bt [9/16] Pilar Etchechoury (ARG) 11-8, 8-5 ret. (22m)
[3] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bt [7] Franka Vidovic (CRO) 11-7, 11-5, 11-1 (19m)
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt Ona Blasco (ESP) 11-2, 11-2, 8-11, 11-4 (38m)

2nd Round:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt Suzanne Peters (NED) 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 (21m)
[9/16] Olivia Owens (ENG) bt [6] Siana Zhileva (BUL) 11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8 (50m)
[8] Hannah McGugan (IRL) bt [9/16] Mariana Ventura Martins (POR) 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (24m)
[9/16] Pilar Etchechoury (ARG) bt [4] Catarina Nunes (POR) 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5 (37m)
[3] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bt [9/16] Mariam Eissa (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (28m)
[7] Franka Vidovic (CRO) bt [9/16] Montserrat Fajardo (ESP) 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6 (32m)
Ona Blasco (ESP) bt [5] Rafaela Albuja (ECU) 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 (34m)
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt [9/16] Kristina Begeba (AUT) 11-3, 12-10, 11-3 (23m)

1st Round:
[1] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bye
Suzanne Peters (NED) bt [9/16] Francesca Whyte (ENG) 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 (16m)
[9/16] Olivia Owens (ENG) bt [WC] Olivia Mon Real (ESP) 11-13, 11-6, 11-3, 11-3 (35m)
[6] Siana Zhileva (BUL) bye
[8] Hannah McGugan (IRL) bye
[9/16] Mariana Ventura Martins (POR) bye
[9/16] Pilar Etchechoury (ARG) bye
[4] Catarina Nunes (POR) bye
[3] Cristina Tartarone (ITA) bye
[9/16] Mariam Eissa (ENG) bye
[9/16] Montserrat Fajardo (ESP) bt Ivet isern (ESP) 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (15m)
[7] Franka Vidovic (CRO) bye
[5] Rafaela Albuja (ECU) bye
Ona Blasco (ESP) bt [9/16] Jasmin Kalar (ENG) 11-4, 11-0, 11-0 (16m)
[9/16] Kristina Begeba (AUT) bt Ingy Hammouda (EGY) 14-12, 4-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8 (47m)
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bye