Aylesbury Vale athlete advances to British National Squash Championships quarter-finals

Katie Malliff, 21, has set up a final eight clash this afternoon (16 August) against the British number one, Georgina Kennedy.

Wendover’s rising star will have her work cut out against Kennedy, the top ranked seed in the tournament, who is currently the world number six.

Malliff advanced to the second round of the tournament at St George’s Hill Club in Surrey, by beating Millie Tomlinson 11-6, 11-9, 11-1.

She is currently 38th in the world having entered the professional tour full-time last year. Malliff and her team have set ambitious goals to rise through the rankings, as she only recently joined the women’s elite, having previously excelled in junior competition.

In February she claimed the Ipswich Sports Club Challenger Cup and was named as a Young Player of the Year finalist by the Professional Squash Association in 2023. Maliff called the victory the biggest one of her career so far.

In a recent interview with Sportsbeat, Katie said reaching the Commonwealth Games in 2026 is one of her main long-term goals. She said: “I have massive ambitions to play at the highest level and there’s no substitute for being at these massive events.”

Eight quarter-finals are scheduled to take place in the men’s and women’s competitions at the Surrey tournament today with the top domestic championship concluding on Sunday (18 August).

Malliff’s opponent has been as high as fifth in the world rankings and has entered the tournament as the top seed three years running.