Canadian Open 2025 : It’s Amina & Leonel

Finals : Orfi and Cardenas take the titles in Toronto

Amina Orfi completed a remarkable week in Toronto as she defeated  Gina Kennedy to capture the Canadian Women’s Open 2025 at Brookfield Place.

The 18-year-old arrived in Toronto on Sunday less than 24 hours on from playing in the final of the  U.S. Open in Philadelphia, and the top seed didn’t drop a single game on her way to lifting the title for the Silver-level event.

“This season has been very different for me compared to last year,” she said. “Last season I wasn’t really making it to all of the semi-finals and finals in Platinum events, so now it is more pressure and you get tired more and you need better recovery. It’s just a learning process and a work in progress.
“I’m just trying to adjust and enjoy every match. I’m grateful to be able to travel the world and compete.

“Hopefully I can finish the first half of the season in China and Hong Kong strong.”

In the Toronto Athletic Club Open 2025, a men’s Copper-level event which has also been held at Brookfield Place, Leonel Cardenas retained the title after overcoming secondseed Yahya Elnawasany in straight games.

“I didn’t know the Mexican supporters were coming in today. It was a surprise for me,” he said.
“They are from my home club so it is great that I managed to get the win in front of them.
“Today was a great performance. I think I played my lines and strategy well. I came up with a good plan and I’m really happy with the result. I’m looking forward to the next tournament.”

Semis : Kennedy stops Singh to set up Orfi final

England’s Gina Kennedy halted rising star Anahat Singh’s dream run, defeating the 17-year-old in straight games to set up a final against top seed Amina Orfi.

Singh, the World #43, claimed two big victories on the way to the semis, but the semi-final showdown with Kennedy proved to be a step too far for the Indian youngster, as the fourth seed won 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 in 30 minutes to earn her spot in the title decider.

“Anahat’s  had a great tournament this week and I said to my coach back home that she’s such a natural squash player, you can’t coach that deceptive swing that she has and how she moves the ball around. She was maybe a little tired from the week which is to be expected,” she said.

“But I felt in control of that match throughout it all, but I’m not happy with how I ended it. I tried to end it too early and nearly got found out but I’m just glad I could get through.”

Kennedy faces top seed Amina Orfi tomorrow evening after the World #3 produced a clinical performance to see off 2023 champion Amanda Sobhy in straight games.

In the men’s Copper-level event defending champion and top seed Leonel Cardenas recovered from a game down to defeat Moustafa ElSirty. The Mexican will take on second seed Yahya Elnawasany after he saw off Sam Todd, also in four games.

Day Four : Singh sinks defending champ Tinne

India’s rising teenage star Anahat Singh  gatecrashed the semi finals after ousting defending champion Tinne Gilis 3-0 at Brookfield Place in Toronto.

Singh, who scored her first victory against a top 20 player when she defeated Melissa Alves, went one better tonight to progress to the last four of the Silver-level event, beating the current World #7.

“I’m really excited! Tinne is a top 10 player and that’s the first time for me. I’ve been really happy with the way I’ve been playing this week and I was talking to my coaches earlier today and they said if I play the way I played yesterday, I have a chance against anyone.

Singh takes on Gina Kennedy in the last four after the  fourth seed ended home hopes by dispatching Canadian #.1 Hollie Naughton in four games.

“That was really tough,” said Kennedy. “When I saw the draw, and saw who I was seeded to play in the quarters – I knew with it being a home crowd that it would be a battle, and it really was. She made me really work for that.”

In the men’s Copper-level event Sam Todd caused an upset by beating fifth seed Ryunosuke Tsukue in four games,  setting up a semi-final against Yahya Elnawasany after the second seed downed fellow Egyptian Mohamed Nasser in straight games.

Day THREE : Orfi leads charge into the Quarters in Toronto

Top seed Amina Orfi comfortably secured her place in the semi finals after toppling fellow Egyptian Nardine Garas at Brookfield Place, Toronto.

Orfi, who arrived in Toronto just five hours before her second round match after featuring in the U.S. Open final Saturday night, dispatched her compatriot in straight games to progress to the last four in just 26 minutes.

“My body is feeling a lot better. Hopefully tomorrow with my day off I’ll be even more ready for the semi-finals,” she said. “I’ll train, finish some college work and maybe go out and have a look around. It’s my first time in Toronto so I just want to go out and see how it is.

Orfi’s semi-final opponent will be 2023 champion Amanda Sobhy, who also claimed a 3-0 win over Tesni Murphy. Sobhy, who had won all eight of the previous meetings with Murphy, extended that streak to nine matches with a 12-10, 11-8, 11-7  triumph.

