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Former World No. 1 Nouran Gohar set up a quarter-final showdown with arch-rival Hania El Hammamy after surviving a heated five-game duel with Egyptian compatriot Malak Khafagy at the Qatar Classic.Gohar, playing her first event since giving birth to her first child in April, had to dig deep to overcome Khafagy in an acrimonious affair that included more than 50 refereeing decisions over 91 minutes of chaotic play in Doha.The match descended into a scrappy, physical battle, with neither player able to find any sustained rhythm or accuracy. This was punctuated when Gohar required significant physio treatment after a heavy blow to the nose midway through the third game – an echo of the broken nose she sustained on this very court two years ago.After the players traded games deep into a dramatic decider, it was fifth seed Gohar who eventually prevailed, clinching victory by an 11-7, 9-11, 13-11, 12-14, 11-9 scoreline. “This is the part of being back that I didn’t miss.” Gohar said after the match. “I didn’t enjoy my squash today, but I did enjoy my resilience and mental toughness. I need to go through matches like these.Gohar will face off against El Hammamy for the 34th time on the PSA Squash Tour in quarter-finals, after the World No.1 defeated England’s Lucy Turmel by an 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 scoreline.Elsewhere, World No.9 Tinne Gilis fended off India’s teenage sensation Anahat Singh in five games to advance to her first Platinum quarter-final since the Windy City Open in February. The eighth seed was forced to battle back from 2-1 down to set up a quarter-final tie with World No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam, after the Malaysian proved too strong for Salma Hany.In the men’s event, World No. 1 Mostafa Asal overcame a superb showing from Yannick Wilhelmi, while World No. 13 Aly Abou Eleinen claimed a clinical three-game victory over Baptiste Masotti.World No. 9 Marwan ElShorbagy and World No. 19 Gregoire Marche were the final two players to secure wins on day two of action at the Khalifa International Squash Complex after defeating Curtis Malik and Timothy Brownell, respectively. 

Former World Champion and World No.1 Nouran Gohar is set to make her highly anticipated return to the PSA Squash Tour after a year away from competitive action at this year’s QTerminals Qatar Classic following the birth of her first child in April this year. The draws for the first Platinum event of the new season have been released with Hania El Hammamy and Mostafa Asal topping the draws. El Hammamy is a two-time champion of the event, whilst Asal has never won in Qatar, falling in the final in each of the last two seasons. The event will once again take place at the famous Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha, an iconic venue in the professional squash world, from September 12 to 18. 2023 & 2025 champion El Hammamy will be looking to move to outright second in the most decorated female players in the event’s history with three titles with a win this season. She’s seeded to face Gohar in the quarter-finals, reigniting a rivalry that has produced some of the most intense and memorable matches in women’s squash history. El Hammamy will also be desperate to defend her title to hold off the advances of World No.2 Amina Orfi who is chasing down the World No.1 spot.Orfi, the reigning World Champion, found the form of her career at the end of last season, winning the World Championships and British Open back-to-back. Orfi has won all levels of title from Bronze up to the World Championships but has never won a Platinum level event. She’ll be looking to change that at the first opportunity in Doha and give herself a chance at becoming the No.1 ranked player in the world.Four-time finalist Nour ElSherbini and USA No.1 Olivia Weaver occupy the third and fourth seeding positions this year. ElSherbini is situated in the bottom half of the draw, therefore seeded to play Orfi in the semi-finals, which would see a repeat of the World Championships final, a final that will go down in history as one of the best ever. The top-half semi-final is seeded to see Weaver take on El Hammamy, a repeat of the Tournament of Champions final, in which the Egyptian recovered from 9-3 down in the fifth game to steal a first major title away from Weaver.On the men’s side, World No.1 Mostafa Asal once again leads the field as he targets the one major title that has so far eluded him. The Egyptian has finished runner-up in each of the last two editions of the Qatar Classic and will be determined to go one step further in 2026 as he bids to lift the prestigious trophy for the first time.Defending champion Paul Coll also returns to Doha looking to retain his title, but the New Zealander faces one of the