Tournament of Champions

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Finals

[1] Nour ElSherbini3-2 [2] Nouran Gohar  9-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (64m)
[1] Ali Farag 3-2 [2] Diego Elias (PER)  7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 (74m)

World No.1s Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag have captured the 2024 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions titles after they defeated Nouran Gohar and Diego Elias, respectively.

Reigning champion El Sherbini produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to defeat Gohar 3-2 to retain her title.

In what was a repeat of the 2023 final, the World No.1, who sustained a lower back injury during her semi final victory against Hania El Hammamy, trailed 2-0 after Gohar’s ferocious power to drive the ball into the back of the court and her use of the boast put the World No.3 firmly in the driving seat.

Errors from Gohar in the third were swooped on by El Sherbini, who mixed the pace to halve the deficit before levelling the match as the World Champion dominated the middle of the court.

The momentum had shifted completely in El Sherbini’s favour, having come back from the brink to force a fifth game, and the ‘Warrior Princess’ was too strong for Gohar as she converted the championship ball at the second attempt to clinch her fifth title in New York – the only player to achieve that feat.

“I thought I was out of this match!” she said. “I thought I was going to lose and I didn’t want to lose 3-0. My dad told me to play one more game and just focus on hitting my targets, point by point and just focus on the third game.

“Nouran  was playing really well – I haven’t played her since she’s come back [from injury]. I’m really happy I won this match.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to play or not, I said I definitely have to play for the crowd and I’m not going to pull out. I just tried to enjoy the game, it wasn’t working at the beginning but I’m glad I managed to turn it around.”

The men’s final was another five-game thriller, as Farag held off a strong fightback from Elias to clinch his fourth trophy of the season. It was the fourth time the top two men’s players were going head-to-head for a title, and Farag had triumphed in all of the previous finals against the Peruvian during this campaign.

Both players wrestled for control at the top of the ‘T’ in the opening three games, as Farag came from one game down to nudge 2-1 up after extending the rallies and putting work into Elias following his lengthy semi final showdown with Mostafa Asal the night before.

Short, sharp rallies favoured Elias at the beginning of the fourth, and the Peruvian did enough to hold off a Farag comeback as four of his five game balls were saved by the Egyptian. With the match level going into the fifth, Farag was in determined mood to maintain his unbeaten streak over Elias this season to clinch his third Tournament of Champions crown.

“I feel very proud, it was a tough start,” said Farag. “I was being very passive and Diego was hitting very crisp shots to the back of the court. He was dominating the ‘T’ area for the first part of the first game.

“I had to change things up and speed things up a little bit. That gave me confidence going into the second, even though I lost it. I built a bit of momentum going into the second. The second and the third went well and the fourth, he had a very good start and in a matter of seconds he was 6-0 up. I tried to fight my way back in, but I couldn’t. It did give me confidence going into the fifth and I’m so glad I started the fifth the way I did.”

Semis

[1] Nour ElSherbini 3-1 [3] Hania El Hammamy 11-6, 2-11, 11-9, 11-5 (46m)
[2] Nouran Gohar 3-0 Rowan Elaraby  11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (40m)

Defending J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions champion Nour El Sherbini produced a monumental effort to reach this year’s final as she battled through the pain barrier to defeat Hania El Hammamy and tee up a rematch of the 2023 decider against Nouran Gohar.

El Sherbini, who was facing El Hammamy for the fifth time this season, with the previous four being in finals, sustained a lower back injury at the end of the first game. This injury limited the seven-time World Champion’s movement for the remainder of the match. El Hammamy, who had lost the previous three encounters with El Sherbini, capitalised on her opponent’s injury to level the match after falling behind.

However, the current World No.1 responded remarkably despite being unable to move around the court as freely as she usually would, moving the ball around well and shortening the rallies to win the third and fourth games 11-9 and 11-5 to extend her title defence.

“I don’t know how I won this match,” said El Sherbini. “Maybe I wasn’t thinking about the squash. I was just thinking about myself and my body. I don’t know what happened after the first – my back started spasming so I couldn’t twist left or right, so it was difficult.

“My dad was telling me to stop and I don’t have to play like this. I wanted to try in the third and after I won it I had to carry on. I’ve never been in this position before but I’m definitely happy to be through.

“I was going to stop after the second. Hania is the most physical player on tour and you can’t play her without being able to move well. I considered stopping but I just thought I’d try and after winning it, I wanted to keep going and play each point on its own and I guess it worked at the end.”

