PHOTO ALBUM

Manchester

Finals

[3] Salma Hany3-2 [1] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) 11-2, 9-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-9 (63m)

[2] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 3-2 [1] Aly Abou Eleinen 11-2, 5-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8 (71m)

Egypt’s Salma Hany has won the Manchester Open 2025 after beating top seed and defending champion Georgina Kennedy in a thrilling final at the National Squash Centre. The No.3 seed won 11-9 in the fifth game to capture her first title of the season.

Hany was electric out the gate as she controlled all areas of the court in the opening game and put her stamp on proceedings from the outset. She rattled off the winners and in no time and took the game 11-2 to silence the home crowd.

Kennedy fought back in game two and started to get in front of Hany. Kennedy’s trademark quick boast was starting to ask questions of the Egyptian’s movement and answers weren’t coming. Kennedy’s line hitting improved and so did her points haul. She moved through the gears to win the game 11-9.

Hany returned to winning ways in the third game and hit an incredible nine winners to move back ahead on the scoreboard. The World No.15 made use of the slightly spongey ball to find winner after winner but Kennedy’s basic game was not good enough and invited Hany to attack.

After taking the third game 11-3, Kennedy chose to change the ball which worked perfectly at the start of the game. The top seed ran out to a 4-1 lead by stepping up on the volley and forced Hany into making guesses when her attacks were loose. Hany gave up the ghost at the end of the game with Kennedy holding a strong lead at 10-5 and it wasn’t ling before we entered the fifth game.

In a nervous fifth game, neither could get away on the scoreboard until Hany won three points in a row to earn three match balls at 10-7. Kennedy clawed two points back to set up a nervy final match ball for Hany but a wicked cross court off a heavy drop sealed a first title of the season for the Egyptian.

“I still can’t believe it’s over. What a battle.” said Hany after her win. “I feel really proud with how I kept it together til the end. I felt really sharp but playing Gina is not easy at all. She’s such a fighter. We played a battle here last year so I’m just really happy I could win this one.

“This means a lot. This is extra special. Especially after my injury at the start of the season and it was really important to me and my team and we’ve all been through a lot with the injury. It was really tough and today I just wanted to stand up for myself and my team and I’m always so grateful for their support and here’s to more wins.”

Semis

[3] Salma Hany 3-0 [5] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (36m)

[1] Aly Abou Eleinen3-1 [7] Jonah Bryant (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9 (60m)

PSA report

In a high quality semi-final, Egyptian top seed Aly Abou Eleinen came through in four tough games against 19-year-old Jonah Bryant in front of a packed house at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.

Eleinen was busy around the middle of the court from the start of the match, cutting things off on the volley and gave Bryant no time at all on the ball. The Egyptian was being proactive in the front two corners and used his superb movement to constantly nullify Bryant’s attacks.

After scoring the opening game 11-8, Eleinen was unrelenting in his pressure and doubled his lead in no time, winning the second 11-5.

Bryant, spurred on by the home crowd, started to find answers against the Eleinen attacks and used his counter drop to drag the top seed further up the court. He started to force errors from the racket of the 25-year-old and suddenly found himself at 9-3 up in the third. He converted 11-5 to breathe more life in the contest.

The pair then locked in to many gruelling rallies with neither wanting to show how much the rallies were taking out of them. The tactical battle going on was applauded by the Manchester crowd as the game reached 9-9. The top seed pulled out arguably the drop shot of the match on the backhand side to earn a match ball and after Bryant was given a No Let, Eleinen was into the final.

After coming through a tough four-game clash with Jonah Bryant, top seed @AEleinen has his say on the match, Bryant and his season 🗣#MCROpenSquash pic.twitter.com/u1LOR9JPL5

— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) April 5, 2025

“I had to do a lot of things right to get the win today. It’s not easy to plays such an up and coming player like Jonah especially here in his home country with the crowd behind him. There’s no obvious errors in his game, he’s really well rounded and it’s so difficult to win points. He came back at me in the third game and in the fourth too but I’m glad I kept my concentration to get through it in the end.

“I obviously didn’t want a fifth game. I told myself to keep solid, stay simple and just do the basics well.”

Egypt’s Salma Hany was the first player to book her spot in the finals of the Manchester Open 2025 after she spoilt the birthday celebrations of England’s Jasmine Hutton.

Hany stormed out the blocks in the opening game, taking advantage of the short, sharp rallies and firing the ball short at any opportunity. She took the game 11-6 but Hutton was showing signs of growing into the match.

In a competitive second game, the pair traded blows across the middle of the court as both looked to get in front and showcase their attacking skills. Hutton led 8-7 in the second game but Hany fought back to win the next three points and set herself up with two game balls to take a crucial 2-0 lead. Hutton received a No Let at 10-9 much to the dismay of the home crowd.

Hutton again led in the third game at 5-3 but the pressure hitting of Hany was too fierce for the World No.18. Hany motored through the game and claimed the third 11-8 to move into her first final of the season and first ever at the Manchester Open.

A first final of the season for Egypt’s @salmahany4 👏

Hear her thoughts on her win over birthday girl, Jasmine Hutton 👇 #MCROpenSquash pic.twitter.com/5n70YXrmmz

— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) April 5, 2025

“I’m very, very happy with the performance. Jazz has been playing very well recently and I knew it would be hard so I needed to prepare well so I’m very happy to be through in three.

“I was really prepared for a battle today. She has no pressure and I just wanted to perform well with being the higher seed. She’s been playing great so I just wanted to be at my best today ad I’m happy to pay that well.”

Quarters

[3] Salma Hany 3-0 [6] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (24m)
[7] Katie Malliff(ENG) 3-2 [4] Farida Mohamed 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 12-10 (55m)

[1] Aly Abou Eleinen3-0 [6] Juan Vargas (COL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 (35m)

Round Two

[2] Nele Gilis-Coll (BEL) 3-0 Nardine Garas 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (34m)
[3] Salma Hany 3-0 Haya Ali 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (26m)
[4] Farida Mohamed 3-0 Marta Dominguez (Esp) 13-11, 12-10, 11-6 (26m)
Grace Gear (ENG) 3-0 [8] Mariam Metwally 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (25m)

[1] Aly Abou Eleinen 3-0 Edwin Clain (Fra) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (33m)

A lovely finish by @AEleinen 🎯

The top seed has found his rhythm on the all-glass court here in Manchester 🐝

Watch the action live on @SquashTV 📺#MCROpenSquash pic.twitter.com/pVZcSsOvaD

— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) April 3, 2025

What a finish by Nardine Garas 🇪🇬

Can she cause an upset in the opening match of the day here in Manchester? #MCROpenSquash pic.twitter.com/xuCWSdd0WI

— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) April 3, 2025

Round One

Haya Ali 3-0 Joelle King (NZL) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10 (26m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) 3-2 Rana Ismail 8-11, 4-11, 11-1, 11-4, 14-12 (44m)
Nardine Garas 3-0 Saskia Beinhard (GER) 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-3 (41m)

Egypt’s Nardine Garas found herself 2-0 down to Germany’s Saskia Beinhard. The German used her power and precision to catch the Egyptian off guard in the opening games, winning them both 11-9. Garas kept her composure in game three and, although she still wasn’t firing on all cylinders, claimed the game 11-7 to breathe more life in the contest. From there, the Egyptian found her rhythm and stormed to victory, winning both final games 11-3.

Dallas