toughest opening assignments in the draw. Coll has been handed a first-round clash with four-time Qatar Classic champion Mohamed ElShorbagy, setting up one of the standout matches of the opening round between two of the sport's biggest names.Former champions Diego Elias and Karim Gawad pose direct threats to the world’s No.1 and No.2. After missing a large portion of the 25/26 season, Elias still managed to win the El Gouna International Platinum event as well as a first Squash Tour Finals title. He’s seeded to play top seed Asal for the fifth time this year if the pair progress to the semi-finals. The four matches played in 2026 have an average match time of 93 minutes, meaning that the Doha crowd are likely to be in for another monumental clash.2016 champion Gawad features in the bottom half of the draw with No.2 seed Coll. However, to face Coll, Gawad will need to get past a potential meeting with World Junior Champion and World No.7 Mohamad Zakaria. The Egyptian has got the better of Gawad in their last three meetings and will be confident of scoring another victory over the former World Champion to reach another major event semi-final. Gawad will be fearful of his first round opponent, who will certainly have the home crowd behind him. Abdulla Al-Tamimi ruptured his achilies tendon in last year’s event but is back in action this season, looking to produce his best squash on his home court in his home city.Men’s Draw [1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) vs Nicolas Mueller (SUI)Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) vs Greg Lobban (SCO)Juan Vargas (COL) vs Baptiste Masotti (FRA)Declan James (ENG) vs [8] Jonah Bryant (ENG)[7] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) vs Yahya Elnawasany (EGY)Curtis Malik (ENG) vs Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)Miguel Rodriguez (COL) vs Gregoire Marche (FRA)Timothy Brownell (USA) vs [3] Diego Elias (PER)[4] Karim Gawad (EGY) vs [WC] Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT)[WC] Salem Al-Malki (QAT) vs Melvil Scianimanico (FRA)Youssef Soliman (EGY) vs Eain Yow Ng (MAS)Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) vs [6] Mohamad Zakaria (EGY)[5] Victor Crouin (FRA) vs Fares Dessouky (EGY)Kareem El Torkey (EGY) vs Noor Zaman (PAK)Abhay Singh (IND) vs Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) vs [2] Paul Coll Women’s Draw[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) vs Hana Moataz (EGY)Lucy Turmel (ENG) vs Tinne Gilis (BEL)Aira Azman (MAS) vs Malak Khafagy (EGY)Kenzy Ayman (EGY) vs [6] Nouran Gohar (EGY)[5] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) vs Mariam Metwally (EGY)Farida Mohamed (EGY) vs Anahat Singh (IND)Melissa Alves (FRA) vs Salma Hany (EGY)Sana Ibrahim (EGY) vs [4] Olivia Weaver (USA)[3] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) vs Nada Abbas (EGY)Zeina Mickawy (EGY) vs Rachel Arnold (MAS)Jasmine Hutton (ENG) vs Lucy Beecroft (ENG) Nele Gilis (BEL) vs [8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)[7] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) vs [WC] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY)Marina Stefanoni (USA) vs Aifa Azman (MAS)[WC] Nour Heikal (EGY) vs Nardine Garas (EGY)Hana Ramadan (EGY) vs [2] Amina Orfi (EGY) 

World No 3 Paul Coll has become the first player from New Zealand to win the prestigious QTerminals Qatar Classic after ending a six-match losing run against World No 1 Mostafa Asal in Doha.Coll has been on the wrong end of a final result three times previously in Doha – the PSA World Championships in 2019 as well as at this tournament in 2020 and 2021.However, an immaculate performance from the 33-year-old saw him finally get his hands on a title here at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, winning 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5.It’s been a roller coaster season so far for Coll, who began the season with victory at the London Classic before suffering one of the sport’s biggest ever upsets when he lost to World No 252 Adam Hawal at the CIB Egyptian Open last month.However, he bounced back in the best possible way, turning recent history against Asal on its head. It was a measured display which saw him get up the court and hunt the volley, keeping his opponent behind him to prevent Asal from putting in one of his trademark powerhouse performances.‘The Raging Bull’ threatened a shift in momentum after winning the second game, but Coll’s accuracy and court craft were exemplary as he pulled away to secure his 30th PSA title.It’s Coll’s first major PSA title since the Hong Kong Open in December 2023.