Tomorrow’s decider will repeat last year’s final after Gohar downed her Egyptian compatriot Rowan Elaraby in straight games.

2022 champion Nouran Gohar hasn’t dropped a single game at this year’s event, and the former World No.1 was in excellent form to defeat Elaraby, who was featured in a Platinum semi final for the first time in almost two years.

Gohar was clinical in all three games, with her ferocious striking of the ball and strong length hitting problematic for Elaraby as the World No.3 won 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 in 40 minutes.

“I wasn’t confident at all,” said Gohar. “Rowan is a top, quality player. She knows how to play the game and it’s very tricky against her. In the back of my mind, I knew she had played two long matches so I knew a good start would help me and she may start a bit flat.

“I know how it feels to be back on court after a good win so I knew it would be tough mentally more than anything and i’m just glad I could be efficient and get through in three.

“I saw PSA posted a final from 2016 of myself and Nour at the British Open so we go way back. Thankfully, we’re still here contesting finals together so it’s amazing. It’s an honour to be sharing this with Nour, one of the best players to play the sport.

“I’m really looking forward to this. In last year’s final, I was a bit ill so I couldn’t compete so hopefully tomorrow will be a good treat for the crowd and I can’t wait for it.”

The reigning World Champion Ali Farag’s precise ball placement and the lengthening of the rallies put plenty of work into Crouin’s legs, who had come through two five-game battles and knocked out Paul Coll in the quarter-finals. The control from Farag saw him win 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 in 45 minutes.

“I heard about Victor when he was 16/17 from our coach at the time, and he told me that there was a French guy coming through. He wasn’t at the top yet, but his attitude would get him there,” he said afterwards. I watched him at the World Junior Championships, then at Harvard and then on the World Tour and now he’s at the top.

“He’s obsessed with the sport in a heathy way, you see his education and how nice he is off court. Everything about him I admire. He has such a great outlook on life and he’s someone I look up to a lot.

“Myself and him have a very special connection. Mike Way [the Harvard Head Coach], wants us to be good people and good characters first before good squash players. Anyone who comes out of Harvard, we have a special connection even if we don’t overlap. I’m so proud to be associated to this amazing institution.

“It means a lot to be back in the final. I’ve been progressing well all week. I had a scare in the quarters against Tarek and I think I played my best squash so far tonight, and I’m looking forward to building on that in the final tomorrow.”

 

Quarters

[1] Nour ElSherbini 3-0 [8] Olivia Weaver (USA)  11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (33m)
[3] Hania El Hammamy3-0 Fayrouz Aboelkheir  11-9, 11-6, 11-7 (35m)
[2] Nouran Gohar3-0 [6] Nour El Tayeb  11-8, 12-10, 11-5 (38m)
Rowan Elaraby 3-1 Amina Orfi  11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 18-16 (89m)

[1] Ali Farag 3-1 [8] Tarek Momen 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8 (61m)
[2] Diego Elias (PER) 3-0 [6] Mazen Hesham  11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (39m)
[4] Mostafa Asal3-2 [5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG)  11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-13, 11-9 (118m)

Elaraby Reaches First Platinum Semi Final In Almost Two Years

World No.12 Rowan Elaraby has reached a semi-final of a Platinum-level event for the first time since 2022 after overcoming her Egyptian compatriot Amina Orfi in a quarter-final thriller at the J.P. Tournament of Champions in New York.

Elaraby, whose last appearance in the semi-finals of a Platinum came at the 2022 CIB Black Ball Open, continued her excellent run at this event with a big performance to hold off teenage sensation Orfi.

The 23-year-old dictated the pace for most of the match and was 2-1 up going into a key fourth game for both players. A request for a new ball went in from Orfi, and it appeared to have come to her aid when she had two game balls to tie the match again. Both were saved by Elaraby for another tiebreak and she squandered a match ball when she drilled the ball out of court.

Two game balls followed for Orfi – both saved again – as Elaraby then had four match ball opportunities to seal a semi final berth. It would be fifth time lucky for Elaraby in a monumental tiebreak.

“I’m over the moon with my performance today,” she said. “I gave it everything and I know Amina is a very tough, young opponent. You have to have your A game to beat her – she’s an up and coming player, she’s already there and she’s competing with the top players.

“Beating her is definitely a bonus for me. I worked on my game plan, I tried to focus on every rally and I tried not to get overexcited. I wanted to concentrate point by point, rally by rally, and I’m really happy with my performance today.”

