Latest news with #PSASquashTourFinals
Wales Online
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Sportsman makes history as first Welshman to win prestigious event
Sportsman makes history as first Welshman to win prestigious event Pembrokeshire-born Joel Makin, who is ranked number four in the world, beat Mostafa Asal, who is currently the world's number one Joel Makin has become the first ever Welshman to win the PSA Squash Tour Finals (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac ) Sportsman Joel Makin has become the first Welsh player in history to win the PSA Squash Tour Finals. The UK number one, who is ranked number four in the world, beat Mostafa Asal, who is currently the world's number one. The final of the season-ending event was held at Toronto's Revival Film Studios in Canada on Saturday, June 28. The 30-year old from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire had won the first two lung-busting games against his storied opponent and had taken the first point of the third game when Asal withdrew. It was the first major PSA final of his career. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . Makin had won the first two games 11-10 and 11-7 when Egyptian Asal said he could no longer play on. Despite Asal receiving treatment off the court, both he and Makin shook hands after a solitary point in the third game to bring a premature end to the match. The PSA's write up of the event reported that Makin was outplaying Asal before the Egyptian first showed signs of injury towards the end of the second game. As a result, Makin has ended a nine-match winless run against Asal. His win in Canada marks the 10th title of his career. Article continues below Following his win, the Welshman told PSA Squash Tour: "I've just been chipping away, and it's not been a short process, that's for sure". Content cannot be displayed without consent He continued: "It was a really high quality one, the same as last night [against Diego Elias]. "We had two really good games, it was frustrating in the third that we didn't get to keep going. At sudden death again in the first game, it was really high quality. It's upsetting that he wasn't right. "I'm happy to win, but I want that challenge, I want to win. I want to see how I am against him when he's playing well. "It's been another good week, it wasn't my best stuff in the group stages, but you've just got to keep trying, keep on getting better and come out and bring my best performance on the night." Article continues below
The Star
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Sivasangari exits PSA Finals winless
PETALING JAYA: S. Sivasangari's campaign at the PSA Squash Tour Finals in Toronto ended in disappointment as she exited without a win in the group stage. Drawn in Group B, Sivasangari was eager for a victory in her final group match against Japan fourth seed Satomi Watanabe on Wednesday (June 25).
New Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Sivasangari bows out of PSA Tour Finals without a win
KUALA LUMPUR: S. Sivasangari bowed out of the PSA Squash Tour Finals in Toronto without a win, losing all three of her Group B matches. The world No. 8, who lifted the Cincinnati Cup title in February, suffered her third straight defeat on Wednesday, going down 8-11, 11-9, 11-7 to world No. 7 Satomi Watanabe of Japan. It was Sivasangari's first loss to Satomi in seven PSA Tour meetings, and the result saw her finish bottom of the group. She had earlier lost to world No. 4 Olivia Weaver of the United States and world No. 14 Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt. National coach Ajaz Azmat said Sivasangari started well by taking the opening game against Satomi but couldn't maintain her momentum. "Sivasangari gave her best, but she just couldn't find the points to win the match," said Ajaz. "She'll now have two months to rest and regroup before the new season starts in September." Satomi, who became the first Japanese player to reach the Tour Finals semi-finals, praised her opponent's spirit. "All credit to Sivasangari, she showed her fighting spirit right until the end," said Satomi. "It's tough to stay motivated once you know your qualification chances are slim, but she still turned up for the final game. "I knew the second game was crucial. I was down 6-3 and really happy to turn it around." Satomi will face Group A winner and world No. 1 Nouran Gohar of Egypt in the semi-finals, while Weaver takes on world No. 10 Georgina Kennedy of England in the other last-four clash.
The Star
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Unforced errors during important points led to Sangari's surprise loss
S. Sivasangari lost to Egyptian Amina Orfi in the Malaysia Cup final in November. PETALING JAYA: Costly mistakes proved to be too much for national squash player S. Sivasangari at the PSA Squash Tour Finals in Canada. The world No. 8 couldn't find her footing as she took her second defeat in the group stage after falling to world No. 14 Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt on Tuesday. Sivasangari had the upper hand but missing crucial points gave Aboelkheir the chance to catch up and win the match 10-11, 11-9, 11-7 at the Revival Film Studios in Toronto. National coach Ajaz Azmat said Sivasangari could have gotten past Aboelkheir, but mistakes in the second and third allowed Aboelkheir to fight back. "Sivasangari played well but made unforced errors during important points. She was leading in the second set but the mistakes affected her momentum," he said. It was a surprise loss by the Malaysian as she had won both their previous meetings last year against Aboelkheir at the Singapore and Hong Kong Opens. Aboelkheir said she was wary of Sivasangari, knowing that the Malaysian No. 1 can spring a surprise anytime. "She (Sivasangari) is very dangerous, especially in a best-of-three match. You never know when it's going to go your way but I'm glad to win against her," said Aboelkheir. However, the hope remains that Sivasangari will win her final Group B stage fixture against No. 7 Satomi Watanabe of Japan. Although the chances of making it to the semi-finals are slim, Sivasangari will need to win in straight sets against Watanabe and hope the other group fixture between Olivia Weaver and Aboelkheir ends in straight sets as well for Weaver. Weaver sits top of the group with seven points, with Watanabe and Aboelkheir in second and third with four points each, while Sivasangari has one point as she won one set against Aboelkheir. Meanwhile in Group A, world No. 1 Nouran Gohar of Egypt and world No. 10 Georgina Kennedy of England sealed their spots in the semi-finals with a match to spare. Gohar defeated world No. 6 Tinne Gilis of Belgium 11-2, 11-4, while Kennedy took down world No. 9 Amanda Sobhy of the United States 11-4, 11-10.
The Sun
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Sivasangari out of tour finals semi-final contention after second defeat
NATIONAL squash ace S. Sivasangari's hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the 2024/2025 PSA Squash Tour Finals were dashed after she suffered her second consecutive defeat in Group B on Tuesday. The 26-year-old went down to Egypt's Fayrouz Aboelkheir 11-10, 9-11, 7-11 in a closely fought 41-minute battle at the Revival Film Studio in Toronto. Sivasangari took the first game 11-10 but was unable to maintain her momentum, eventually falling 9-11, 7-11 in the next two games. This follows her opening-day loss to second seed Olivia Weaver of the United States, where the Kedah-born player lost in straight games, 9-11, 9-11. Weaver continued her winning form in Group B, overcoming Japan's Satomi Watanabe 3-11, 11-6, 11-6 in 31 minutes. Group B remains open for the second semi-final spot, with Watanabe and Aboelkheir each recording one win ahead of today's final group match. The PSA Tour Finals features the top eight players in the world, divided into two groups, with only the top two from each group progressing to the semi-finals.
