Laura Massaro celebrates victory at the Allam British Open
Massaro awarded MBE in Queen's Honours List
Former World Champion Laura Massaro has been awarded an MBE for Services to Squash in Her Majesty the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
The thirty-six-year-old Lancastrian is Great Britain’s most successful ever female squash player, having been ranked World No.1, crowned World Champion in 2013 and won two British Open titles – most recently in 2017 – and three Commonwealth Games silver medals for England.
In an illustrious career Massaro won a total of 23 PSA World Tour titles, including two World Series Finals crowns in 2016 and 2017, before retiring from professional squash in May 2019. She is now focusing on coaching and encouraging more women and girls to play squash.
On learning of the award Massaro said; “I am so proud, honoured and thrilled to be awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Squash. The sport has given me so much in my life already so to be recognised for my success in the year that I retired is such a special privilege.
“I really hope that this recognition will help me to inspire lots more women and girls to pick up a racket and give squash a try.”
To be named on the Queen’s New Year’s honours list for 2020 is a huge privilege
— Laura Massaro (@ljmassaro) December 28, 2019
I can’t quite believe it!
To be awarded something of this magnitude is truly humbling.
You can look at the full list of recipients her #NYHonours #honours2020 https://t.co/my0UoD9Xn3 pic.twitter.com/WGySKusGDJ
Amazing news!! I actually thought Laura was already an MBE which shows the esteem I hold this lady in! Well deserved accolade for a great athlete & more importantly great role model for the younger generation https://t.co/Rlo6DV20MH
— Nick Matthew OBE (@nickmatthew) December 28, 2019
Congrats Laura! Hope you are well!
— Wee Wern Low (@WeeWernLow) December 28, 2019