ABERYSTWYTH squash player Rhys Evans has soared into the world top 100 following his recent procession to the final of a major tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

It marks the latest milestone in a remarkable journey from humble beginnings for the young professional, who began playing the fast-paced sport on the municipal courts at Plascrug Leisure Centre.

He announced his arrival on the global stage when his world ranking rose to 98 just weeks on from his 22nd birthday after dumping out the top seed on his way to the final of the Ilhabela BMW Open in the exclusive Yacht Club de Ilhabela.

Sixth-seed Rhys, from Southgate, prevailed against tournament favourite, Rory Stewart, in a brutal 85-minute five-set semi-final, with on-court temperatures hitting 40° before an enthralled crowd.

Following victory over the 59 world-ranked Scot, Rhys took on second seed, England’s Simon Herbert, who had cruised through his semi-final against Juan Torres of Colombia 3-0.

Sadly for the Welshman, he was unable to overcome 60th world ranked Herbert, who claimed the crown by 3-1 in a keenly-contested final.

Reflecting on a successful tournament, Rhys said: “It’s a shame I wasn’t able to go that one step further, but breaking into the top 100 is great compensation and a wonderful achievement at this stage in my career.

“The Brazilian fans really took me to their heart and it was a tremendous experience to play so well in front of them at such an iconic seafront location.”

This was not Rhys’s first visit to Sao Paulo, where his dynamic style and ferocious will to win is has made him a crowd favourite with locals.

He reached the final of his first tournament in Brazil back in May, 2025, when he was also beaten 3-1 in the final by Francesco Marcantonio from Paraguay.

Following a busy 12 months which have taken Rhys to places as far afield as Switzerland, France, Andorra and Namibia, there will be no let-up in his pursuit of further success.

His upcoming schedule includes the World Championship qualifiers in Pontefract, Yorkshire, before returning in April to Guatemala, where he competed in the Guatemala Open last year.

He will then fly to Amsterdam, where he will represent Wales at the European Team Championships, which start on April 29. Then, in May, he travels to Galway to contest the West of Ireland Open.

In addition to his continent-hopping tournament commitments, Rhys plays at No. 1 for teams in the Warwickshire League, North-West Counties League and Yorkshire League, as well as representing German and Dutch teams in the Bundesliga and Eredivisie respectively.

“It’s very satisfying to achieve the rewards which are built on the endless hours of training behind the scenes which people don’t see,” said Rhys.

“I’ve had to make many sacrifices along the way, including relocating to the midlands in order to work with my fellow pros on a daily basis. Breaking into the world top 100 is a significant achievement but hopefully this is just the start.

“Professional squash is a tough sport but with the support of my family and sponsors, Cadwallader and Aston & Fincher, I’m more determined than ever to take my career to even greater heights.”

It’s been a momentous year for Rhys but, with his quiet resolve and steely determination, the leisure centre novice’s squash journey seems far from over.