Alex Robertston reports
If you’re an avid watcher of the PSA Squash Tour, you’ll no doubt have seen Jonah Bryant play at some point.
Since he’s from England (like me), it’s been extra special to see him flying up the world rankings and improving his game leaps and bounds in the process. At the age of 20, he’s already got some incredible results under his belt and it’s clear that he’s got a big future ahead.
So, let’s talk about his background, his career so far, his style, rivalries, and what the future might hold for the young Brit.
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The Future Looks Bright for Bryant
Jonah’s Background
Jonah Bryant was born on July 15th, 2005, in Brighton, England; however, I believe he moved to Solihull in the past few years.
The first thing about Jonah’s life that piqued my interest was that, after reading a few interviews with Jonah from around the web, he often mentions his father, Ross Bryant.
Ross has expressed to Jonah that one of his biggest regrets was not pursuing a professional squash career. Instead, Ross took up a coaching role in Belgium when he was 19, but, by the sounds of it, he really didn’t want his son to make the same mistake.
Achievements-wise, I couldn’t find too much online about Bryant’s early squash days; however, I know that he won the British Junior Open at 13 years old.
In 2022, he was part of the England junior team that won World Junior Team Gold (which was a rare achievement for English squash in recent decades).
Bryant also made a strong showing in the British Junior Open in the same year, reaching the U19 final despite still having junior years remaining.
Jonah left his time as a junior on a positive note after claiming the 2023 and 2024 European Individual U19 Championships, which is a superb final achievement before going pro.
Something else of note about Jonah is that he was shortlisted for SportsAid’s “One-to-Watch” Award, which highlights rising British talents. It’s a pretty big deal, and Jonah did a great interview with SportsAid following the nomination.
His Career So Far
Going professional full-time at 18 was a risk, but for Jonah Bryant, it’s one that’s already paying off.Of course, being so young, there isn’t a ton to talk about when it comes to Jonah’s professional career (just yet), but, with that said, he does already have 7 titles under his belt at the moment.
And, what’s even more impressive, is that he’s made a total of 7 finals, meaning that he’s won every single final that he’s reached.
The 7th title was actually one of his biggest breakthroughs too, and it came at the Budapest Squash Open in September 2024.
He beat compatriot Declan James in the final and only dropped one game in that event, a performance many believe marked his arrival among the more dangerous players on tour.
His stats are looking incredibly promising so far, having played 36 tournaments and 91 matches, winning 62 of them.
More recently, Jonah has absolutely flown up the rankings, cracking the top 20 in September and now siting at World No.16 which is an incredible achievement for a player his age.
He’s had some real standout moments in big‐draw events.
In the 2025 Manchester Open, for instance, Bryant pulled off a breakout win over compatriot Nick Wall to reach the quarters, another sign of his ability to challenge higher-ranked opponents (as Nick was at the time).
The one time he’s faced Asal, Jonah took him all the way to the fifth, which is a huge achievement!
Jonah’s Style of Play
Standing at 183cm, Jonah’s definitely on the taller side.He has a slim, athletic build that has given him the ability to become one of the best and fastest movers on the PSA Squash Tour today.
He picks up shots that even most other professionals wouldn’t be able to get, plus, his recovery to the T is just as explosive. This is one of his biggest strengths in my opinion and has led to him coming back from the dead in some of the most ridiculous rallies I’ve ever seen. As long as Jonah nurtures that element of his squash, he should be able to keep it as a major strength for many years to come.
When it comes to shots, Jonah has got a penetrating attacking style, he likes to take the ball early, apply pressure, and push opponents off their rhythm. His game is built on clean striking, sharp movement, and tactical awareness rather than simply raw power.
When he moves in to volley or serve-and-attack, you often see him making smart choices under pressure rather than forcing risky shots.
Being coached by Rob Owen has been a big factor in shaping that style.
Rob’s coaching philosophy emphasises simplicity, getting into good positions, clean ball striking, decision-making, and playing with purpose. He tries to reduce over-complication in technique and tactics so that players like Jonah can bring more clarity and consistency to their match play.
This has been very evident in Jonah’s game, especially throughout last season.
From what I’ve seen this season so far, Bryant has got one of the best squash brains on the tour when it comes to moving his opponents from corner to corner.
I think that this is one of the benefits of him going pro at such a young age. He was in at the deep end right from the start and his learning curve was ridiculously steep.
