Tournament of Champions 2026 : It’s Hania & Mostafa !!

Top seeds Hania El Hammamy and Mostafa Asal have been crowned the Sprott Tournament of Champions champions following their victories against Olivia Weaver and Paul Coll at Grand Central Terminal, New York.

El Hammamy produced a comeback for the ages to retain her ToC crown in a five-game epic with US #1 Weaver. The World #1, who becomes only the fourth female player to retain the title, trailed 9-3 to Weaver in the fifth, with the American two points away from securing her maiden Platinum-level title. But El Hammamy, who had never been defeated by Weaver, denied the American a landmark victory as she sensationally surged back to register eight points without reply to triumph in 81 minutes of pulsating squash.

“I’m really thrilled!” she said. “It’s an unbelievable tournament and I had a massive battle yesterday with Nour. I was struggling this morning to get out of bed to have a hit. Today I felt so flat throughout the whole match, I was so tired and Olivia was playing incredibly well. She was really on point today and I’m beyond proud I managed to get through this today. I have no words for what happened in the fifth!”

Meanwhile Asal won his first-ever ToC title following a dominant 3-0 victory against second seed Coll. Asal, a first-time ToC finalist was meeting Coll for the third time this season with silverware up for grabs, with the New Zealander triumphing in the Qatar Classic and Asal lifting the  U.S. Open crown.

Since losing in the semi finals of the Silicon Valley Open to Victor Crouin in October, Asal hasn’t dropped a single game and the ‘Raging Bull’ maintained that incredible streak, dominating all three games against the Kiwi to win 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 for title number 26.

“I am really proud of myself. Just getting into the final of ToC and just winning this title feels amazing,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it, this tournament is unique and I am so happy to add this to my list of trophies and titles. It’s unreal.

SEMIS : Top seeds through to the finals in NY

Top seeds Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy are joined in the ToC finals by Paul Coll and Olivia Weaver.

Defending champion El Hammamy staved off a revival from eight-time World Champion Nour ElSherbini to triumph in five games to book her place in the final. World #1 El Hammamy, who clinched her first ToC title last year, had a 2-1 lead before ElSherbini surged back to level the match and force a decider – just like the World #5 did when they last met in the semi finals of the Hong Kong Open in December.

In a tense fifth game and with El Hammamy in command with a 5-3 lead, a blood injury sustained by the 25-year-old could have halted her momentum. However El Hammamy didn’t let the break in play disrupt her rhythm, clinching the decider 11-7 to round off an 80-minute blockbuster battle.

“It was such a battle, it was really hard,” she said. “I’m in my own journey with how I play those battles and win even if I’m not playing my best. I don’t think I played my best and that’s why I’m really proud I managed to dig deep and fight. I forgot I haven’t been playing like this for so long, I’ve been throwing myself on the floor and diving a lot and I don’t think my team will be happy with this either!

El Hammamy will play Weaver in the title decider tomorrow night, after the US #1 eased her way into her maiden ToC final after downing Fayrouz Aboelkheir in straight games.

There will be a new name on the men’s trophy after World #1 Asal and World #2 Coll progressed to their first final in New York City. Asal was too strong for his fellow Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad, dispatching the 2017 champion in straight games, while Coll became the first male New Zealander to reach the ToC final after he overturned a 1-0 deficit to overcome World #3 Diego Elias.

Day SIX : Aboelkheir downs Orfi as semi-finalists are settled in NY

Fayrouz Aboelkheir advanced to her maiden Platinum-level semi-final after ousting second seed Amina Orfi at Grand Central.

Aboelkheir reached the last four of a Diamond-level event for the first time earlier this season on home turf at the CIB Egyptian Open, but has now achieved that feat for a Platinum event. She took the opening games, saved five game balls in the second to double her lead and closed out the match in a tense third game.

“It’s a huge win this time. I’ve played against Amina a lot and she took two World Juniors off me! She’s a great player and I know she’s fighting for World #1, the pressure is on her and I had no pressure on my shoulders this time,” she said.“Today I came with a new mindset and the mindset was I really want to take something out of her as she took something out of me, she took out my junior career, she took a lot out of me and I wanted to take something out of her which I managed to do.”

Aboelkheir’s semi-final opponent will be home favourite Olivia Weaver after the US #1 fended off Sivsangari Subramaniam in four games.

