Melissa wants to open a restaurant and tells Elizabeth that knowing about nutrition allows her to make good choices on the road. Here more about nutrition in the Nutrition playlist. ⬇️

Ep180: Melissa Alves, Professional Squash Player
on not being small

December 12, 2024
Mélissa Alves started playing squash at the age of five at the Tennis Squash club in Kourou in French Guiana. After early success, at the age of 16, she moved to Paris and joined INSEP (France’s National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance). Melissa is a three-time French junior champion from (2011 to 2013) and in 2013, she reached the quarter-finals of the junior world championship. She then spent four years at the University of Pennsylvania where she won Ivy League Championship in the 2014/2015 season and the captain of the women’s team from 2016 through 2018. After graduating college Melissa turned pro and for the next three years was a finalist at the French Championships in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

In April 2019, she entered the top 50 for the first time. In February 2022, she reached her top ranking of 19th in the world on the international circuit.

Melissa was part of the French women's squash team, which in 2019 achieved a historic feat by beating the English in the final of the European team championships. This was the English team's second defeat in 42 years of competition. Melissa brought home the decisive point by winning the last match against Victoria Lust, ranked 13th in the world. In October 2021, at the US Open, she reached the quarter-finals of a PSA Platinum tournament for the first time, losing only to world champion Nour El Sherbini. She entered the top 20 for the first time in December 2021.

For more of Melissa’s results take a look at her PSA Squash Tour page.

Melissa Alves on IG
Camille Serme on IG
Enora Villard on IG
Highlights from a match between Melissa Alves (3) & Nele Coll (0) at the 2024 Canadian Women’s Open
Nele Coll on IG
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Lots of squash matches are available on YouTube. For more extensive coverage, go to SquashTV
US Open Squash, Philadelphia, PA
Specter Center in Philadelphia, PA
Nuun Hydration, my hydration choice for the squash court and on the bike.