Jonah’s build and youth give him room to grow physically too (if that’s what he decides to do). Although his lighter frame means he’s fast and has endurance, against more powerful, heavier opponents, such as Mostafa Asal, he sometimes has to work harder to generate power or maintain length under pressure.
With that said, his timing and tactical maturity often mitigate these gaps.
As he continues to develop strength (both fitness and shot power) under Owen’s guidance, there’s a sense that his game is only getting sharper.
His attitude also really impresses me.
He’s got a very calm demeanor out on the court, even when the stakes are high.
Even when he’s a game or two down in a match and the camera is focused on him having a drink in between games, he just looks calm and focused.
To have a level head at Jonah’s age is a huge asset and I think that this is what’s allowed him to overcome more experienced opponents and push up the rankings so fast.
Bryant has the ability to turn things around through sheer self-belief in situations where many other players would be close to throwing in the towel.
So, to sum up, from a style perspective, Jonah’s got all the makings of an all-time great, and he’s got nothing but time to prove himself!
The Bryant / Zakaria Rivalry
Jonah Bryant vs. Egypt’s Mohamad Zakaria already feels like one of the most compelling rivalries developing on tour.
Aged 18, Zakaria is even younger than Jonah and ranked one spot higher at World No.15 (although he has been as high as World No.14). He’s shorter and has an even slimmer build than Bryant.
Mohamad has an interesting technique with quite an emphasised swing; however, his squash IQ is incredible, too. He’s superb at putting in awkward angles and low, hard kills in the front three-quarters of the court.
The recent 109-minute faceoff between the Englishman and the Egyptian at the Qatar Classic only added fuel to that fire.
In that drama, Bryant wrestled out a 6-11, 16-14, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 victory to reach his first Platinum quarterfinal, a match that showcased both players’ grit, tactical bravery, and willingness to push limits.
Before Doha, the two had one win apiece on the PSA Tour, and Zakaria had beaten Bryant in the 2024 British Junior Open final.
In this match, Bryant started strong, but errors crept in early. Zakaria did a superb job of applying pressure right out the gate. He came out guns-a-blazing and I think it took Jonah a little longer to tune his strategy. Bryant took the very important second game which marked a shift in momentum.
It seemed like Zakaria was starting to fatigue physically as the match went on, and Jonah chose the right moment to turn up the heat, attacking more, shortening rallies, and forcing Zakaria to defend.
It also appeared as though Mohamad was starting to cramp during the fourth game, which must have given Jonah a huge confidence boost going into the fifth.
This is the first major physical test I’ve seen for Jonah and he came through it incredibly well.
There were definitely some controversies in there with Zakaria being called out by the referee on more than one occasion for his movements and positioning. Bryant’s post-match comments were telling:
“I put a lot of work in, in the background, to be able to perform like this physically. It all seems worthwhile when you then go out and do it on the court for 109 minutes.
I started off fairly well, I was controlling a lot of the rallies, there were a few too many errors early on, but then I settled. I saw he was dropping off physically, so I stepped up and started attacking more. He’s as tough as they come, so I was pleased with the result.
He shot himself in the foot, they [referees] are hot on players taking their space, they can slow it down and review it. A lot of the shots he hit would have been winners, if he let me go through it would have been harder for me to win rallies.
He gave me free points, it’s up to him if he wants to keep doing it, it might work for him, but today it worked against him.”
He’s refreshingly honest yet humble, and, clearly has a lot of self belief which is great to see too. He also does a great job of explaining the match in question and his approach.
With the majority of the crowd clearly chearing for Zakaria, it must have been a major mental battle for Bryant. However, looking forward, I’m incredibly keen to see these two face each other again. And, I doubt I’m the only squash fan with that opinion.
What Does The Future Hold For Jonah?
Jonah Bryant is well on his way toward establishing himself among squash’s new elite. At just 20 years old, that top 20 ranking is a serious early milestone, and it suggests his ceiling is high.
Over the season or two, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him:
- Break into the top 10
- Reach finals (and maybe even win) at Platinum-level tournaments
- Begin to routinely challenge and beat top-5 players
- Feature in World Series Finals or major championship semis
He’s already shown glimpses of this…
His five-game win over Zakaria at the Qatar Classic, and strong performances against players like World No.1, Mostafa Asal, are a signal that he’s not intimidated by big names.
If Jonah can stay healthy, keep improving, and translate junior dominance into consistent tour success, I see no reason why he can’t become a regular fixture in the top 5, and even contend for No.1, in the coming decade.
As a fellow Englishman, I really hope to see it!
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