At 18 years and 10 months, Amina Orfi is not only the youngest women's champion in squash world championship history, but also the first player to simultaneously hold both the World Junior and PSA World Championship titles.
In the final held on the evening of May 3 at Giza, Egypt, Orfi (world No. 3) overcame Nour El-Sherbini (world No. 2) with a score of 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 14-12 after five tense games. This was also the second-longest women's final in PSA World Championships history, trailing only the 1981 final between Rhonda Thorne and Vicki Hoffman that lasted 118 minutes.
El-Sherbini, 31, started strongly by winning the first game comfortably. However, Orfi quickly regained her rhythm to take the next two games. In the fourth game, El-Sherbini leveled the match at 2-2 with dominant play before the historic deciding game.
In the final game, the two players traded points repeatedly, creating multiple tie-break rallies. The victory ultimately went to Orfi with a powerful backhand that El-Sherbini could not return.
“I’m speechless,” Orfi said after claiming her 12th PSA title. “I’ve worked so hard to get here and have endured so many bitter losses this season.”
Earlier, in the semifinal, Orfi defeated world No. 1 Hania El-Hammamy in four games (10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9). She shared, “I knew both of them would be under pressure—Hania is world No. 1, and Nour was one title away from the record for world championships. I understood I had the least pressure, and I fought with all my heart. I’m truly happy.”
This victory also prevented El-Sherbini from winning her ninth world title—a feat she first achieved at age 20.
Compatriot Mostafa Asal Successfully Defends Men’s Title
In the men's event, defending champion Mostafa Asal claimed his second world title after defeating seventh seed Youssef Ibrahim 3-0 (11-4, 11-1, 12-10) in just 57 minutes.
Ibrahim reached his first world final after eliminating Paul Coll (second seed) and former world champion Karim Abdel Gawad (fourth seed). Nevertheless, Asal controlled the match against an opponent playing with a shoulder injury.
“It’s amazing to become world champion in front of my family and friends,” said Asal, 25. “I give all credit to Youssef Ibrahim. Playing with a shoulder injury is extraordinary. He is my close friend; we grew up together. It was difficult to compete in Egypt and defend the title. There was a lot of pressure playing in front of the home crowd.”
