PSA reports: First ever World Tour Titles

The 2023/24 season was one of firsts for several Egyptian players on the PSA World Tour. Over the course of the year, there were nine players who captured their maiden titles on the World Tour.

Below we’ve taken a look at the five players on the women’s tour who achieved this feat, breaking down their routes to silverware. 

Amina Orfi – Squash On Fire Open

After losing out to Tinne Gilis in the final of the 2023 Squash On Fire Open, rising star Amina Orfi exacted revenge on the Belgian No.2 to take home her maiden World Tour title in February.

Orfi, who was named as No.3 seed, entered the event on the back of a quarter-final appearance at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions and continued this red-hot form to take home the Bronze-level title in thrilling style.

The Egyptian’s tournament started with matches against Malaysian duo Ainaa Amani and Rachel Arnold, who she defeated in three and four games, respectively, before taking on No.2 seed and home favourite Sabrina Sobhy in the last four.

The 16-year-old dominated this semi-final match from start to finish, hitting powerfully down both wings on her way to an 11-6, 11-7, 13-11 victory – a result which left her facing 2023 champion Gilis in the title decider.

Orfi had defeated Gilis in an 82-minute epic in New York the previous month, and she doubled down on this success to take yet another thriller in Washington DC. After Gilis had fought back from 2-0 down to force a decider, the Belgian looked destined for the title when well-placed at 9-6 up in the deciding game.

However, Orfi displayed a maturity beyond her years to reel off five straight points and eventually defeat Gilis by a 15-13, 11-1, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9 scoreline after 88 minutes on court.

Farida Mohamed – Carol Weymuller Open

Farida Mohamed powered her way to her maiden title on the PSA World Tour at the Bronze-level Carol Weymuller Open in Brooklyn, New York.

The then World No.18 had tasted prior success on the PSA Challenger Tour, but delivered an outstanding week of squash by defeating the likes of Olivia Weaver and Fayrouz Aboelkheir on her way to the title.

Mohamed began her campaign with a four-game victory over compatriot Malak Khafagy, before cruising past England’s Lucy Beecroft in just 20 minutes.

The Egyptian’s most impressive performance of the week came in the semi-finals, where she faced top seed Weaver. Despite the ranking difference, Mohamed was on her game right from the offset and never opened the door for the home favourite, moving to an 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 victory over the American.

The final saw both Mohamed and Aboelkheir fighting for maiden World Tour titles, but it was the former who proved too strong, using her experience to hold off a late charge from the teenager to eventually win in four games.

This win seemed to be a catalyst for the rest of Mohamed’s season, with the 22-year-old claiming back-to-back 20k titles and severely testing the likes of Nour El Sherbini at the Windy City Open with her attacking brand of squash.

Salma Hany – Australian Open

Thirteen years after joining the PSA Tour, Salma Hany tasted long-awaited silverware on the World Tour after winning the 2024 Australian Open.

Top seed Hany, four times a runner-up on the PSA World Tour, didn’t put a foot wrong all week in Sydney as she romped to the Bronze-level title without dropping a game.

The Egyptian began her campaign in brutal fashion by dropping just six points against India’s Akanksha Salunkhe, before cruising past Aira Azman in straight games and exactly 30 minutes of action to reach the last four.

From there, Hany faced compatriot and No.5 seed Sana Ibrahim in the semi-finals, and despite her opponent’s strong recent form, progressed to the final with ease following an 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 victory.

A date with No.2 seed Amina Orfi awaited in the title decider, and despite the pair having never met each other on the PSA Tour before, Hany settled into the match in clinical fashion, taking a two-game lead without too many issues. Orfi would go on to save five match balls late in the third game, as Hany began to tense up with the finishing line in sight, but it was too little too late, as the top seed held on to seal the win by an 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 scoreline.

Aly Abou Eleinen – Hong Kong FC Open

Aly Abou Eleinen didn’t put a foot wrong all week on his way to the Bronze-level Hong Kong Football Club Open title, carving his way through the draw and dropping just one game on his way to silverware.

Eleinen, who had never reached a World Tour final in his career before this win, looked in a class of his own on the traditional courts in Hong Kong, using his impressive athleticism and physicality to see off all of the threats brought his way.

Firstly, the 24-year-old defeated compatriot Seif El-Shenawy in just under 30 minutes of action, before taking on home favourite Tsz Kwan Lau in the quarter-finals. Despite Lau coming into the match on the back of a brilliant five-game victory over Abdulla Al-Tamimi, Eleinen proved too strong, taking the match by an 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 scoreline.

Spanish No.1 Iker Pajares awaited in the semi-final, a test which Eleinen passed without too many concerns, winning in straight games and 45 minutes of action.

This result set up a title decider against No.3 seed Eain Yow Ng – a high-quality match that No.2 seed Eleinen eventually won in four games. After taking the opener by an 11-6 scoreline, Eain Yow battled back to draw level. However, Eleinen proved too strong, taking the last two games both by 11-7 scorelines to claim his maiden triumph on the PSA World Tour.

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