El Hammamy Battles Past Sivasangari In World Championship Epic

World No.1 Hania El Hammamy continued her search for a first CIB Palm Hills PSA World Championship title by reaching the semi-finals after edging past Sivasangari Subramaniam in a drama-filled five-game clash at Golf Central Palm Hills in Giza, Egypt.

The top seed prevailed by a 9-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8 scoreline after 93 minutes of play in a match that saw her tested to the limit by the Malaysian No.1.

Both players required treatment from the physio in a physically-testing encounter, with Sivasangari rolling her ankle and El Hammamy hurting her hip after diving for the ball. El Hammamy was able to push through from 8-8 in the decider to get a win which will pit her up against arch-rival Amina Orfi in the next round.

"It was very tough, I've just seen the duration of the match, it was such a long match," said El Hammamy afterwards.

"It's definitely a lot of pressure. I'm playing in front of my home crowd, which actually really helped today, they were screaming my name and trying to push me to come back in the match. It's a lot of pressure being the No.1 seed, but I just try to talk to myself a bit and have the mindset that I've already had a great season, I've done a lot of achievements that I haven't done before, so I'm just trying to stay in the moment and be a bit more positive.

"It's easier said than done, obviously. You can get a bit stuck in your head sometimes. Tomorrow, I'll try to talk a bit more positively to myself and have a better performance in the semi-finals."

Four-time World Junior Champion Orfi powered her way into the last four for the first time after defeating world No.6 Satomi Watanabe in four games.

Despite falling a game behind, the world No.3 stormed back in devastating style to book her spot in the semi-finals by a 9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 scoreline. There is certainly no love lost between Orfi and El Hammamy, and fireworks should be expected as they battle for a place in the final of squash's biggest tournament.

"I don't really care [about the headlines between myself and Hania El Hammamy], I think everything that has been said is far from the truth," said Orfi.

"I'm just going to focus on the match, and I'm just saying to myself, there are just two more matches until I'm hopefully World Champion. Every previous year I've come to the World Championships and wanted to do well, play well, and maybe go one round further. I want to win this, I'm a contender."

Meanwhile, 2024 World Champion Diego Elias will take on Egypt's reigning World Champion Mostafa Asal in a blockbuster final after the Peruvian defeated World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria 3/1. It follows up his win over the Egyptian in the final of April's El Gouna International.

There was little between the pair in a gruelling 32-minute first game, which saw Elias sneak it by two points. However, it was a masterclass from the Peruvian in the next two as he powered away to book his spot in the semi-finals.

"He made it really tough, I felt it in the first game," Elias said after the match.

"In the second game, the ball was more dead, and I could attack more. When I went up 9-3 in the first, I think I slowed up the pace and he was comfortable in that pace. I don't think it matters for Mostafa [having a day off]. When he plays in an early round, it's always 25 or 30 minutes. Whenever we play each other, we always play our best."

Elias and Asal will meet for the 20th time on the PSA Squash Tour, with Asal winning 11 of them, although Elias did get the better of the world No.1 in the El Gouna semi-finals.

Asal received a walkover into the last-four after his quarter-final opponent Joel Makin pulled out due to a knee injury.