In the men’s matches Diego Elias celebrated his 500th PSA match with a four game win over Mohamed ElShorbagy. The ‘Peruvian Puma’ will lock horns with Paul Coll for the 19th time  for a place in the final after  the New Zealander’s beat Victor Crouin, also in four games.

Coll, who’s never reached the final in New York City, made it back-to-back wins at this event over the Frenchman, winning 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 in 68 minutes.

Day FIVE : Asal, Gawad, Hammamy and Sherbini top seeds advance to semi-finals in NY

It was an Egyptian clean sweep on Day Five of the Sprott Tournament of Champions as top seeds Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy were joined by Karim Abdel Gawad and Nour ElSherbini in the last fours.

Eight-time World Champion Nour ElSherbini defeated Jasmine Hutton to progress to her tenth consecutive ToC semi-final. ElSherbini, whose first appearance in the last four in New York came in 2012 when she was just 16 years old, had to recover from a game down to defeat Hutton 3-1 to achieve the feat.

“I think I have a problem with the start, but Jasmine is amazing, she is playing really good and she has improved a lot this season and the season before,” she said. “I’s always a tough match against her, it’s never easy, so I expected a battle today. She is so physically good and very skillful as well.

ElSherbini meets a familiar foe in the semi finals on Wednesday night in defending champion Hania El Hammamy, who eased her way to a 3-0 success against Satomi Watanabe.

In the men’s matches Karim Abdel Gawad is through to the semi finals for the first time in six years after holding off English youngster Jonah Bryant in four games.

2017 champion Gawad rolled back the years, playing some of the vintage squash which saw him become World No.1 and World Champion 10 years ago to down the Englishman for the third time on Tour.

Having won the first 11-7, Gawad was pegged back by Bryant as the World No.14 started to find his range. 34-year-old Gawad had two game balls saved by Bryant in the third, but he held his nerve to win the tiebreak 12-10.

Gawad was in his groove in the fourth, moving well around the court and hitting his targets with sublime precision to clinch the game 11-6 and advance to the final four for the first time in six years.

Gawad will take on his fellow Egyptian Mostafa Asal as the top seed progressed to the semi finals after Youssef Ibrahim was forced to retire during the second game.

Day FOUR : Siva and ElShorbagy survive as quarter-final linups are completed in NY

Sivasangari Subramaniam roared back from two games down against USA’s Amanda Sobhy to earn her first-ever ToC quarter-final appearance at Grand Central Terminal.

Sobhy, who last got the better of Sivasangari in round one 12 months ago, charged into a 2-0 lead in front of her home crowd – and was one game away from reaching the quarter finals in New York for the first time in three years. But those hopes were dashed by the Malaysian as the momentum swung in Sivasangari’s favour, with the World #6 dominating the rallies and finding her range as she prevailed  6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 to progress to her maiden quarter-final in New York.

“I feel proud with how I fought today,” she said. “I was 2-0 down and even in the third I was down. I tried to fight each point and try not to give it up easily. I tried to hang in there and even if I lost the match I wanted to try and fight as much as I can, stay on that court as long as I can and I think by doing that I managed to sneak the third. Even the fourth was close and even if I was leading it was close. I know Amanda is feeling it as I’m feeling it too and I was trying to hide it better. I’m happy to be through.”

Sivasangari’s quarter-final opponent will be US #1 Olivia Weaver, who eased to a 3-0 win over her compatriot Marina Stefanoni. Egyptian pair Amina Orfi and Fayrouz Aboelkheir also progressed in straight games, seeing off Nele Gilis and Lucy Beecroft.

Mohamed ElShorbagy staged a dramatic comeback of his own to book his place in the last eight, recovering from 2-0 down to see off Eain Yow Ng 3-2.

ElShorbagy, a three-time ToC champion, recorded a record 588th PSA win to reach this stage, but win number 589 looked to be on hold when Ng took a two-game lead, with the Malaysian hunting his first triumph against ElShorbagy, who kept his composure to complete a 4-11, 13-15, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 victory to secure a place in the last eight.

“I can’t remember the last time I was 2-0 down. As you get older, the amount of times you win matches like this doesn’t happen often. To win a match like that in Grand Central, I’m so proud of that performance and I’m excited to be back on court again in two days,” he said.