“Amina has been crushing it this season,” she said. “She’s definitely a force but when we played last season, all the pressure was on me and she was the underdog but now the roles are reversed and I’m looking forward to it.”

In the TAC Me’n Open fourth seed Moustafa ElSirty recovered from 2-0 down to defeat unseeded Perry Malik 3-2 for his place in the last four. The Egyptian will take on defending champion Leonel Cardenas next, who recorded a 3-0 win over Mohamed Sharaf.

Day TWO : Naughton comeback keeps home hopes alive

Canadian #1 Hollie Naughton mounted a stirring comeback to keep home hopes alive as she defeated Nour Heikal to reach the quarter finals at Brookfield Place, Toronto.

Seventh-seeded Naughton Naughton was 2-0 down and looked to be exiting the Silver-level event, which would have resulted in no Canadian representation for the quarter finals after her compatriot Nicole Bunyan lost out to Tesni Murphy earlier in the day. However Naughton, with her home crowd in her corner, surged back to overturn the 0 deficit and triumph 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 in 54 minutes.

“It was quite the battle. I did think I was going to be going out in the first round and I didn’t want to lose! That was the crux of it,” she said. “Those battles are always difficult – it’s not pleasant being on court with players who get quite physical like that and it feels like you’re playing against multiple people. It’s not quite as enjoyable but it’s one that means a lot more when you do come through in the end and manage to turn them around.”

India’s rising star Anahat Singh scored the biggest upset on day two after she downed sixth seed Melissa Alves in four games. The 17-year-old, ranked 23 places below Alves in the World Rankings, advanced to the last eight of a Silver-level event for the first time, also recording her first victory against a player inside the top 20.

“I’m really happy. Melissa is one of the top 20 so coming into the match I just tried to play my best because she’s been playing really well,” she said. “I’m really happy I was able to play well today and I think this is my first time reaching the quarters of such a big event and I’m really excited.”

Nardine Garas also locked in her maiden Silver last eight appearance by defeating eighth seed Lucy Beecroft. Defending champion Tinne Gilis dispatched Torrie Malik, while Gina Kennedy and Amanda Sobhy chalked up 3-0 successes over Marta Dominguez and Alicia Mead.

Top seed Amina Orfi – fresh from playing the U.S. Open final in Philadelphia – kicked off her campaign at this event with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Saran Nghiem.

In round two of the Men’s Toronto Athletic Club Open, there were a number of surprise results, as  Mohamed Nasser, Perry Malik and Mohamed Sharaf secured unexpected quarter-final berths.

Day ONE : Bunyan delights home crowd in Toronto

Nicole Bunyan delighted her home crowd on day one of the Canadian Women’s Open after staging an excellent comeback victory against Amina El Rihany at Brookfield Place in Toronto.

Bunyan, backed by a partisan crowd, fought back from 2-1 down against the young Egyptian to notch an 11-8, 4-11, 2-11, 11-6, 11-9 victory at the Silver-level event.

“That was an uncomfortable match for sure!” she said. “Even though I won the first it was tough going. I put a lot of work into her but I was feeling it a little bit with the nerves and everything. I’ve been wanting to get a good win under my belt this season which had yet to come.

“I found myself down but after I won that first I dipped a little bit and she started using that soft ball and started attacking a lot. I had to grind my way back into it and fortunately somehow I did.”

Saran Nghiem also produced a sensational fightback as she recovered from 2-0 down to dispatch Haya Ali 3-2. Nghiem’s reward is a second round meeting with top seed Amina Orfi, who lost out to Hania El Hammamy this evening in the Comcast Business U.S Open title decider in Philadelphia.

“To have support is amazing and to everyone who came out today, we really appreciate it,” she said. “I didn’t have anyone in my corner until the last game when Lucy [Beecroft] came and really kicked my butt! I didn’t think about the ranking too much, when I was 0-2 down I wanted to put in a good performance and not have any regrets.”

Home hopes ended for wildcards Niki Shemirani and Danielle Ray after losing out to Alicia Mead and Nour Heikal. Egypt’s Nardine Garas came from 2-1 down to overcome Xin Ying Yee, while Anahat Singh and Marta Dominguez beat Cindy Merlo and Tong Tsz-Wing Tong.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Athletic Club Open 2025 also kicked off today. The first two rounds of the Copper-level men’s event are being held at the Toronto Athletic Club, with the glass court at Brookfield Place hosting the quarter finals onwards.

Perry Malik claimed one of the biggest results of the opening day after he downed former World #17 Cesar Salazar 3-0 in 24 minutes.