Winning an Irish Senior Nationals title is nothing new to Hannah Craig. She had been crowned this country’s best in 2024 and again in 2025. However, her hat-trick title victory stirred up the emotions at Fitzwilliam on Sunday
Playing through the pain barrier was an ordeal. So, too, fighting off the admirable play that had Breanne Flynn threatening to take the victory, especially in the fourth game when she was 2-1 ahead and not far away from earning a match ball.
In the end, Craig hung tougher, doing just about enough in an epic five-gamer to secure the win. She then touched the hearts of everyone in attendance by dedicating the success to his ill father.
“Yeah, means a lot. Yeah, very happy. I would say happiness is the key emotion,” she told Squash Ireland after court one had emptied following the trophy presentation. “I wanted to do it for my dad today, especially. He’s got stage four cancer, unfortunately. So not sure, like, how many moments I’ll get like this.”
No wonder, then, she was revelling in the moment, posing repeatedly with the trophy before nailing the perfect snap to post to her followers on Instagram. Before this celebration, the season had been a challenge for the player aspiring to better last year’s No.61 PSA career high ranking.
“The start of the season was definitely tough weather in the storm with an injury, but I’m really excited for the rest of the season. There are a couple of big events coming up, but it was amazing to be here (in Dublin) and just to get that support.
“It really provides so much energy to have family in the crowd. So, yeah, super excited for the rest of the season now that I’m back in a better state physically.
“I was in quite a lot of physical discomfort but my brother was saying, ‘It’s going to be painful, like you are in pain but you’ve been training for that’. I have a trainer back home (in Calgary) called Ricardo and he’s put me through a lot of physical pain.
“So, it was like this is the time to really use that and dig deep. I said to myself, ‘Fight for every point’. Like, if you can come off here, win or lose, and know that you gave everything, then that’s all you can. Luckily it went my way but, I mean, it was a toss-up for sure at the end there.
“When it’s a fifth game situation, just everything takes over. Like, you’re not planning things. You’re not. I’m just letting the training and the hard work kind of come to the light in those moments.
“Like, it was a bit of a blur. But all I knew was just try and keep the straight lines. I tried to increase the intensity a little bit, make it physical. And, yeah, I was thinking just fight for every single thing that you can really. I honestly think I just went into a bit of an automatic zone.”
Craig was a 3-0 winner in last year’s final against Flynn, but she wasn’t in the slightest bit surprised that this rematch with the PSA No.104 went down to the wire, making it the standout victory in her title hat-trick.
“This one’s probably the most important one out of the three. It was such a brutal battle with Breanne. I know she’s playing so well and anyone could have taken that match, so I had to really dig deep and find the fight.
“It’s only a matter of time before Breanne is at equal par in terms of rankings. She is playing at a (level) definitely 30, 40 places above her ranking right now.
“I’m so happy for her to see her playing so well and I knew it was going to be tough. I’ve seen her results. I just had to back and trust myself and try and get my strengths out there.”
Last question: how was the hat-trick title going to be celebrated on Sunday night? “Oh, I think some food. I was cramping up after in my quad, so I need a banana first and foremost. And then, yeah, a good dinner. Get dinner with the family and friends and yeah, we’ll see. See if I deserve a drink after that.”