“I was on top of the world in London and then probably one of the darkest I’ve ever been after (the loss to Hawal),” said Coll.El Hammamy Beats ElSherbini to win back-to-back titlesWorld No 2 Hania El Hammamy has made it two wins from two this season on the PSA Squash Tour after a sublime performance saw her defeat last year’s QTerminals Qatar Classic champion Nour ElSherbini in Doha in straight games.El Hammamy began her season with silverware at the CIB Egyptian Open last month, and she continued her perfect start to the 2025-26 campaign with an 11-6, 15-13, 11-8 triumph against the defending champion to win the Qatar Classic for the second time.The match was a repeat of last season’s PSA World Championships final, with El Hammamy looking to put recent history behind her following just two wins over the eight-time World Champion in their last 10 matches.The 25-year-old stormed out of the traps Saturday at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. El Hammamy was aggressive at the front of the court and cut the ball in short, with a sluggish ElSherbini struggling to get going.After a one-sided first game went the way of El Hammamy, ElSherbini came to the party in the second game and put her fellow Egyptian under significant pressure.The World No 3 raised her level and was clinical with her attacks, initially overturning two games balls and holding the same amount of game balls herself.El Hammamy wasn’t to be denied though and her accuracy was too good for her opponent, taking three points in a row to double her lead.The third game was nip and tuck until El Hammamy started to pull away at 5-5.El Hammamy’s rapid retrieval skills and ability to nullify ElSherbini on the backhand side saw her move into an unassailable lead, and there was no stopping her from collecting her 17th PSA title.“It’s the first time I’ve won two titles back-to-back, it’s a dream start,” said El Hammamy.“I never have a very good start to the season, so it’s been memorable.“I’ve never been in this position before, I’m pretty pleased and I’m enjoying myself on court. I haven’t made a lot of changes (in the off season), but I’m on the right track and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.“I’m hoping (to reach World No 1 this season), but I don’t want to put expectations on myself. If I keep on improving at every tournament, then hopefully I can end as the World No 1.”

World No 1 Mostafa Asal is one win away from winning a first QTerminals Qatar Classic title after downing fellow Egyptian Fares Dessouky in Friday’s semi-finals.Dessouky was appearing in his first major semi-final since May 2021 but ran into an opponent in red-hot form with Asal winning 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 in 42 minutes.Asal, who won the Egyptian Open title last month, has now reached his ninth successive PSA final and will take on World No 3 Paul Coll in final.Asal had only lost once to Dessouky in his last six matches coming into the match and he continued where he left off in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza last month.Coll hasn’t beaten Asal in their six previous matches, with their last match seeing Asal win in straight games in the semis of last season’s PSA World Championships.“Credit to Fares, he’s a good fighter and he can beat anyone when he’s on form,” said Asal. “He could be a World No.1 easily. I know how dangerous he is, so I had to put work into him in the beginning.“It will be a tough battle tomorrow and I know the crowd will be on my side tomorrow. It feels like home here and you see so many familiar faces and family friends.”Coll reached his third final in Qatar after a convincing victory over England’s rising star Jonah Bryant. Coll suffered a shock defeat to World No 252 Adam Hawal in round two of the Egyptian Open last month, but the 33-year-old has bounced back in the best possible way, with an 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 win over Bryant sending him through to a 49th PSA final.Bryant was appearing in his first Platinum semi-final after his titanic battle with Abdulla al-Tamimi was cut short yesterday due to a suspected Achilles rupture sustained by the Qatari No 1 in the decider.It followed up a hugely impressive win over World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria in the round prior to that, but today’s match against Coll proved a step too far for the 20-year-old.Both players train together as part of Rob Owen’s coaching stable, but Coll came out firing and dictated the tempo of the match, sapping the energy from the youngsters legs to win in three.“I wanted to make it all about me and go out there and play my game,” said Coll.“I had a big one last night but woke up feeling pretty good. I can’t think about that, I know how tough he is and what he possesses, I knew he was never going to give up, so I had to stay on it.“I’m super proud of him. He’s continuously putting in work and looking for ways to improve. He has one of the best attitudes in a young guy I’ve seen for a while, I’ve got massive respect for him.”