Lauren Baltayan
{{Short description|French squash player (born 2007)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox squash player
| name = Lauren Baltayan
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| country = French
| residence = Cairo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|05|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Cairo, Egypt
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 152cm
| weight = 44kg
| turnedpro = 2023
| retired = Active
| plays = Right handed
| coach = Ahmed Effat
| racquet =
| website =
| event = Women's singles
| years_active =
| highest_ranking = No. 73
| date_of_highest_ranking = May 2025
| current_ranking = No. 73
| date_of_current_ranking = May 2025
| titles = 4
| medaltemplates =
}}
Lauren Baltayan (born 5 May 2007 in Cairo) is a French professional squash player. She is the 2025 European junior champion, and teams champion representing france {{cite web|url=https://psaworldtour.com/rankings/world_tour?g=women|title=PSA World Tour Rankings - The Professional Squash Association|website=psaworldtour.com|access-date=2023-05-08|archive-date=2018-12-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225160934/https://psaworldtour.com/rankings/world_tour?g=women|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.psaworldtour.com/player/lauren-baltayan/|title=Lauren Baltayan, Author at PSA World Tour|website=PSA World Tour}} She reached a career high ranking of 73 in the world during May 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/player/10058-ronald-palomino |title=Profile and world ranking |website=Squash Info |access-date=25 January 2025 }}{{Squash Info}}
Career
Baltayan was born in Egypt, where she was exposed to the squash scene, to a French mother and an Egyptian/Armenian father.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ffsquash.com/fr/actualites-squash/2467-l-avenir-est-aux-jeunes-lauren-baltayan-deja-plus-qu-un-espoir.html|title=L'AVENIR EST AUX JEUNES - LAUREN BALTAYAN, DÉJÀ PLUS QU'UN ESPOIR|first=F. F.|last=Squash|website=www.ffsquash.com}} At the age of 12, she was referred to as "the future of French squash" by Le Parisien.{{cite web | url=https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/ile-de-france/a-12-ans-elle-est-l-avenir-du-squash-francais-31-12-2019-8226771.php | title=A 12 ans, elle est l'avenir du squash français | date=31 December 2019 }} She has been on the French squash radar since the age of 11, and is known for her attacking style.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ffsquash.com/fr/actualites-squash/3640-championnat-de-france-elite-lauren-baltayan-s-invite-en-quart.html|title=CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE ÉLITE : LAUREN BALTAYAN S'INVITE EN QUART|first=F. F.|last=Squash|website=www.ffsquash.com}} She is a dual national, and has chosen to represent France.
L'Alsace called her one of the greatest attractions of an upcoming professional tournament and noted that the event would coincide with her 16th birthday.{{cite web | url=https://www.lalsace.fr/sport/2023/05/02/le-mulhouse-sc-fete-le-retour-des-bretzels-au-feminin | title=Squash. Le Mulhouse SC fête le retour des Bretzels au féminin | date=3 May 2023 }}
She won the 2023 Open des Bretzels, a professional Challenger 5 level event,{{Cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/events/9908-womens-open-des-bretzels-2023|title=Squash Info | Women's Open des Bretzels 2023 | Squash|website=www.squashinfo.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.psaworldtour.com/challenger-tour/open-des-bretzels-baltayan-claims-maiden-title-on-home-soil/|title=Open des Bretzels: Baltayan Claims Maiden Title On Home Soil|first=Matt|last=Coles|date=May 7, 2023|website=PSA World Tour}} becoming the youngest ever European player, male or female, to ever win a professional PSA title.{{Cite web|url=https://thesquashsite.com/open-de-bretzels-2023|title=Open de Bretzels 2023|date=May 7, 2023}} In her junior career she won the French{{cite web | url=https://www.squashinfo.com/events/9814-womens-french-junior-u19-open-2023 | title=Squash Info | Women's French Junior U19 Open 2023 | Squash }} and Dutch{{cite web | url=https://www.squashinfo.com/events/9969-womens-dutch-u19-junior-open-2023 | title=Squash Info | Women's Dutch U19 Junior Open 2023 | Squash }} under 19 national opens. Internationally, she represents France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ffsquash.com/fr/haut-niveau/les-equipes-de-france/equipe-de-france-feminine-squash/79-lauren-baltayan.html|title=Lauren Baltayan|first=F. F.|last=Squash|website=www.ffsquash.com}} Playing for France, she won the 2023 European U17 championship, 2024 European mixed teams championship as well as the European individual junior championship and the team event in 2025 {{Cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/events/9915-european-junior-u17-team-championship-2023|title=Squash Info | European Junior U17 Team Championship 2023 | Squash|website=www.squashinfo.com}}
In October 2024, Baltayan won her 2nd PSA title after securing victory in the Open EVAE Strasbourg during the 2024–25 PSA Squash Tour. Two more titles quickly followed in April and May 2025, after winning the Edinburgh Open and the ECP Open respectively.{{cite web |url=https://www.squashinfo.com/events/11117-womens-edinburgh-open-2025 |title=$6,000 Women's Edinburgh Open 2025, Edinburgh Sports Club, Edinburgh, Scotland|website=Squash Info |access-date=25 January 2025 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baltayan, Lauren}}
Category:French female squash players
Category:Egyptian emigrants to France