El Sherbini Retains Women's World Title

Nour El Sherbini, who last year became not only the youngest but the first Egyptian female world squash champion, successfully retained her title after defeating compatriot Raneem El Welily in the final of the Orascom Development PSA Women's World Championship in El Gouna.

Held at the New Marina against the backdrop of Egypt's Red Sea, El Sherbini - who defeated Laura Massaro in the 2016 final - was in spell-binding form to despatch a slightly nervy El Welily, who was appearing in her second World Championship final.

The 21-year-old hit her targets well and never allowed fellow Alexandrian El Welily to get into her game, with El Sherbini closing out the match 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 to write her name into the history books once more.

El Sherbini's victory brings a six-month title drought to an end and it is her first major title since she lifted her first World Championship title in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia a year ago.

"I'm over the moon, two or three months ago I wouldn't have imagined that I would have won because I haven't won a [major] title this season," said El Sherbini.

"It felt like I wasn't going to win this season anymore, but once I knew that it was going to be in Egypt, I was so excited and I wanted to come and play in El Gouna.

"I'm really happy to win in front of my home crowd and it's never easy to play Raneem. I've grown up learning a lot from her and she's told me a lot of things off court and on court. She's the best 'sister' I could ever have besides my squash career and I am really thankful for everything she did for me."