[1] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 [3] Sivasangari Subramaniam (Mas) 11-7, 14-12, 11-9 (43m)
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-1 [2] Diego Elias (Per) 13-11, 12-14, 11-4, 11-5 (52m)
Finals : Top seeds Gohar and Farag capture titles
Egyptian pair Ali Farag and Nouran Gohar have been crowned the Grasshopper Cup 2025 champions for the first time in their careers after victories over Diego Elias and Sivasangari Subramaniam at the Gold-level event at Zurich Hauptbahnhof.
It’s Farag’s 46th PSA title on the PSA Squash Tour, the 27th different event he’s won after finally getting his hands on the piece of silverware that has eluded him throughout his trophy-laden career. Farag was runner-up at the Grasshopper Cup back in 2017 where he lost out to Gregory Gaultier, and he defeated Elias for the fourth time this season in a final to take the crown.
“It sounds good to be the Grasshopper Cup champion,” said Farag.“I’ve been trying to win this for many years. I’ve loved the city, loved the event, loved the crowd but the one thing missing was the title. I’m so proud and happy.”
Meanwhile, Gohar crowned her first-ever visit to Switzerland by taking home the title after downing Subramaniam in straight games. It was the fourth meeting between the pair, and Gohar maintained her unbeaten record to claim her 33rd PSA title.
“I’m very happy. I think this is one of the few tournaments that I’ve won at the first attempt,” said Gohar. “To be honest, I really enjoyed my time here. It’s my first time in Switzerland. I’ve been around it but never here and it didn’t disappoint. This was one of the most amazing crowds to play in front of so it was a blast and a great week and I’m very happy to end the week positively.”
Semis : Farag outlasts Makin as Subramanian topples Gilis
Top seed Ali Farag booked his place in the final downing Joel Makin 3-2 in an 80-minute blockbuster battle at Zurich Hauptbahnhof, while in the women’s draw Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramanian downed second seed Tinne Gilis.
“It’s been eight years since I was last in the final here at the Grasshopper Cup against Greg Gaultier and he beat me 3-0, so I’m very happy get through today,” Farag said. “Joel and I played a brilliant match last week at El Gouna and I think this one even surpassed that one.”
Farag will meet Diego Elias for the eighth time this season in the final tomorrow – the fourth time where a piece of silverware will be up for grabs – as he downed Aly Abou Eleinen in four games.
Despite Eleinen taking a lot out of Elias with lengthy exchanges in the first two games, the Peruvian dug deep to close out a 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3 triumph in 48 minutes.
Women’s top seed Nouran Gohar and Subramaniam will contest the women’s final after wins over Gina Kennedy and Tinne Gilis.
Subramaniam is into a Gold-level final for the second time, beating the second seed in just under an hour.
“Of course it was tight – it was close right up until the end. I made three silly errors when I had three match balls. I think in the end I just managed to keep my nerves, I managed to stay as positive as I could,” she said.
Quarters : Elias and Kennedy stage comebacks to reach semis in Zurich
World champion Diego Elias saved five match balls to secure a place in the semi finals at the expense of France’s Victor Crouin at Zurich Hauptbahnhof. Crouin took the opening game 11-8, Elias levelled 11-4 then Crouin went 10-5 up in the decider before Elias’s fightback.
“I have no idea how I did that,” said second seeded Elias. “I was just doing whatever at the end and it worked!” Elias said post-match. “I think I haven’t been playing matches in a while and I haven’t found my radar yet, I’m a bit lost on court. I thought I had lost so I just went for it.”
Aly Abou Eleinen awaits Elias in the semi finals after the Egyptian ended home hopes for Swiss #1 Dimitri Steinmann with a straight games victory.
Top seed Ali Farag and thied seed Joel Makin will face off in the second semi-final. Four-time world champion Farag was provided with a stern test by Greg Lobban to win 2-1 while 2023 Grasshopper Cup runner-up Makin dug deep to fend off Baptiste Masotti by the same scoreline.
In the women’s draw fourth seed Gina Kennedy came from a game and 4-8 down to beat Jasmine Hutton in an all-English battle. She’ll meet top seed Nouran Gohar who overpowered Satomi Watanabe 2-0.
Second seed Tinne Gilis and third seed Siva Subramaniam will lock horns for the second place in Sunday’s final after they despatched Salma Hany and Nada Abbas in straight games.
Day Three : Steinmann boosts home hopes as quarter-finalists decided
Swiss #1 Dimitri Steinmann is into the quarter finals of a Gold-level event for the first time after defeating Mohamed ElSherbini to reach is first Gold event quarter-final.
“It’s an amazing feeling, first time quarter-final at a Gold event and what a way to do it!” he said afterwards.
He’ll meet fourth seed Aly Abou Eleinen in the quarters, where second seed Diego Elias will face Victor Crouin as both took 2-0 wins.
It all went to seeding in the women’s draw too, as Tinne Gilis, Salma Hany, Siva Subramaniam and Nada Abbas all advanced in straight games.
Day Two : Swiss hopes end as Round Two begins
Men’s top seed Ali Farag ended hopes for home favourite Nicolas Mueller after defeating the former Swiss #1 2-0 in round at Zurich Hauptbahnhof.
It’s Farag’s first appearance at the Grasshopper Cup in nearly three years, where Mueller stunned the four-time world champion by knocking him out in round two back in 2022.
However Farag was in determined mood this time out despite a partisan crowd backing Mueller. The World No.2 was in full control over the course of both games, claiming two 11-5 victories for a quarter-final match-up with Greg Lobban on Friday.
“I’m very happy to be back healthy and I’ve been unlucky in this tournament for the last few years,” he said. “I’ve always loved coming back, it just hasn’t worked out draw-wise or health-wise. I’m happy to be back, and I couldn’t ask for a better return.”
Lobban made the quarter-finals after the Scot beat Juan Camilo Vargas in three games, while fourth seed Joel Makin will be up against Baptiste Masotti who upset eighth seed Abdulla Al-Tamimi.
Women’s top seed Nouran Gohar marked her Grasshopper Cup debut in style with a comprehensive 2-0 victory against Georgia Adderley.
“I’ve been dying to come to this tournament every single time but with our calendar it doesn’t really work sometimes,” she said. “This year I was very happy I was able to manage the schedule well and be able to come. It’s an amazing city and an amazing crowd and I wanted to be a part of it before I retire!
Gohar will meet Japan’s Satomi Watanabe for a place in the semis, with Gina Kennedy and Jasmine Hutton meeting in an all-English quarter-final.
