Australian Open

Final

[1] Salma Hany 3-0 [2] Amina Orfi  11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (46m)

[2] Youssef Soliman 3-1 [1] Victor Crouin (FRA) 11-8, 11-4, 4-11, 11-6 (61m)

Egyptian pair Salma Hany and Youssef Soliman have been crowned the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 champions after defeating Amina Orfi and Victor Crouin, respectively, at the University of Sydney.

Hany clinched her maiden piece of silverware on the PSA World Tour with her success in Sydney, as the top seed overcame No.2 seed Orfi 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-9. The World No.11, who’s been a runner-up on four occasions previously, produced a clinical display while also being able to contain Orfi.

After managing the first two games, Hany did well to absorb plenty of pressure applied by her Egyptian compatriot to have six match balls and, despite Orfi saving five of them, Hany converted at the sixth attempt to land her first-ever title on the World Tour.

“Very happy, obviously. I’m very proud of myself this week, I produced some good squash and today’s opponent Amina is such a strong player, she’s been pushing all of the top players and to play the final with her was great,” she said.

“I’m glad I stayed solid and kept my calm, managed to stick to the plan and I enjoyed my time out there. “I was 10-4, match ball in the third and I dropped my focus a little bit and she was coming back strong and I managed to win it 11-9. I was able to keep my focus and calm throughout the match and that was the key today.

“My head was clear and I was able to think and react to everything she did on court. I’m really happy with the week and to win the title.”

In the men’s final, No.2 seed Soliman dispatched top seed Crouin 3-1 to secure his second Bronze-level title in as many months having triumphed at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington D.C. in February.

It was the pair’s fifth PSA World Tour clash, and their second this season having played out a five-game battle at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York City in January, where Crouin was victorious.

It didn’t go the distance this time, though, as Soliman executed his game plan superbly – timing his moments to attack and remained solid throughout even when Crouin halved the deficit when he won the third 11-4. But Soliman remained composed in the fourth, winning 11-6 to secure the 11th title of his career.

“I’m over the moon to have this title,” he said. “It’s been a very tough week, the conditions have been very tough and to play Victor in the final for a Bronze event – he’s World No.11 and I’m No.12 – and we both came here to win the title.

“He was coming back when I was 2-0 up and I’m glad with the way that I managed it in the fourth. It’s been a tough week and I’m feeling relieved.”

Semis

[1] Salma Hany 3-0 [5] Sana Ibrahim   11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (36m)
[2] Amina Orfi 3-1 [4] Tomato Ho (HKG)  11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 (49m)

[2] Youssef Soliman 3-0 [3] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA)  11-5, 13-11, 11-4 (43m)

The finals of the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 will be contested between the top two seeds in the men’s and women’s competitions of the Bronze-level event after Salma Hany, Amina Orfi, Victor Crouin and Youssef Soliman all prevailed in their semi final clashes at the University of Sydney.

Women’s top seed Hany maintained her excellent streak in Sydney after downing her Egyptian compatriot Sana Ibrahim 3-0. The World No.11 hasn’t dropped a single game on her way to the decider, as Hany’s pinpoint accuracy in the front and the back of the court proved to be too much for Ibrahim to handle as Hany won 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 in 36 minutes.

“I feel pretty pleased with that performance today,” she said afterwards. “I’ve been enjoying my time on court today and Sana is such a tough opponent. She had a very good win yesterday and she’s very skilful with her hands. I prepared pretty well for the match and I had a solid game plan and I’m glad I was able to execute it.

“I wasn’t very happy with the start of the second. She was firing attacking shots and I felt like I dropped my focus slightly, I needed to get back to my plan and length was a little bit short. I focused on that and I was going to find the rhythm again and once I was able to do that, count the points and that game was crucial.”

It will be an all-Egyptian showdown in the women’s event after 16-year-old No,2 seed Orfi overcame Tomato Ho 3-1 to reach a final on the PSA World Tour for the fourth time in her fledgling career.

Orfi, who’s won one of the three finals she’s appeared in, kept the error count low for a two-game lead before Ho reduced the number of mistakes she was making to halve the deficit. However Orfi was back on the front foot in the fourth, which she took comprehensively to progress to another final.

“I feel so happy to make it to the final,” she said. “It was a different match for me and a different game plan to usual. Most of the players on Tour run and they hit hard, whereas she plays a bit of a calmer game so it was a bit different but I’m happy to get through.”

Quarters

[1] Salma Hany 3-0 Aira Azman (MAS)   11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (30m)
[5] Sana Ibrahim 3-0 [3] Rachel Arnold (MAS)  11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5 (45m)
[2] Amina Orfi3-0 [8] Marie Stephan (FRA)   11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (39m)

[2] Youssef Soliman3-0 [6] David Baillargeon (CAN)  11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (39m)

PSA REPORT

Sana Ibrahim is into the semi-finals of a PSA World Tour event for the first time after she progressed to the last four of the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 Bronze-level event in Sydney.

Ibrahim has been a quarterfinalist at best at Bronze—and Silver-level tournaments previously, but the Egyptian advanced to the last four for the first time with an accomplished performance against Rachel Arnold.

Ibrahim’s unrelenting aggressiveness forced key errors from Arnold’s racket as she claimed an impressive 3-1: 11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5 victory over the tournament’s No.3 seed.

“I feel so happy about reaching a semi-final of a PSA World Tour event for the first time,” she said. I was thinking about whether I was going to win today or not and reach the semi-finals, as it’s something big for me. I’ve played Rachel before at the Squash on Fire, but I lost in the quarters there.

“It wasn’t going to be easy today as I knew she would play better today, and I wanted to reach the semi-finals. When I was 2-1 up and leading I was thinking about it, but I told myself it’s 0-0 and just focus on each point. I’m so happy about this.”

Top seed Salma Hany awaits Ibrahim in the semi-finals tomorrow following her 3-0 success over Aira Azman.

Hany was in excellent form in round two yesterday. The World No.11 picked up where she left off against Azman to secure her spot in the last four, and her accuracy paid dividends.

Round Two

[1] Salma Hany3-0 Akanksha Salunkhe (IND)  11-2, 11-3, 11-1 (21m)
[5] Sana Ibrahim 3-0 Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 (29m)
[2] Amina Orfi3-0 Haya Ali  11-3, 11-6, 11-4 (26m)

[2] Youssef Soliman 3-0 Tang Ming Hong (HKG) 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 (30m)

Amina Orfi, who won her maiden title on the PSA World Tour at the Squash on Fire Open last month, was facing fellow Egyptian teenager Haya Ali for the first time on the World Tour.

No.2 seed Orfi had the match sewn up in 26 minutes, winning 11-3, 11-6, 11-4.

In the men’s draw, No.2 seed Youssef Soliman eased into the last eight with a comprehensive victory against Tang Ming Hong. The World No.12 found great success in driving the ball into the back of the court while mixing the pace against the Hong Konger to record a 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 win in the second round.

Soliman’s quarter-final opponent will be David Baillargeon, who also safely progressed with a 3-0 win at the expense of Wong Chi Him. Post-match, Soliman said:

“It’s tricky – I didn’t know what to expect from Hong. Most of the Hong Kong players have a good flow on court and I saw that he’s a very good player, a good flow and I had to break his rhythm and his flow. I did well to do that and I’m glad to be through in three.

“It was the first time playing him and you don’t know what to expect. You watch them a couple of times and I saw his match yesterday, but still to share a court with him is different. He may have been a bit tired from yesterday, but I’m happy with the way I played.”

Related News