ElShorbagy will meet Diego Elias in the quarter finals, who downed Greg Lobban 3-0, while Victor Crouin and Paul Coll also registered straight game victories over Iker Pajares and Bernat Jaume.

Day THREE : Watanabe stages comeback as top seeds reach the quarters in NY

Japan’s Satomi Watanabe staged a dramatic comeback against  Anahat Singh to avoid a shock defeat to the Indian teenager in round two in New York City.

Watanabe, who was looking to reach the ToC quarter finals for the first time, was two games down with the 17-year-old Singh featuring in her first Platinum-level event. The sixth seed altered her game plan and overturned the deficit to triumph 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 in 47 minutes.

“It was a really difficult match for me – Anahat played such amazing squash and her winners were insane,” she said. “All I could do was retrieve those ones which weren’t straight to the point. I was trying to get my game going, but it wasn’t quite happening today. I’m just happy to get through today.

England’s Jasmine Hutton earned her second straight quarter-final appearance in New York City after downing seventh seed Tinne Gilis 3-0, reigning champion Hania El Hammamy notched a 3-0 success of her own against fellow Egyptian Kenzy Ayman, while five-time ToC winner Nour ElSherbini downed Sana Ibrahim 3-1.

In the men’s matches 2017 champion Karim Abdel Gawad avenged his 2025 defeat to Gregoire Marche by beating the Frenchman in a five-game epic to progress to the quarter finals.

World Champion Mostafa Asal beat World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria in a monumental 75-minute three games, while Jonah Bryant ended home favourite Timmy Brownell’s run and Youssef Ibrahim held off Baptiste Masotti in four games.

Day TWO : Round One complete as ElShorbagy sets PSA win record

Former World #1 Mohamed ElShorbagy etched his name into the PSA history books after climbing to the summit of the all-time wins list in the modern era after beating Juan Vargas in New York.

The three-time ToC Champion surpassed his coach Gregory Gaultier to achieve the feat, with his round one victory in the final match of the day at Grand Central Terminal being his 588th on Tour.

“It means a lot to me of course to break the record, especially knowing that it was Greg  that held that record and to know that he is now helping me in my journey,” he said. “We used to be rivals so to know that we are number one and two in terms of matches won on Tour, to share that together is such an honour and it is something to be proud of.”

2023 champion Diego Elias continued his comeback from injury with a 3-0 triumph against Dimitri Steinmann in a highly entertaining clash to set up a round two meeting with Greg Lobban on Sunday.

Meanwhile Iker Pajares fended off a resurgence from Abhay Singh to win 3-2, while his Spanish teammate Bernat Jaume recovered from a game down to see off Declan James 3-1 in 72 minutes.

In the women’s draw US #1 Olivia Weaver began her ToC campaign by toppling Canada’s Hollie Naughton 3-0. Weaver will be joined by her USA teammates Amanda Sobhy and Marina Stefanoni in the second round following their straight game victories over Zeina Mickawy and Aira Azman.

Day ONE : US #1 Brownell downs Marwan ElShorbagy as action begins in NY

USA’s World #26 Timmy Brownell battled back from a game down to stun World #7 Marwan ElShorbagy on the opening day in New York.

ElShorbagy, who was runner-up in 2023 to Diego Elias, squandered four game balls in the third as he looked to reclaim the lead, but Brownell kept his cool to nudge  in front, then saved two game balls in the fourth before taking the match 13-11.

“I’m thrilled. I’ve got a lot of work to do with recovery to get ready for the next round, but I’m really happy with the way I fought and my team and everything was to the nines. We got everything done and I think we deserved it today,” he said.

Elsewhere Youssef Ibrahim avenged his China Open final defeat to Mohamed Abouelghar to see off his Egyptian compatriot 3-1 in the final match of the day on the glass court, while former champion Karim Abdel Gawad recovered from a game down to overcome Aly Abou Eleinen.

In the women’s draw reigning champion Hania El Hammamy kicked off her title defence with a 3-0 success against Tomato Ho, while Kenzy Ayman held off a resurgence from her fellow Egyptian Nour Aboulmakarim to 3-2, with Sana Ibrahim also prevailing in an all-Egyptian clash with Mariam Metwally.

Preview

The first PSA Platinum event of the year returns to New York’s Grand Central from 22nd to 29th Jan.