Challenger Tour Round-Up: James Sets Up Jaume Final in Lille, Elhammamy into Islamabad Semis

PSA Des Hauts De France – Wam 

Declan James is into his first final since 2018, after beating Moustafa El Sirty in the PSA Des Hauts De France – Wam semi-finals, setting up a showdown with No.2 seed Bernat Jaume. 

James has missed much of 2023 through injury after rupturing his achilles last year and is playing in just his fourth tournament since returning, but is now into the final after beating the young Egyptian 3-1 in 71 minutes. 

James will play Spain’s Jaume after he ended the impressive run of rising French star Brice Nicolas, beating the 20-year-old 3-0. 

The unseeded Nicolas had knocked out No.5 seed Ivan Perez Saavedra in the last 16 before seeing off third seed Yannik Omlor in the quarter-finals, but a semi-final win over the World No.55 would be one step too far. 

Jaume never looked in too much danger, winning 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 in 50 minutes, and will now play James for the first time ever on the PSA Tour, with the Spaniard targeting a first 15k title. 

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CAS-Serena Hotels International Squash Championship 

At least one Pakistani finalist is guaranteed at the CAS-Serena Hotels International Squash Championship, with three of the four men’s semi-finalists playing on home soil. 

No.1 seed Ibrahim Elkabbani is the only exception, having needed just 27 minutes to see off Malsyia’s Ong Sai Hung, and will play fourth seed Noor Zamam for a place in the final. 

A win for Zamam would set up an all-Pakistani final in the men’s draw, with unseeded Nasir Iqbal and No.2 seed Muhammad Asim Khan set to face off in the other semi-final. 

Iqbal came from a game down to beat Amaad Fareed in his quarter-final, losing only 10 points across the last three games, while Khan came through in three tight games against Egypt’s Khaled Labib. 

Labib’s exit left Egyptian hopes resting solely with Elkabbani in the men’s draw, but the women’s competition is a different story. 

All four semi-finalists are from Egypt, including 16-year-old Nadien Elhammamy, who won the PSA Challenger Tour Player of the Month for November after winning the title in what was her first ever tour event. 

Elhammamy is the seventh seed here and will play No.3 seed Nour Ramy in the first semi-final, with Amina El Rihany and Nour Khafagy set to face off in the second. 

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