Mostafa Asal & Hania El Hammamy defend Optasia Squash Championship titles

Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy successfully defended their Optasia Squash Championships titles at The Wimbledon Club in London with victories over Diego Elias and Nour ElSherbini respectively.

Men's top seed Mostafa Asal edged a gripping five-game contest with Diego Elias to claim the men’s title, prevailing 11-8 5-11 11-5 10-12 11-5 after 93 minutes of high-quality, high-intensity squash.

Mostafa arrived at the final in ominous form, having not conceded a single game on the PSA World Squash Tour since October. The reigning champion’s relentless consistency placed him on the brink of another flawless title run, while his opponent, Diego Elias, came into the contest following a physically draining semi-final in which he had fought back from two games down against Karim Gawad.

The early exchanges suggested that effort had taken a toll. Asal imposed himself immediately with trademark intensity, striking the ball with authority and controlling the centre of the court to claim the opening game 11-8. His precision and pace left Elias searching for rhythm as the Egyptian dictated the tempo.

However, the second game brought a dramatic shift. Elias, gradually shaking off any lingering fatigue, rediscovered the sharp movement and fluent shot-making that once made him the only player capable of consistently unsettling Asal. The Peruvian’s accuracy to the front corners and willingness to attack disrupted the champion’s flow as he powered through the game 11-5, notably the first game Asal had surrendered in 70 on the PSA World Squash Tour.

That response stirred Asal. The World No.1 reasserted control in the third, tightening his length and increasing the pressure to regain the initiative with an 11-5 win of his own. Yet Elias’ resilience remained evident. Facing three match balls in the fourth, the former World Champion produced a remarkable surge of composure and precision, reeling off five consecutive points to snatch the game and force a decider, much to the delight of the Wimbledon crowd.

The momentum, though, was short-lived. Asal exploded out of the blocks in the fifth, racing to a 6-0 advantage with suffocating pressure and clinical finishing. Elias, visibly fatigued after a demanding week, was unable to mount another recovery. The Egyptian closed out the match 11-5 to secure a fourth consecutive title and extend his unbeaten run to 24 matches.

It was another commanding statement from Asal, whose blend of physicality, accuracy and mental resilience once again proved decisive.

In the women's final, Hania El Hammamy delivered a performance of composure and authority, overcoming long-time rival Nour ElSherbini in straight games to successfully defend her Optasia Squash Championship title and secure her position at the summit of the PSA Women's World Squash Rankings.

With the No.1 ranking at stake, a cautious opening might have been expected from the top seed. Instead, El Hammamy began with clarity and intent, surging into a commanding 9-3 lead in the first game through crisp hitting and assured movement. ElSherbini, an eight-time World Squash Champion renowned for her resilience, narrowed the deficit late on, but El Hammamy’s early advantage proved decisive as she closed out the opener 11-9.

The second game developed into a far tighter contest as ElSherbini settled into her rhythm on the all-glass court in Wimbledon. The World No.2 edged ahead at 10–9 to earn the first game ball of the game, threatening to level the match. However, El Hammamy responded with impressive nerve, reeling off three consecutive points to steal the game and move into a significant two-game lead.

History offered a subtle subplot: El Hammamy has surrendered a 2-0 advantage only twice in her career, most recently six years ago in the Black Ball Squash Open final against Sarah-Jane Perry. Determined not to allow any hint of a comeback from an opponent famed for dramatic recoveries, the Egyptian maintained her discipline in the third. After a tight exchange at 6-5, she accelerated to 10-6 to earn four match balls. Moments later, ElSherbini’s backhand volley drifted out of court, confirming El Hammamy’s successful title defence and ensuring her reign as World No.1 continues.

The 2026 (PSA) Optasia Squash Championships were staged at The Wimbledon Club in London from the 24th to 29th March.

