El Hammamy Defeats Sivasangari To Set Up World No.1 Showdown With Orfi

World No.1 Hania El Hammamy clinched an epic five-game victory over Sivasangari Subramaniam to book her place in the final of the 2026 QTerminals Qatar Classic in Doha, setting up a tantalising showdown with Egyptian compatriot Amina Orfi for the women's world No.1 ranking position.

El Hammamy, who will be joined by fierce rival Orfi as well as Mostafa Asal and Victor Crouin in the finals, was forced to fight every step of the way to secure the enthralling 87-minute win over Sivasangari at the Khalifa International Squash Complex, holding off the world No.5 by an 8-11, 11-9, 15-13, 9-11, 12-10 scoreline.

In a match which flowed with quality from the opening point to last, it was El Hammamy who weathered the relentless momentum swings and held her nerve deep in the fifth game, converting her second match ball to retain her position at the top of the world rankings for another day.

"It was very tough," El Hammamy said after the match. "It was extremely tough playing against Siva. I knew she was going to be on form today; she's playing for a spot in the Olympics next week. I knew she was going to be fiery and produce a good level of squash.

"I'm really pleased with how I fought with my squash there. I think I'm getting better day by day, so I'm really happy to get through.

"I've been world No.1 for almost a year now and I don't think anyone is going to take that away from me. Of course I want to keep it as long as possible."

Her final opponent, world No.2 Orfi, made far lighter work of her semi-final opponent, requiring just 36 minutes to power past England's Jasmine Hutton in straight games.

The 19-year-old, who will eclipse the great Susan Devoy as the youngest-ever women's world No.1 if she lifts the Qatar Classic title, barely put a foot wrong as she staved off the attacking threats of world No.12 Hutton on her way to an 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 win.

On the potential to reach world No.1 in the PSA Rankings, Orfi said after the match: "It would mean everything, but my focus is on winning the tournament. I know if I do that, this will be the result of it."

Meanwhile, in the men's event, world No.5 Victor Crouin advanced to the second major final of his career following a hard-fought four-game victory over world No.4 Karim Gawad.

Crouin, who finished runner-up to Mohamed ElShorbagy in the 2022 edition of the Qatar Classic, burst out of the blocks with deserved 11-2 and 11-7 game wins.

However, 2016 Qatar Classic champion Gawad came charging back into the contest and stood on the verge of sending the match to a fifth game, holding four game balls in a scrappy fourth game.

The Frenchman repelled all four of Gawad's game balls, however, before snatching the match at the first time of asking, sealing the 11-2, 11-7, 9-11, 14-12 victory after 75 minutes of play.

"I felt pretty good this morning waking up," Crouin admitted after the match. "I felt good and it gave me the edge at the beginning of the match, to come out super strong, which I even surprised myself with.

"I missed the Qatar Classic in the last two years, so I'm not going to miss it again in the future, because I clearly play well here.

"I'm looking forward to a good final against Mostafa tomorrow. It's one more push, it's a final, it's a special day and I'm going to give it my all."

Meanwhile, world No.1 Mostafa Asal produced an imposing display on the all-glass court, romping to a three-game victory over Marwan ElShorbagy to the loss of just seven points.

The Qatar Classic remains the one current major title which Asal hasn't won in his career to date, and the Egyptian looked in as strong a form as ever to complete his collection of major accolades, wrapping up the 11-3, 11-1, 11-3 win after just 33 minutes of play.