Elaraby will lock horns with former World No.1 Nouran Gohar for a place in the final at Grand Central after she downed Nour El Tayeb 3-0. Gohar, who won the event back in 2022, maintained her 100 per cent streak in New York this year having not dropped a single game so far.

Having taken the first 11-8, Gohar felt the response from El Tayeb who was exposing her opponent in the front corner on a number of occasions to have four game balls. Gohar wiped all four out emphatically, finding success on her backhand as she doubled her lead by winning the tiebreak. The victory was confirmed in the third when the World No.3 converted match ball at the first time of asking,

“Nour is a phenomenal player,” said Gohar. “She gets so many balls back, I don’t understand how she does it! But it’s so hard to play against her. I think the crowd here like our matches, thats the third time we’ve played here and I was lucky last time to win so I’m very happy to win in three.

“If it would have gone to five, she is stingy and stubborn but I have huge respect for her.

“I wasn’t even sure that I would be here. I’m taking it day by day with my rehab, I wake up and talk to my physio and see if I can play. It’s not a bad perspective as I have to just think about the moment. But I’m glad that given everything that has happened, I’m playing this event and I can’t wait for the next match.”

Elsewhere, Mostafa Asal is into the semi finals in New York for the first time in his career as he resisted a strong fightback from Mohamed ElShorbagy. Asal had only reached the quarter finals at best at the Tournament of Champions previously, but the ‘Raging Bull’ has gone one better this time to move within one match of the final.

The current World No.4 was two games to the good against ElShorbagy, but the Englishman roared back as he moved higher up the court and won the third and fourth games to force a decider. Having trailed early on in the fifth, ElShorbagy pegged the score back to 9-9 to set up a tense finale, and Asal had match ball when the Englishman was deemed to have carried the ball onto his racket. Asal went on to clinch the match, concluding 118 minutes of dramatic action.

“It’s always difficult to play against your idol,” Asal said. “He’s a huge idol for me and I respect him so much. It’s one of the toughest matches I’ve played against him. You never know the emotions, you never know how much I respect this legend.

“When you see him as a World Champion and World No.1 for many months, it’s scary when you see the numbers. Every time I step onto court with him I’m very proud to play with this legend of the sport.”

“I’m really happy to be in another semi final here in New York. I’m the defending champion and this is my favourite tournament. I’m so happy to have my dad with me and almost every tournament now and I’m just super pleased.”

Defending champion Nour El Sherbini ended home interest after downing USA’s Olivia Weaver to progress to the semi finals. The World No.1’s experience came to the fore as she maintained her 100 per cent record against the last remaining representative for the USA.

Despite a positive start from Weaver, El Sherbini extinguished the American’s hopes of a semi-final appearance on home court as she pressed on to win 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 in 33 minutes.

“I’m feeling really good and I’m happy with my performance,” El Sherbini said. “It was a tough match, to be honest – way tougher than last week at the Florida Open. There’s been a lot of rest days and quick matches in between.

“It’s a bit tricky playing an opponent twice in the space of a couple of weeks – she will have watched the match and would have wanted to change a few things in her game plan, and I want to keep my game plan so it’s a bit difficult what to expect what was going to happen this time. I had my game plan and thought I would see how it goes.”

El Sherbini will meet Hania El Hammamy for the fifth time this season in the last four on Wednesday after the World No.2 comprehensively defeated fellow Egyptian Fayrouz Aboelkheir.

El Hammamy was sharp from the off and upped the pace to make life difficult for Aboelkheir, who was appearing in a quarter-final of a Platinum event for the first time in her career. World No.2 El Hammamy forced some key errors from Aboelkheir’s racket, taking a 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 victory.

“Fayrouz is a gifted player for sure,” she said afterwards. “She had a good win in the previous round against Salma Hany, but I think I’ve reached where I am, and I’ve earned this position for a reason.

“I’ve gained a lot of experience and had many battles to be in this position. I needed to bring that on today.”

Two-time US champion Ali Farag was playing against his compatriot Tarek Momen. Ali, who won the event in 2019 and 2022, got the better of Momen for the third time this season, having already beaten the former World Champion at the U.S. Open and the Qatar Classic.

The World No.1 capitalised on a number of errors from his opponent’s racket to go one game up before Momen deservedly levelled as he reduced the error count and started to find his targets. However, Farag was back in control and began to force mistakes from Momen, which he swooped on to book a semi-final spot by triumphing 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8.

