Egypt swept the 2026 QTerminals Qatar Classic as Amina Orfi and Mostafa Asal captured the women’s and men’s titles, extending a year in which the two Egyptians have also emerged as the reigning world champions.
The historic result belonged to 19-year-old Orfi, who defeated compatriot and defending champion Hania El Hammamy 3-2 in a 107-minute final to claim her first Qatar Classic crown and the 15th professional title of her career. The victory secured enough ranking points for Orfi to overtake El Hammamy at the top of the women’s standings.
At 19 years and two months, Orfi will become the youngest women’s World No.1 in squash history when the updated PSA rankings take effect, breaking a record that has stood since 1984. New Zealand great Susan Devoy was 20 years and two months when she first reached No.1.
The Doha breakthrough caps an extraordinary rise. Orfi became the youngest women’s world champion in May at 18 years and 10 months, then broke a 94-year record in June to become the youngest women’s British Open champion at 18 years and 11 months. She had already made history in 2025 as the first player, male or female, to win four World Junior Championship titles.
Egypt’s sweep was completed by men’s World No.1 Mostafa Asal, who defeated France’s Victor Crouin 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 to win the Qatar Classic for the first time. The title was the 30th PSA crown of Asal’s career after he had finished runner-up in Doha in both 2024 and 2025.
The victory also reinforced Asal’s position at the head of the men’s game. He entered Doha as World No.1 and reigning world champion, while Orfi’s victory over El Hammamy means Egypt is set to hold the top ranking in both the men’s and women’s games simultaneously.
The Qatar triumph also mirrors Egypt’s success at the 2026 World Championships in Giza, where Orfi and Asal captured the women’s and men’s titles. Their Doha victories therefore give the same Egyptian pair the first major titles of the new PSA season after they closed the previous championship cycle as world champions.
Egypt’s depth was particularly visible in the women’s competition: Orfi had to displace another Egyptian, El Hammamy, from World No.1, while eight-time world champion Nour El Sherbini remains among the sport’s leading players. Before the Qatar Classic, Egyptians occupied the first three positions in the women’s rankings, while Asal led a men’s top 20 containing several Egyptian players.
The timing adds significance. Squash will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, placing Egypt’s current concentration of world champions and top-ranked players at the centre of the sport as it enters its first Olympic cycle.
For Orfi, Doha represents more than another title. Before turning 20, the Egyptian has become the youngest women’s world champion, youngest British Open champion and now the youngest player to secure the women’s World No.1 position—three milestones that underline both the speed of her ascent and the continuing renewal of Egypt’s squash dominance.
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