For details of how to watch match highlights, visit: psasquashtour.com

2026 Optasia Squash Championships, The Wimbledon Club, London, England
Men's Final:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) v [3] Diego Elias (PER) 11-8 5-11 11-5 10-12 11-5 (93m)

Women's Final:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) 11-9, 12-10, 11-6 (39m)

Men's Semi-Finals:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [4] Joel Makin (WAL) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (72m)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bt [2] Karim Gawad (EGY) 9-11, 3-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-5 (76m)

Women's Semi-Finals:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 (44m)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 (43m)

Men's Quarter-Finals:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (45m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-2 (34m)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bt [9/16] Noor Zaman (PAK) 11-2, 11-7, 11-5 (40m)
[2] Karim Gawad (EGY) bt [5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 11-4, 11-5, 13-11 (54m)

Women's Quarter-Finals:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (37m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [5] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 8-11, 14-12, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7 (62m)
[4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [8] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 11-4, 11-4, 15-13 (33m)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [6] Nada Abbas (EGY) 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 (26m)

Men's 2nd Round:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [9/16] Juan Vargas (COL) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (31m)
[7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (29m)
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Curtis Malik (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 (56m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [9/16] Declan James (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (60m)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bt [9/16] Jonah Bryant (ENG) 13-11, 2-0 ret. (30m)
[9/16] Noor Zaman (PAK) bt [8] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (32m)
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt [9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 7-11, 18-16, 11-4, 7-11, 4-2 ret. (70m)
[2] Karim Gawad (EGY) bt [9/16] Grégoire Marche (FRA) 12-10, 11-9, 11-8 (38m)

Women's 2nd Round:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Torrie Malik (ENG) 12-10, 11-2, 11-5 (35m)
[9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt [7] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 (35m)
[5] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [9/16] Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 11-7, 3-11, 11-4, 11-3 (38m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [9/16] Mélissa Alves (FRA) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (34m)
[4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Haya Ali (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 11-9 (24m)
[8] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [9/16] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) 13-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9 (44m)
[6] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt [9/16] Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 (33m)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [9/16] Mariam Metwally (EGY) 11-7, 11-5, 12-10 (30m)

Men's 1st Round:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bye
[9/16] Juan Vargas (COL) bt Sam Todd (ENG) 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 (63m)
Ramit Tandon (IND) bt [9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (49m)
[7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bye
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bye
[9/16] Curtis Malik (ENG) bt [WC] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 4-11, 11-9, 11-5, 13-11 (58m)
[9/16] Declan James (ENG) bt Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 (49m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bye
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bye
[9/16] Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-9, 11-8, 11-3 (31m)
[9/16] Noor Zaman (PAK) bt Mazen Hesham (EGY) 11-4, 7-11, 11-3, 12-14, 11-2 (46m)
[8] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bye
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bye
[9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) 13-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8 (54m)
[9/16] Grégoire Marche (FRA) bt [WC] Sam Osborne-Wylde (ENG) 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (50m)
[2] Karim Gawad (EGY) bye

Women's 1st Round:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bye
Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [9/16] Lucy Turmel (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 14-12, 7-11, 11-2 (63m)
[9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Amina El Rihany (EGY) 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)
[7] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bye
[5] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bye
[9/16] Kenzy Ayman (EGY) bt Marie Stéphan (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 (23m)
[9/16] Mélissa Alves (FRA) bt Nadine Shahin (EGY) 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (21m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bye
[4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bye
Haya Ali (EGY) bt [9/16] Hana Ramadan (EGY) 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (39m)
[9/16] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) bt Nour Heikal (EGY) 13-11, 11-6, 11-5 (27m)
[8] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bye
[6] Nada Abbas (EGY) bye
[9/16] Zeina Mickawy (EGY) bt Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9 (44m)
[9/16] Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 13-11, 11-5, 11-6 (33m)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bye

World No.1 squash players Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy will headline the 2026 Optasia Squash Championships as they return to The Wimbledon Club to defend their titles at the PSA World Tour Gold event in London from the 24th to 29th March.

Mostafa Asal arrives in Wimbledon in formidable form. The reigning World Champion has dominated much of the 2025/26 campaign and will seek to retain the crown he secured last year with victory over Paul Coll in the final. However, his path to consecutive Optasia squash titles is fraught with danger.

A projected quarter-final against former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy looms large. The 2017 champion, now 35, began the calendar year strongly by capturing his 52nd PSA World Squash Tour title at the Squash on Fire Open. Should Asal progress further, a semi-final clash with either sixth seed Marwan ElShorbagy or British No.1 Joel Makin could await. Joel Makin, eager to regain a top-four world ranking after an injury-interrupted season, will view Wimbledon as an opportunity to reassert himself among the elite.