“It was a very tough match,” said Farag. “I think I had control of most of the first – I told Nour [El Tayeb] that Tarek [Momen] is going to come out firing and he’s going to be a lot more solid. I thought we both played well and we both deserved that game and I wish I was 2-0 up.

“I had to change a few things in the third and in the fourth I was little bit disappointed as I was running away with it but I gave him a loose, easy unforced error that got him back into it. If you give Tarek a sniff he will take it so I’m glad I won that fourth.”

Round Three

[8] Tarek Momen 3-1 Iker Pajares (ESP)  11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6 (60m)
[1] Ali Farag 3-1 Baptiste Masotti (FRA)  8-11, 11-2, 11-1, 11-8 (42m)
[3] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-0 Yahya Elnawasany 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (33m)
[6] Mazen Hesham 3-0 Fares Dessouky 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (49m)
[2] Diego Elias (PER) 3-1 Youssef Ibrahim  9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (62m)

[1] Nour ElSherbini 3-0 Malak Khafagy  11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (23m)
[3] Hania El Hammamy 3-1 Satomi Watanabe (JPN)  11-3, 5-11, 14-12, 12-10 (55m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-0 Salma Hany  11-5, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)
Amina Orfi  3-2 [7] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 7-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9 (82m)
Rowan Elaraby 3-2 [4] Nele Gilis (BEL)  11-7, 1-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-8 (84m)
[2] Nouran Gohar3-0 Mariam Metwally  11-7, 11-2, 11-6 (24m)
[6] Nour El Tayeb3-1 Sabrina Sobhy (USA)  11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7 (36m)

Egyptian rising star Amina Orfi battled back from 2-1 down against Tinne Gilis to advance to the quarter finals of the 2024 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, the second time the 16-year-old has reached the last eight of a Platinum-level event.

Orfi, who was a quarter finalist at the 2023 U.S. Open back in October, trailed 2-1 to World No.8 Gilis before equalising by taking the fourth 11-9 and edging a closely-fought fifth game to seal a place in the last eight.

“It’s an amazing win,” said Orfi afterwards. “I was down 2-1 in games and I came back and in the last I was 9-6 up and she came back and with the decisions at the end, it could have gone either way.

“I really enjoy this court and the people that watch, it’s amazing. I think it’s great for the sport, they were cheering for both of us, which is great. I’ve played them both [Rowan Elaraby and Nele Gilis] once before so depending on who wins, it’s more serious with a semi-final place up for grabs.”

Fayrouz Reaches First Platinum Quarter Final

17-year-old Fayrouz Aboelkheir has reached her first Platinum event quarter-final after an impressive performance against compatriot Salma Hany.

Aboelkheir was aggressive in all areas and was determined to leave no stone unturned as she looked to continue her run in New York. The World No.35 pulled away in the opener to take the game 11-5 and showed no signs of slowing down.

Hany found her length in the second game and started to move her younger opponent into all four corners, but the teenager was more than up to the task and continued to impose herself on the match. After establishing a 2-0 lead, Aboelkheir claimed the third game 11-7 to move into her first quarter final at a Platinum event, where she will now face No.3 seed Hania El Hammamy.

“I feel amazing to be honest. To do this here in New York in Grand Central Terminal is a dream come true.” said Aboelkheir after her win.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think during my rest day. I was prepared and really wanted to win tonight. I was hungry for more. I made it to the last 16 but I wanted more. I’ll enjoy my win tonight and go back and recover, and starting from tomorrow, I’ll prepare for the quarters. Hania beat me at the Grasshopper Cup, so I want revenge.”

Round Two

[1] Ali Farag 3-0 Omar Mosaad 11-2, 13-11, 11-2 (31m)
[8] Tarek Momen 3-0 Faraz Khan (USA)  11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (31m)
Victor Crouin (FRA) 3-2 Youssef Soliman 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 6-11, 11-4 (81m)
Yahya Elnawasany 3-0 Aly Abou Eleinen  15-13, 11-9, 16-14 (62m)
[4] Mostafa Asal 3-0 Patrick Rooney (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (48m)
Mohamed Abouelghar 3-0 Greg Lobban (SCO) 11-5, 15-13, 11-8 (42m)
Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1 Mohamed ElSherbini  9-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-6 (49m)
[6] Mazen Hesham 3-1 Auguste Dussourd (FRA)
Fares Dessouky 3-1 Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 (61m)
Youssef Ibrahim 3-1 Nick Wall (ENG) 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 (53m)

