Asal & El Hammamy Claim Optasia Championships Titles
Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy have been crowned the Optasia Championships 2025 champions after delivering a pair of superb performances to defeat Paul Coll and Georgina Kennedy at the PSA Squash Tour Gold-level event at The Wimbledon Club in London.
In the men’s final Asal ensured he would overtake current World #1 Ali Farag at the summit of the World Rankings following a controlled 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 victory over second seed Coll.
The Egyptian started the match where he left off from his semi-final comeback over third seed Joel Makin, finding his lines and lengths on the all-glass court and controlling the pace of play on his terms.
The opening two games both went in Asal’s favour by dominant 11-4 scorelines, before Coll began to place more pressure on Asal early in the third. Asal, though, continued to cut a relaxed and confident figure, with the top seed pouncing with relentless power whenever Coll’s length was marginally off.
Despite defending champion Coll saving two championship balls, Asal wasn’t to be denied, sealing his 19th PSA Tour title with a backhand drop into the front left court which sparked his trademark celebrations, including ‘climbing’ both corners on the front wall.
“I’m really happy with myself,” Asal said after the match. “And to be World No.1 again, It just hits different.
“I’m really happy and proud of myself to bounce back after all of the controversial things in the past.
“Paul is such a legend of the game and for sure I knew that he had been touring in New Zealand and Australia and he had had some tough matches here. But still, Paul is so fit and I knew it would be a tough battle.”
In the women’s final World #3 Hammamy stormed through to her second title of the season following a flawless three-game victory over England #1 Kennedy.
El Hammamy, the top seed at the Gold-level final this week, played with incredible control throughout her 35 minutes on court, moving through to her 15th PSA Tour title by an 11-9, 11-2, 11-3 scoreline.
After overturning an early 9-6 deficit in the first game, El Hammamy continually pinned Kennedy deep in the court with some superb lines and lengths, only growing in confidence as the match progressed with Kennedy making a number of uncharacteristic unforced errors.
The Egyptian took a one-sided second game to the loss of just two points, before cruising to seven championship balls after a third game filled with superbly-constructed rallies.
El Hammamy sealed victory in fitting style, hitting a perfect length that died off the back wall with Kennedy waiting to make the return.
“The first game was really, really tough today,” El Hammamy said. “I had a few nerves, and I think after that first, I relaxed a bit and was able to play my best game.
“I knew that if I got my tactics right, I got my length right, I would be able to get through in three. But obviously, the first could have gone her way and I had to battle hard.
“I found better targets from there and I found the good performance that I was looking for.”
The next stop on the PSA Squash Tour is the Bronze-level Manchester Open 2025, which will take place from 2nd to 6th March at the National Squash Centre. Watch the action unfold live on SQUASHTV.
