Hania El Hammamy and Amina Orfi reach London Classic semi-finals

Egyptian pair Hania El Hammamy and Amina Orfi have reached the semi-finals of the London Classic squash tournament after winning their quarter-final matches in the English capital.

The tournament is being held from 1 to 6 September, with both Egyptians continuing their campaigns in the women’s draw.

El Hammamy, who represents Wadi Degla Club and is ranked number one in the world, overcame American Amanda Sobhy 2-1 in a closely contested quarter-final.

The Egyptian took control of the opening game, winning 11-6. Sobhy responded in the second, claiming it 11-7 to level the match and force a decider.

El Hammamy then edged a tight third game 13-11 to secure her place in the last four.

She will face England’s Georgina Kennedy in the semi-finals. Kennedy is the fifth-ranked player in the world, setting up a meeting between the tournament’s top seed and one of the leading players on home soil.

Orfi, the world number two, produced a more decisive performance in her quarter-final against Belgium’s Nele Gilis, completing a 3-0 victory.

The match included game scores of 2-0, 11-3 and 12-10. Orfi’s success means Egypt will have two representatives in the semi-final stage of the London Classic.

Orfi’s next opponent will be determined by the quarter-final between Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam and India’s Anahat Singh. The winner of that match will meet Orfi in the other semi-final.

The results leave El Hammamy and Orfi on opposite sides of the semi-final line-up, creating the possibility of an all-Egyptian final if both players win their next matches.

For El Hammamy, the route to the semi-finals included a decisive response after Sobhy had drawn level. The American’s second-game victory meant the contest was settled by a single deciding game, but El Hammamy held her nerve to win 13-11.

Orfi, meanwhile, secured her progression without dropping a game against Gilis. Her victory was anchored by a strong opening result and a narrow 12-10 conclusion, completing the Egyptian representation in the semi-final draw.

The London Classic will continue in the English capital through 6 September, with El Hammamy and Orfi now preparing for their respective semi-final contests.