Third Time Lucky For New Black Ball Open Champion El Sherbini

Twice a runner-up, world No.1 Nour El Sherbini finally got her hands on the CIB PSA Black Ball Open trophy following her 3/1 win over USA's Amanda Sobhy in the women's final of the PSA World Tour Platinum event at Black Ball Sporting Club in Cairo, Egypt.

El Sherbini, 25, had suffered final defeats to compatriots Raneem El Welily and Hania El Hammamy in the past three years, while Sobhy got the better of the four-time World Champion in the quarter-final stage of December's Black Ball Open.

However, the Egyptian has put a number of peerless displays at the event this week and continued that form into her final fixture with Sobhy to win 13-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7 in 42 minutes.

Sobhy, bidding to become the first US player ever to win a major PSA title, had opportunities and looked to have the edge physically in the latter stages. But El Sherbini's racket skills saw her come up with winners at the crucial moments in the 40th PSA Tour final of her career to collect the 23rd title as well as over $22,000 in prize money.

It is El Sherbini's second title of the season after winning the CIB Egyptian Open in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in October. It sees her extend her lead at the top the CIB Road to Egypt Standings, with her wins at the Egyptian Open and the Black Ball Open seeing her secure qualification for the CIB PSA World Tour Finals, which will take place in June.

"I'm really glad that I finally won the Black Ball Open," said El Sherbini afterwards.

"It's one of the biggest tournaments and a very special one in Egypt. I'm definitely really happy to finally win this tournament.

"I'd like to dedicate this tournament to a very special person that passed this year. Hany Hamouda [Former Egyptian Squash Board Member and Squash Federation of Africa President] has been one of the main supporters for me and he attended all four World Championship wins. I'm really sorry we lost him, he was a very special person to me, so I'd love to dedicate this trophy to him."