Egypt has done well again this year, with not only Nour El Sherbini and Mohamed ElShorbagy wining best players of the season, but also making sure the future looks bright, with CIB Hania El Hammamy and Mostafa Asal clinching the Young Players!
And as usual, CIB Raneem El Welily and CIB Ali Farag continuing to win their Spirit Awards…
Not forgetting the MATCH OF THE YEAR! Mohamed El Shorbagy and Ali Farag
Players of the Year:
Egyptian pair Mohamed ElShorbagy and Nour El Sherbini have been crowned the 2019/20 PSA Players of the Year after being chosen by a combination of votes from both the PSA Awards Committee and squash fans. Mohamed has picked up the PSA Male Player of the Year award for the fourth time in his career after a season that saw him collect four titles, including the Tournament of Champions crown, and overthrow 2018/19 Male Player of the Year Ali Farag to reclaim the World No.1 spot after an 11-month absence.
ElShorbagy also got the better of Farag to win the Canary Wharf Classic in March, which was the final men’s event to take place before the suspension of the tour due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. That match was named by squash fans as the PSA Men’s Match of the Season.
Meanwhile, Nour has been named the PSA Female Player of the Year for the third time following a season which saw her win two PSA titles and reach the final of all four tournaments she competed in.
A knee injury kept El Sherbini out of action until October but, in her first event in four months, she stunned the squash world when she toppled World No.1 Raneem El Welily in front of the iconic Great Pyramid of Giza to capture her fourth Women’s World Championship trophy on the day of her 24th birthday.
El Sherbini also overcame El Welily to win the Windy City Open trophy in March, while she achieved runner-up finishes at the Tournament of Champions and Black Ball Open, the latter of which was the final women’s event to be held before the tour suspension.
El Welily, the 2018/19 PSA Female Player of the Year, finished second. The 31-year-old held onto her World No.1 ranking for the entirety of the season and won the Oracle NetSuite Open, as well as reaching finals at the Women’s World Championship, China Open and the Windy City Open.
Spirit Award
For the fourth year in a row El Welily won the women’s Spirit of Squash Award. The award is voted for by PSA players and is presented to the players who best demonstrated true sportsmanship during the season. The men’s award went to Ali Farag, who wins it for the fourth time in five years.
Young Players
Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy collected the Young Female Player of the Year award after beating El Sherbini to win her maiden Platinum tournament at the Black Ball Open. The 19-year-old also claimed a notable semi-final finish at the Women’s World Championship, coming from two games down to stun World No.4 Camille Serme in the last eight.
Her compatriot Mostafa Asal took the men’s honour after breaking into the top 20 and reaching his first ever Platinum quarter-final at the Tournament of Champions – beating former World No.1 Gregory Gaultier en route.
Well done to all and see you soon next year Insha’Allah..
