After a year full of statement wins and big shocks over higher-ranked opponents, 17-year-old Amina Orfi finished her calendar year in stunning style, capturing her first Gold event title at the Singapore Open.
Earlier in the year, Orfi had already captured a pair of Bronze-level trophies at the Squash on Fire Open and the Ace Malaysia Cup, but this was to be her biggest triumph, defeating No.2 seed Nele Coll, No.4 seed Sivasangari Subramaniam and top seed Hania El Hammamy on her way to the title.
After a destructive 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 victory over defending champion Coll in the last eight stage of the event, Orfi backed this performance up with another super display against Malaysian No.1 Sivasangari. A week previous, Orfi and Sivasangari had engaged in a five-game thriller at the Ace Malaysia Cup, however second time around, Orfi needed just four games, recording an 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8 victory and moving into the biggest final of her career.
The task that awaited Orfi in the final was a huge one, with World No.3 and 13-time PSA Tour winner Hania El Hammamy standing in her way of the title.
Despite coming up against an opponent she had lost to in both of their previous encounters on the PSA Squash Tour, reigning World Junior Champion Orfi put in a superb performance to prevail in five games, winning 9-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-1, 11-9. Orfi, and in turn, becoming the youngest player ever to win a PSA Gold event.