[1] Nour ElSherbini 3-0 Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
Malak Khafagy 3-0 Tomato Ho (HKG)  11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (33m)
[8] Olivia Weaver (USA) 3-1 Farida Mohamed 1-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4 (34m)
Salma Hany 3-2 [5] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)  12-10, 8-11, 10-12, 11-3, 11-7 (57m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-1 Hana Ramadan  11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (33m)
[3] Hania El Hammamy 3-0 Hana Moataz  11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (34m)
[4] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0 Sana Ibrahim  11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (39m)
Rowan Elaraby 3-0 Lucy Turmel (ENG)  14-12, 11-8, 11-7 (41m)
Amina Orfi 3-0 Nadine Shahin   11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (26m)
Mariam Metwally 3-0 Zeina Mickawy  11-4, 11-5, 11-8 (25m)
[2] Nouran Gohar 3-0 Rachel Arnold (MAS) 11-1, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)

Salma Hany, Malak Khafagy and Yahya Elnawasany upset the seedings!

Egyptian trio Salma Hany, Malak Khafagy and Yahya Elnawasany claimed impressive wins on day two.

Khafagy was first to secure her place in round three, a first appearance in the last sixteen for the 19-year-old. She defeated Hong Kong’s Tomato Ho in straight games at the Nicol Squash Club, avenging her 3-2 loss from the New Zealand Open and now faces top seed and idol Nour ElSherbini on Saturday.

“Last time I played her [Tomato Ho] I was 2-0 up and I lost so I was devastated with the way I dealt with the match,” Malak said.

“Now I won in three. I’m so proud of how solid I was, and I’m excited. Coming here, I wasn’t expecting anything, and I wanted to play my best and I wanted to enjoy it. Now I’ve beaten them both, it means everything to me and I super overwhelmed and I don’t know how to process everything right now!

“Nour El Sherbini is my role model and we grew up watching her at the same club. We train together, I see her every day, she’s like an older sister to me and I’m super excited to play with her. It’s a pleasure to be on court with her.”

Compatriot Salma Hany was up against No.5 seed Georgina Kennedy in her tournament opening match. A tough match on paper for both players, holding its promises, with Hany battling back from 2-1 down to down World No.6 Kennedy to reach the last sixteen of a Platinum event for the fifth time this season.

After overcoming Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller in round one, Yahya Elnawasany scored another big win on day two as he defeated compatriot Aly Abou Eleinen to book his place in the third round. Three tight games went the way of the younger Egyptian, who will now face No.3 seed Paul Coll.

Women’s No.3 seed Hania El Hammamy opened play on the iconic all-glass court with a comprehensive 3-0 win over compatriot Hana Moataz. The World No.2 was tested in each game but played the bigger points better than her opponent to edge each game and book her place in the last 16.

There were two more Egyptian wins in the Vanderbilt Hall as defending women’s champion Nour ElSherbini needed just 22 minutes to defeat England’s Sarah-Jane Perry. Whilst Men’s No.8 seed and former World Champion Tarek Momen defeated USA’s Faraz Khan also in three games.

 

Round One

Hana Moataz 3-1 Ka Yi Lee (HKG) 13-15, 11-9, 11-3, 11-7 (39m)
Malak Khafagy 3-1 Tesni Murphy (WAL) 13-11, 4-11, 11-2, 11-6 (40m)
Hana Ramadan 3-0 Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-0 Anna Serme (CZE) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (16m)
Sana Ibrahim 3-0 Salma Eltayeb  11-7, 13-11, 11-9 (39m)
Nadine Shahin3-1 Nour Aboulmakarim  11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 (31m)
Mariam Metwally 3-0 Marie Stephan (FRA)  11-5, 11-8, 11-1 (22m)

Yahya Elnawasany 3-1 Nicolas Mueller (SUI)  6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 12-10 (47m)
Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1 Karim El Hammamy  11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-6 (35m)
Youssef Ibrahim  3-1 Timothy Brownell (USA)  11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 (43m)

Hana Moataz

“I’m very happy to be through. I lost to Ka Yi Lee earlier in the season in Qatar so I came in knowing it was going to be hard and I was hoping I could get my revenge.

“It was a little bit frustrating losing that first game. It takes a little bit away from your confidence, but I tried to go in positive and not think about my last match with her but I needed to stay positive, stick to my game plan and I’m glad it worked out.”

Men’s Draw

Women’s Draw

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