Ayo Victor
DOHA: Reigning World Champions Amina Orfi and Mostafa Asal claimed the first major titles of the 2026/27 PSA Squash Tour season after overcoming Hania El Hammamy and Victor Crouin respectively in thrilling finals at the QTerminals Qatar Classic 2026.
Nineteen-year-old Orfi produced a remarkable comeback to defeat compatriot El Hammamy 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 in a gripping 107-minute encounter and secure her place in squash history.
The victory means Orfi will become the youngest-ever women’s World No.1 when the updated PSA rankings are released on Monday.
The marathon final, which ranks as the joint-eighth longest women’s match in PSA Tour history, saw both Egyptians produce a high-quality battle of resilience and determination.
El Hammamy appeared to have the momentum after taking the opening game, but Orfi responded strongly to move 2-1 ahead. An ankle injury suffered by El Hammamy in the third game appeared to shift the contest further in Orfi’s favour.
However, the reigning World No.1 showed remarkable fighting spirit to level the match and force a deciding fifth game. El Hammamy then saved two Championship Balls before Orfi finally converted her third opportunity to complete a historic victory.
“It’s amazing. To be able to become World Champion and World No.1 in the same year, it’s amazing,” Orfi said after the match.
“It’s been a dream since I was young. I’m really happy right now.
“I’ve learned from past matches against Hania and Nour [El Sherbini], just to keep my cool at the end and go for it, because if I don’t go for it, she will. It worked in the end today.”
In the men’s final, World No.1 Asal finally captured the Qatar Classic title after defeating France’s World No.5 Crouin 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 in 48 minutes.
Having finished runner-up in the previous two editions of the Platinum-level tournament, Asal made it third time lucky with a dominant display that combined power, precision and relentless pressure.
Crouin, appearing in his second Qatar Classic final, made a bright start to the second game, opening up a 5-1 advantage after showing the attacking qualities that had helped him defeat Paul Coll and Karim Gawad in the previous rounds.
But Asal quickly took control, winning 21 of the next 24 points to close out the match in emphatic fashion.
The victory marked Asal’s 30th PSA Tour title and completed his collection of every current major title on the PSA Squash Tour.
“My emotions just came out after the win, I enjoyed my celebration,” Asal said.
“It’s amazing to win this title. It was the only one I was struggling with. As they say, third-time lucky.
“I’m proud of myself; it’s been a tough week. It’s the first one of the season, and I just want to thank everyone who helped me get here today.”
The Qatar Classic finals brought the curtain down on a memorable tournament in Doha, with both champions producing performances that further underlined their status at the summit of world squash.
Results
Men’s Final: [1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [5] Victor Crouin (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (48m).
Women’s Final: [2] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 (107m).