The bottom half of the draw is equally uncompromising. World No.3 Karim Gawad, World No.4 Diego Elias, World No.6 Youssef Ibrahim and World No.11 Leonel Cardenas are all positioned to challenge for silverware. Elias, the 2024 World Squash Champion, faces a potential early test against England’s rising star Jonah Bryant in round two. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season, reaching the semi-finals of both the Qatar Squash Classic and Hong Kong Squash Open, and is rapidly closing in on the world’s top 10.

Elsewhere, two-time champion Gawad shares a quarter with the mercurial Ibrahim, against whom he holds an unfavourable head-to-head record, having lost six of their seven previous Tour encounters - a statistic that adds further intrigue to an already loaded section.

In the women’s event, Hania El Hammamy tops the draw as she looks to continue a season of remarkable consistency. The 25-year-old has captured four major titles this term and has suffered just two defeats in 30 matches, underlining her status as the player to beat.

Standing in her way is eight-time World Squash Champion Nour ElSherbini, competing at the Optasia Squash Championships for the first time. The 45-time PSA World Squash Tour winner is seeded second and occupies the same quarter as sixth seed Nada Abbas, while also residing in the same half as British No.1 Georgina Kennedy.

Kennedy, runner-up here 12 months ago, will once again carry home hopes. The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist could open against either Tesni Murphy or Lucy Beecroft before a possible quarter-final showdown with eighth seed Farida Mohamed.

El Hammamy’s projected route could feature a last-eight meeting with seventh seed Jasmine Hutton should the draw unfold according to seeding. Also returning to SW19 are 2024 champion Satomi Watanabe and American Amanda Sobhy, seeded third and fifth respectively, both positioned in the same quarter and capable of mounting serious title bids.

The tournament has awarded wildcard entries to English pair Patrick Rooney and Sam Osborne-Wylde. Rooney will face Curtis Malik in the opening round, while Osborne-Wylde takes on France’s Grégoire Marche, ensuring early British interest in the men’s draw.

With world-class fields, compelling rivalries and significant ranking points on offer, the 2026 Optasia Championships is poised to deliver another week of elite squash in the heart of Wimbledon.

Men’s Draw:
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) [Bye]
Sam Todd (ENG) v Kareem El Torkey (EGY)
Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v Ramit Tandon (IND)
[7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) [Bye]
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) [Bye]
[WC] Patrick Rooney (ENG) v Curtis Malik (ENG)
Declan James (ENG) v Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) [Bye]
[3] Diego Elias (PER) [Bye]
Raphael Kandra (GER) v Jonah Bryant (ENG)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Juan Vargas (COL)
[8] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) [Bye]
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) [Bye]
Noor Zaman (PAK) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [WC] Sam Osborne-Wylde (ENG)
[2] Karim Gawad (EGY) [Bye]

Women's Draw:
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) [Bye]
Torrie Malik (ENG) v Lucy Turmel (ENG)
Rachel Arnold (MAS) v Amina El Rihany (EGY)
[7] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) [Bye]
[5] Amanda Sobhy (USA) [Bye]
Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v Kenzy Ayman (EGY)
Melissa Alves (FRA) v Nadine Shahin (EGY)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) [Bye]
[4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) [Bye]
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v Tesni Murphy (WAL)
Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) v Nour Heikal (EGY)
[8] Farida Mohamed (EGY) [Bye]
[6] Nada Abbas (EGY) [Bye]
Hana Ramadan (EGY) v Zeina Mickawy (EGY)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) [Bye]

The 2026 (PSA) Optasia Squash Championships will be staged at The Wimbledon Club in London from the 24th to 29th March.

For the latest match updates as they happen and details of how to watch live, visit: psasquashtour.com

UNSQUASHABLE will be represented at the 2026 (PSA) Optasia Squash Championships by
Miguel Rodriguez

2025 PSA Optasia Squash Championships Results: InternationalSquashMagazine.com
2024 PSA Optasia Squash Championships Results: InternationalSquashMagazine.com
2023 PSA Optasia Squash Championships Results: InternationalSquashMagazine.com