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On Sunday, Feb. 8, Irish squash star and Belfast native Hannah Craig found herself in an unfamiliar position at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin.

Down two games to one in the three-of-five Irish Nationals Women’s final, Craig had put herself at risk of losing the No. 1 position that she had held for two straight years, and three times overall, to No. 2 Breanne Flynn.

After a quick break, the women stepped back onto the court for a 14-minute battle during which no more than two points separated them. Ultimately, Craig came out on top 12-10.

Flynn gained the first point of Game five, but Craig was quick to respond. With the game-winning point on the line in its final moments, the 5-foot-3 dynamo lunged to the middle of the court and banked the ball softly into the left corner. Flynn couldn’t react quickly enough to stop her and Craig claimed her fourth Senior National title.

“I really enjoyed this year because it was the closest match I’ve had in the final. I’ve always won three love,” said Craig, who won the Irish Senior National Squash Championship for the first time in 2017 when she was 17 years old.

After her title-clinching point, Craig turned to her brother, Michael, a former squash star himself and her coach, cheered, and threw her racket. Known for being feisty on the court, she showed another side of herself seconds later when she walked over to Flynn, who was slouched in defeat, helped her up, and hugged her.

“She’s a great squash player, and as a person it’s the same,” said Irish National Team coach Arthur Gaskin. “She’s world-class.”

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