Senga Macfie: Still loving squash after 42 years

Having first picked up a squash racket 42 years ago, Senga Macfie’s love and affection for the game of squash has only grown stronger over the years.

For almost a decade she competed in the PSA World Tour, in 1990 she won the European Squash Individual Championship and she represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998.

Almost twenty years after her retirement from the professional game, in 2023, Senga has had one of her most memorable years on court.

Senga reached the final of the Senior National Championships played at Newlands Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in February this year.

She reflects: “No one was as surprised as I was to reach the final, because I don’t really play at that level anymore.

“I haven’t played at that level for 20 years or something, so I was absolutely elated.”

A tough match against Alison Thomson in the final was a step too far for the Abercorn squash stalwart, but the second-place finish was a brilliant achievement, rightly lauded by Scotland’s squash fans.

That success was followed by another, as Senga was part of the O50 team that won the Masters Home Internationals for the second year in a row.

She said: “Masters tournaments and Home Internationals are such a good atmosphere.

“They are so enjoyable to play in, so we came away from that whole weekend feeling great,” adding, with a chuckle: “hopefully we go for a hat trick, but I’m not so sure.”

The squash ace’s love for squash is infectious, and when we met her at Abercorn, she had just finished a 90-minute epic, with coaching tips dispensed at the end.

Senga smiles: “I’ve never felt differently about squash from the moment I stepped on court.

“I’ve never stopped really enjoying it and really liking it.

“It’s an all rounder in terms of making you in a better mood, and just all round healthy.”

That passion for the game serves as motivation as she looks to attract new players to the game.

A series of successful H//T SQUASH sessions delivered at Abercorn helped attract more women and girls to the club, and Senga is putting plans in place to encourage participants to keep coming back.

She has also seen the health benefits of playing squash, and is keen to encourage people of all ages to pick up a racket and have a go.

She said: “It’s something that can keep you really fit and you don’t have to do it for hours on end.

“I couldn’t advise anyone more than squash is absolutely a top sport to have a go at.”