Reliving El Sherbini’s Seven World Champs Triumphs

To celebrate World No.1 Nour El Sherbini’s 28th birthday, we’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane and look at the Egyptian’s incredible record at the PSA World Championships.

‘The Warrior Princess’ has already accumulated seven World Championship titles in her career to date, with the legendary Nicol David (8) the only woman to have won the sport’s premier event on more occasions.

Below, we’ve broken down each one of El Sherbini’s World Championship victories.

No.1 – 2015/16 World Championship

El Sherbini became the youngest-ever women’s World Champion, as well as the first-ever Egyptian winner of the event, in 2015 after she fought back from two games down to defeat World No.1 Laura Massaro in the final.

The Egyptian exacted revenge upon the Englishwoman after losing out in the same final two years earlier in a fifth and deciding game.

After losing the first two games 11-6, 11-4, El Sherbini ensured that she wouldn’t face the same fate as two years previous, claiming the final three games 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 in a quite stunning comeback.

On her way to the title decider, No.5 seed El Sherbini also had to overcome defending champion David, defeating the Malaysian in four games.

No.2 – 2016/17 World Championship

The Egyptian No.1 claimed her second successive World Championship title in El Gouna, Egypt, charging her way through the field and dropping just one game on her way to the title.

After easing past Samantha Cornett, Tesni Evans and Sarah-Jane Perry in straight games in the earlier rounds, the Egyptian saw off the threat of compatriot Nouran Gohar in four games to reach the final.

The title decider saw El Sherbini defeat No.3 seed Raneem El Welily in straight games, taking the World Championship crown following an 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 victory.

No.3 – 2018/2019 World Championship

After finishing runner-up to El Welily in the 2017/18 edition of the World Championship, El Sherbini returned to the winner’s circle for a third time following a hard-fought campaign in Chicago.

‘The Warrior Princess’ lived up to her nickname throughout the event, battling past Amanda Sobhy in a five-game thriller in round three, before edging another classic encounter against Camille Serme in the last four, which she took 11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6.

El Sherbini squared off against compatriot and No.3 seed Nour El Tayeb in the final, with the pair going toe-to-toe throughout a gripping contest.

Despite the Alexandria-born player moving into a two-game lead, El Tayeb didn’t give up without a fight, nicking a third-game tie-break and forcing the subsequent fourth into a deep tie-break.

At the second time of asking, El Sherbini took match ball to win the game 15-13 and capture the title.

No.4 – 2019/20 World Championship

El Sherbini celebrated her 24th birthday in style as she became the youngest squash player to secure four World Championship titles, doing so in front of Cairo’s spectacular Great Pyramid of Giza.

The Egyptian’s victory was a masterclass in determination, with the 2019/20 World Championships being her first event of the season following a lengthy knee injury.

El Sherbini defied her World No.4 ranking as she ruthlessly cut her way through the draw, claiming straight games wins over Hollie Naughton, Joshna Chinappa, Joelle King and Hania El Hammamy en route to the final.

In the title decider, it was El Sherbini who came out on top against World No.1 El Welily, clinching the title following an 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6 win.

The Egyptian became the first woman to win a professional squash title in front of the Pyramids, and the first player altogether, since Australia’s David Palmer in 2006.

No.5 – 2020/21 World Championship

El Sherbini became just the third woman to claim five World Championships, after Malaysian icon David and Australia’s Sarah Fitz-Gerald, when defeating Gohar 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 inside the University Club of Chicago’s Cathedral Hall.

The Egyptian cut her way through the event in ruthless style, with her matches against Haley Mendez (20m), Emilia Soini (22m), Olivia Fiechter (34m), Perry (30m) and Sobhy (25m) all lasting just three games.

In addition to the most prestigious title in squash, the World No.1 spot was also up for grabs in the final, but El Sherbini held Gohar at bay to retain the ranking and claim her third successive World Championship crown.

No.6 – 2021/22 World Championship

El Sherbini racked up World Championship title No.6 in Cairo after beating compatriot Gohar in a repeat of the 2020-21 final.

The Alexandria-born player utilised all of her trademark accuracy and experience as she was forced to come from a game down in her first tournament since retiring from the CIB Black Ball Open final due to injury earlier that season.

The Egyptian eventually came away a 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 winner after 56 minutes of all-out action.

Earlier on in the event, El Sherbini had to once again show her fighting qualities after losing the opening game of her clash against Wildcard Kenzy Ayman before coming through in four, as well as seeing off the threat of No.6 seed Perry by the same scoreline.

No.7 – 2022/23 World Championships

‘The Warrior Princess’ claimed her fourth consecutive World Championship crown and moved within one title of record holder David following her comprehensive triumph over World No.2 Nouran Gohar in the final.

The Alexandrian got the better of Gohar 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 12-10 in 38 minutes of action at Chicago’s spectacular Union Station.

It was the third time in succession that the two Egyptian players had battled it out for the right to be World Champion, but again, it was El Sherbini who came out on top.

On her way to the final, El Sherbini also had to navigate her way past English duo Perry and Georgina Kennedy, as well as World No.4 King – dropping just one game in the process.

El Sherbini’s current streak of five World Championship titles is matched only by David in the women’s game.