Royals Unveil Squad For Title Defence - Optasia Squash Super League

Defending champions Leamington Royals have named their squad for the upcoming Optasia Squash Super League season, with the stacked squad ready to mount another charge for the title.

Last year, despite making their national-level league debut, the Royals proved a force to be reckoned with, with Leamington Lawn Tennis & Squash Club (LLTSC) quickly becoming a home fortress and the team not falling to an outright defeat all season long.

The Royals are returning with back-to-back titles in mind, and their world-class line-up will once again stand them in good stead to achieve this goal.

*Leamington Royals after being crowned 24/25 champions.*

Speaking ahead of the new season, Leamington Head Coach Jason Pike said:

“They say it’s harder to defend a title than win one, as every match becomes a cup final for the opposition. It will be what it will be. Last season was absolutely fantastic, and we exceeded all our expectations.

“The key to our success? It was clear from the start that there was a strong bond across the squad, all players worked for and helped each other, members turned out in droves for the coaching clinics and the sell-out home crowd certainly proved an ‘extra man’ at times.”

“We are delighted to retain most of last year’s championship-winning squad, as well as announcing a couple of new stars, adding more depth to our roster. This has only been possible due to the ongoing support from Jolyon Olivier and his team at Napton Cidery.”

*Watanabe & Nghiem after delivering a coaching clinic.*

Squad: The Breakdown

Hero of the 2025 final, Declan James, returns to the Royals’ men’s line-up alongside European Individual Champion and current World No.8 Victor Crouin.

James, who saved a Championship Ball before clinching the thrilling deciding rubber of last year’s title decider with Chichester Centurions, has proven himself a big-game player with bags of experience, while Crouin is in standout form of late – demonstrated by his win over World No.1 Mostafa Asal at the Silicon Valley Open.

Meanwhile, the Royals have bolstered their stocks in their women’s line-up with the addition of rising Egyptian star Fayrouz Aboelkheir, joining World No.7 Satomi Watanabe and World No.31 Lucy Turmel.

World No.9 Aboelkheir, 19, is one of the PSA Squash Tour’s form players, backing up a semi-final appearance at the Egyptian Open – a run which included a stunning win over eight-time World Champion Nour ElSherbini – with title wins at the Open Squash Classic, Chestnut Hill Classic and HKFC Open.

Watanabe and Turmel, meanwhile, were key performers for the Royals last year, with Japanese No.1 Watanabe, in particular, securing a crucial Grand Final win over Salma Hany.

*Fayrouz Aboelkheir & Victor Crouin after winning the Open Squash Classic.*

The Royals will again have a strong cohort of rising stars, signing 22-year-old Englishman Sam Todd to join Ben Smith and local favourite Abdallah Eissa in the Men’s U25 ranks. Saran Nghiem, Olivia Besant, and Mariam Eissa – three players seen as the future of British women’s squash – make up the Women’s U25 line-up. Eissa, 16, became the league’s youngest debutant last season, while Nghiem recently broke into the women’s top 50 for the very first time.

*Sam Cross walks on court for the Royals.*

Completing the line-up are club stalwarts Owain Taylor, Jason Pike, plus teenage talent Sam Cross. Taylor’s experience at Warwickshire League and National and European Squash club level made him a key leader last year and he returns aiming for more silverware.

*Owain Taylor on coaching duty for Declan James.*

The Leamington Royals start their campaign against the St George’s Hill Knights on Saturday, 10th January. Every second of action will be available to watch LIVE and for FREE on SQUASHTV.

For more information on the Leamington Royals, please visit their website. You can also follow them on X and Facebook.

Leamington Royals Squad:

Men’s Pros: