The 2024/25 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family heads back to Chicago in just over a weeks time, bringing together 128 of the world’s best players to one city to compete for the biggest prize in professional squash. 27 different nationalities will be represented at this season’s championships, showcasing the variety of the current PSA Squash Tour.
A multitude of high quality matches will take place across the nine days of competition with prize money, ranking points and legacies on the line for all players in the draws. The matches in the business end of the tournament will undoubtedly be of the highest order, however we have identified two men’s and two women’s matches earlier in the tournament that we think can produce fireworks.
Round 2: [8] Mohamed Elshorbagy v Mohamad Zakaria
If both players clear their first-round hurdles – Mohamad Zakaria against Scotland’s Rory Stewart and Mohamed Elshorbagy against compatriot Nathan Lake – the squash world could be treated to a generational clash between two players at opposite ends of their careers.
17-year-old Zakaria has been hailed as one of Egypt’s brightest young talents, with a fearless playing style and a maturity beyond his years. A matchup with Elshorbagy, the former World No.1 and World Champion, would be a captivating battle between youth and experience. The teenager recently reached his first major event quarter final in El Gouna, beating World No.6 Tarek Momen in round one and subsequently broke into the top 20 in the World Rankings, the second youngest player ever to do this. Elshorbagy on the other hand has been struggling to find his top form in recent months but will be as determined as ever to claim another major title before his career ends and where better than a World Championships.
Round 3: Sivasangari Subramaniam v Amanda Sobhy
Both Sivasangari Subramaniam and Amanda Sobhy will be arriving to Chicago in top form. Subramaniam recently reached the Grasshopper Cup Gold event final whilst Sobhy captured a title on home soil at the Squash on Fire Open. The pair have been drawn in the same section of the draw and may play each other in round three. The pair will have to navigate two matches in order to set up the highly anticipated clash but are seeded to do so.
The pair are currently level at 2-2 in the head to head standings with Subramaniam winning the most recent meeting in the Cincinnati Gaynor Cup final. The Malaysian came through in a 48-minute five set clash avenging a loss by the same scoreline from this year’s J.P Morgan Tournament of Champions. Of the four meetings, three have gone the distance and another nail-biting, high-quality clash is expected again.
Quarter Finals: [3] Diego Elias v [5] Joel Makin
The World No.3 vs the World No.5 needs no introduction. Wales’ Joel Makin is seeded to face defending champion Diego Elias in the quarter finals of this year’s World Championships if the pair successfully navigate through to the last eight stage.
With Makin arriving in the form of his life and Elias only recently returning to competitive action, the chances of the Welshman have drastically improved from what would have been said at this stage last season. Makin is closing in on the World No.4 position after reaching another Platinum semi-final and claiming the Pittsburgh Open this year, can do this if certain scenarios go his way. Elias, however, suffered an injury in Pittsburgh and only returned to action at the Grasshopper Cup and after two competitive games with Ali Farag in the final, physically struggled in games three and four. Not being at your best physically is not an option against Makin, who sees his physicality as a super-strength.
A successful defence of a World Championships title has only been done by five men in the history of the game and if the Peruvian is to become the sixth, he’ll need to find his best squash sooner than he may have wanted do.
Quarter Finals: [3] Hania El Hammamy v [5] Amina Orfi
It’s hard to believe that Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy is still only 24 years old given how long she has been at the top of the women’s game and given what she’s already achieved in her career. One thing missing from her already impressive trophy haul, is the World Championships trophy. To progress to a third consecutive semi-final, El Hammamy may need to come through a sure to be brutal clash with younger compatriot Amina Orfi in the quarter finals.
Orfi is a force to be reckoned with and showed that in abundance at the recent El Gouna International where she defeated 7x World Champion Nour ElSherbini in five games on route to reaching her first major event final. El Hammamy is well aware of the talents and grit or Orfi after their clash in the Singapore Open final, which saw Orfi claim the first Gold event win of her career.
Both players will know the significance of this potential quarter final clash and no punches will be thrown with a spot in the World Championships semi-finals up for grabs.
The 2024/25 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family gets underway on 9th May and runs to the 17th. With all action available to watch live on SQUASHTV and selected broadcast partners later in the event.
For more information on the PSA World Championships 24/25, visit the tournament website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook,Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp or LinkedIn.
