Hani Claims Second Tour Title at Squash Inspire – Abbas Family 9K, presented by Play Squash Academy

Egypt’s Habiba Hani capped an impressive week of squash with glory on finals day at the Squash Inspire – Abbas Family 9K, presented by Play Squash Academy, securing her second PSA Tour title in the process. 

The 19-year-old burst onto the scene in November of last year, winning the 12k Costa Rica Open in what was just her second ever PSA Tour event, having finished as runner-up in her first a few months earlier. 

She had not reached another final since, but came into this one on the back of some strong performances in the CIB Egyptian Open qualifying. 

Seeded No.7 seed, she swept aside Luiza Carbonieri in round two, losing only 10 points in a 14-minute thrashing, but it was a different story from there on in, as she had to fight for each and every win. 

Her quarter-final victory over Ukraine’s Alina Bushma saw her take a two-game lead only to be pegged back and forced into a decider, eventually getting over the line 11-8 in the fifth. 

She then had to fight back from 2-1 down to beat Australia’s No.2 seed Alex Haydon in the last four, setting up a final showdown with Malaysia’s Xin Ying Yee. 

Yee was looking to win her fourth straight Tour title, with an eight-month injury layoff in the middle, and had beaten Hani en route to victory in the most recent of those three triumphs. 

Game one here was a somewhat unusual affair, swinging one way and then the other, as Hani moved 4-0 in front, then lost the next four points, before moving 7-4 in front and losing the three that followed. 

She then closed out the game with another run of four straight points, but was soon 5-1 down in the second. 

A determined fightback from 9-4 down to 10-9 would prove to be in vain, as Yee levelled the match, but the Egyptian’s comeback attempts did not fall short in game three, as she battled back from 6-2 down to take it 11-7, winning nine points from 10. 

Game four was tension-filled, with the players never split by more than two points until then end, but it was the Malaysian who came out on top, taking it 11-8 to send the match into a decider. 

The opening point went Yee’s way, but any hopes she had of that setting the tone for what was to come were quickly dispelled, as Hani took control of the game, rattling off 10 points in a row to bring up nine match balls. 

The first came and went, but the second did not, with a backhand winner down the line prompting a roar of emotion as the Egyptian celebrated victory.