Olivia Weaver, currently ranked No. 4 in the world and the top-ranked American player, defended her title at the Chestnut Hill Classic last week, defeating U.S. Squash teammate Marina Stefanoni in a commanding 11-5, 11-7, 11-2 victory. The win marks her ninth career PSA Squash Tour title and second of the 2024/25 season, following her triumph at the Gold-level Silicon Valley Open last month.

Eighteen months after winning the 2023 Chestnut Hill Classic, a title victory which at the time was the biggest of Weaver's career, the Philadelphia-born player replicated this feat in dominant style. Cheered on by the home crowd inside the Philadelphia Cricket Club, Weaver closed out the match with an inch-perfect cross-court nick and took home the title after just 26 minutes of action.

"It means everything to me," Weaver said after her Cricket Club victory. "This is the club where I learned to play squash. I would not be the person or the player that I am without this amazing club and community."

The Philadelphia-born athlete's dominance was on full display throughout the tournament, where she didn't drop a single game. In the final, Weaver established control early with a 5-0 lead in the first game. Despite Stefanoni's tactical attempts to push her opponent into the back corners, Weaver's precise shot-making never allowed her rival to build momentum. 

The win is particularly meaningful for Weaver, who grew up in Chestnut Hill and developed her game at the very club where she now celebrates professional victories. As a junior player, those early clinics weren't just about developing athletic skills — they were social gatherings that fostered her deep connection to the sport. Her mother often had to drag her off the court because she didn't want to leave.

That early passion translated into an impressive collegiate career at Princeton University, where she collected numerous accolades despite battling injuries. Weaver earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman and was named All-Ivy League and first-team All-America all four years. She was also one of three finalists for the Richey Award, the highest individual honor in women's college squash.

Yet the decision to pursue a professional career wasn't immediate. With few American role models on the professional tour during her youth, Weaver credits former coach Karen Kronemeyer with first suggesting she could make it as a pro. By her senior year in 2018, a support network of family, coaches, friends, and her then-boyfriend (now husband) Bobby Weaver encouraged her to take the chance.

"You only get a shot to do this once and it would be a bummer if you were 30 or 40 and look back and regret not having given it a shot," Weaver once recalled of their advice.

Six years later, that leap of faith has paid off spectacularly. In addition to her current world No. 4 ranking, Weaver's recent achievements include Pan Am Games singles gold, team gold, and women's doubles silver in fall 2023, plus her first world medal — a bronze in Cairo — earlier this year.

Weaver maintains a process-oriented mindset, crediting her support system for keeping her grounded. She particularly acknowledges her parents, Stacy and Bayard Fiechter, for emphasizing character over results.

"[My parents] always placed an emphasis on the way I carried myself on and off the court and how I treat people, rather than results," Weaver told the Local in a recent interview. "I think that this is largely why I've developed such a healthy relationship with the game."

Now, with squash set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Weaver has her sights set on representing the United States on the sport's biggest stage yet.

In a recent interview, she told the Local how much that - and Chestnut Hill – mean to her. 

"If I had the opportunity to not only call myself an Olympian but go ahead and earn a medal, it would be a life-changing experience," she said.

"I don't think I've ever walked down Germantown Avenue without bumping into someone I know and being genuinely excited to see and catch up with them," she told the Local. "The people and the community in Chestnut Hill have played such an important role in shaping who I am as a person."

As she continues her Olympic pursuit, Weaver remains focused on elevating her game even further. 

"I think a big thing I have been focusing on is my consistency,” Weaver says.  “Obviously, being at World No. 4, I want to scalp a win off one of those top three players, but another part of that is about constantly raising my level and elevating my game. Coming to a week like this and not dropping a game only adds to my confidence heading to Hong Kong, which I hope I can perform really well in."