PSA Semi-Final Roundup : El Hammamy crushes rival Gohar to reach Final

El Hammamy crushes rival Gohar to reach Final

Hania El Hammamy stunned World No.1 Nouran Gohar with a spectacular performance to reach the final of the 2025 CIB Egyptian Open. The Egyptian took down her fierce rival in front of a packed crowd at the pyramids to earn a final with 18-year-old World No.5 Amina Orfi, who took out giant-killer Fayrouz Aboelkheir.

The men’s final, meanwhile, will be contested by the world’s top two players, with both Mostafa Asal of Egypt and Diego Elias of Peru fighting back from a game down to defeat Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad and France’s Victor Crouin.

World No.3 El Hammamy, an Egyptian Open champion in 2022, has ‘enjoyed’ a long-running rivalry with fellow Cairo native Gohar, with the pair meeting some 34 times during their careers, most of which were fiery encounters.

Gohar had won 24 of those battles, though El Hammamy will have taken confidence from her recent form, with the 25-year-old defeating Gohar in the semi-final of the PSA World Championship this year.

In an incredible performance tonight, El Hammamy completely dismantled ‘The Terminator’ to record her first ever straight-games victory over her Egyptian compatriot, taking Gohar down 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 for a win that will see her rise to World No.2 next week.

 “I’m definitely happier to win 3-0 against Nouran than to reach the final.”

“It’s so tough to beat Nouran in three.

“It’s so big for me and it’s all credit to her, she asserted this toughness so I’m so happy and it’s very special.”

El Hammamy will face compatriot and rising star Orfi, who will be hoping to capture her first Diamond-level title after crushing Aboelkheir.

Aboelkheir, 19, earned headlines yesterday with a stunning win over World No.2 Nour El Sherbini, but could not lay a glove on her old rival from the junior circuit, with Orfi swatting her aside 11-1, 11-3, 11-6.

In the men’s event, the squash world will be eagerly awaiting another title bout between the undisputed heavyweights of the modern game after comeback wins for both Asal and Elias.

Reigning World No.1 and defending CIB Egyptian Open champion Asal looked edgy early on against in-form 2016 world champion Karim Gawad. Gawad deservedly took the opening game 11-9 only for Asal to respond with two 11-9 wins of his own before finding his best squash in a dominant 11-1 game four victory.

Elias, too, had to fight back from a losing position, with the World No.2 – who won the PSA World Championship in Cairo last year – going down 5-11 in game one before striking back 11-9, 11-3, 11-6.