Penn women's squash star Reeham Salah wins Squash Player Magazine's Female Player of the Month

For one Penn women’s squash player, the rise to the top just keeps on going.

While the rest of campus was taking time off in December, sophomore Reeham Salah had a busy winter break, traveling to France to compete for Team USA in the World Women’s Team Squash Championships. And for her exploits, Squash Player Magazine awarded her Female Player of the Month for January.

The 19-year-old played against amateur played against the world’s best professionals, including world No. 11 Sarah-Jane Perry from England and No. 17, Delia Arnold from Malaysia.

While Salah couldn’t best Perry, losing in a five-set match, she did manage to pull an upset off Arnold, winning 3-2 in what she told Squash Player Magazine was “my best career win.”

“It definitely was such an honor to be nominated and win the Player of the Month in the world award for squash,” Salah said. “The last few months the award was given to number 1, 2, and 3 in the world, so to be in a batch with such successful squash players humbles me greatly. This award has allowed me to set new goals for 2017 and given me a new-found confidence for my upcoming competition.”

That upcoming competition is already at her doorstep — Salah will take on her arch-nemesis, Harvard’s Sabrina Sobhy. The two players at the top of their ladders have gone into some thrillers recently — most notably at the 2016 CSA Team National Championship — but Sobhy has traditionally been the one to come out on top. That could change, though, as Salah beat the Crimson’s star in an exhibition scrimmage before the beginning of the season.

“I am focusing on the Harvard match that we have on Saturday because I know that will be very tough competition,” Salah said.

“I have full faith in the team as we have been working very hard together for the whole season and I am ready to play an amazing home match!”