News from 2025 Carol Weymuller Open
Perry Beats Second Seed Hany to Join Egyptian Trio in Carol Weymuller Open Semi-Finals
31 January 2025
Sarah-Jane Perry knocked out No.2 seed Salma Hany to reach the Carol Weymuller Open semi-finals, where Farida Mohamed and Fayrouz Aboelkheir will meet in a rematch of last year’s final.
All four matches on quarter-finals day in Brooklyn were taking place on the East Court at The Heights Casino, with Perry and Hany taking to the court in front of a packed crowd.
No.2 seed Hany is ranked eight places higher than Perry and had beaten the experienced English player in their last two encounters, but was coming into this event on the back of a lengthy injury layoff, having been out of action since the Terminals Qatar Classic.
She looked comfortable in the opening stages, nonetheless, taking fewer than seven minutes to give herself a one-game lead.
But game two was a different story, as the players went toe-to-toe for close to 20 minutes, going deep into a tiebreak that would prove to be crucial.
Hany saved three game balls at 10-7 down and another two in the tiebreak, seeing two of her own come and go before eventually going down 16-14, with Perry showing quick hands at the front of the court to return a volley that was almost past her at 15-14 up.
There continued to be very little between the players throughout most of game three, but it was Perry who came out on top, 11-7, and she carried that momentum into game four.
From 2-1 down, the 34-year-old raced into a 10-3 lead - with Hany perhaps feeling the effects of her time away from the court - taking her first match ball to reach her first Bronze event semi-final since 2023.
“She’s really dangerous when she’s got any time, anywhere on the court,” Perry said of her opponent after the match.
“I had to try and take time away from her but not rush myself. In that first game she just picked me off. I left some loose and she’s not been top 10 in the world for no reason, she’s very, very dangerous and she beat me the last two times [we played].
“I know she’s coming back from quite a nasty injury as well, so I just tried to sort of hang in there and stay strong. I know from my many injuries over the years that when you come back it’s hard. It’s quite hard to have confidence from recent events when you’ve not been playing matches."
Perry will now face fourth seed Nada Abbas, who beat Canada’s Hollie Naughton in the last quarter-final, while the other semi-final will see top seed and last year’s runner-up, Aboelkheir, take on defending champion Mohamed.
Aboelkheir put in an accomplished display to beat France’s Melissa Alves 3-0, while Mohamed had to battle back from 2-1 down to win in five for the second day running.
She had gone the distance in her round-two win over Ka Yi Lee on the same court 24 hours earlier, and repeated the trick against fifth seed Rachel Arnold here, albeit in more dramatic circumstance.
Having lost game one 11-5, Mohamed then saved a game ball on her way to winning the second 12-10 before losing a tension-filled third-game tiebreak 17-15.
A comfortable 11-6 win in game four sent the match to a decider, where the Egyptian found herself 8-5 down, before turning things around by winning six points on the bounce to secure victory.
The semi-finals of the Carol Weymuller Open 2025 begin at 5pm local time (GMT-5) on Saturday, 1st February, streaming live on SQUASHTV.
Results: Quarter-Finals
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt. [5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-2: 5-11, 12-10, 15-17, 11-6, 11-8 (55m)
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt. [6] Melissa Alves (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 (29m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt. [2] Salma Hany (EGY) 3-1: 5-11, 16-14, 11-7, 11-3 (45m)
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt. [8] Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (29m)
Fixtures: Semi-Finals
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v [3] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) v [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
Defending Champion Mohamed Avoids Upset as Top Eight Seeds Progress at Carol Weymuller Open
30 January 2025
Defending champion Farida Mohamed survived a scare on day two of the Carol Weymuller Open 2025, coming back from 2-1 down to beat Ka Yi Lee as the top eight seeds all progressed into the quarter-finals.
No.3 seed Mohamed had eased past Lee 3-0 in just 23 minutes when they met at the Open Squash Classic in October, but today was a different story altogether, as the players went head-to-head at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn.
After dominating game one, the Egyptian suddenly found herself behind after losing games two and three, with the unseeded Lee sensing a huge upset against a player ranked 27 places above her in the world.
But Mohamed rediscovered her accuracy in the fourth, racing into a 5-1 lead before closing the game out 11-5.
The dominant nature of that fourth game perhaps took the wind out of Lee’s sails and certainly handed the momentum back to Mohamed, who cut a focused figure as she reeled off 10 of the first 11 points in the decider, seeing the first two match balls saved before wrapping up proceedings on the third.
Mohamed’s win keeps her on course for a semi-final showdown with top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir, in what would be a rematch of last year’s final.
Aboelkheir was unseeded as she finished as runner-up here 12 months ago, but has all the pressure of being the No.1 seed this time around.
She showed little sign of that pressure early on in her round-two match against Hana Moataz, though, needing less than five minutes to take a one-game lead.
She then took the second 11-8 but was pegged back in the third, letting a 7-4 lead slip as Moataz won seven of the next eight points to send the match into a fourth.
But forcing a deciding fifth would prove to be a step too far for the 24-year-old, as Aboelkheir took back control of the rallies, closing out the game 11-6 to set up a quarter-final showdown with France’s Melissa Alves.
Alves was one of four players to win 3-0, beating Aira Azman in just 21 minutes, while second seed Salma Hand was made to work hard for her straight-games win over Nadine Garas, with all three games separated by just two points.
Results: Round Two
6] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt. Aira Azman (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (21m)
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt. Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 3-0: 14-12, 11-6, 11-7 (36m)
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt. Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (26m)
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt. Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-1: 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6 (35m)
[8] Hollie Naughton (CAN) bt. Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 3-1: 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5 (38m)
[2] Salma Hany (EGY) bt. Nardine Garas (EGY) 3-0: 14-12, 11-9, 12-10 (42m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt. Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-2 (35m)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt. Ka Yi Lee (HKG) 3-2: 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
Quarterfinal Match Ups (5PM start)
5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) v [3] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v [6] Melissa Alves (FRA)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v [2] Salma Hany (EGY)
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) v [8] Hollie Naughton (CAN)
Beecroft and Metwally Battle Back from the Brink as Carol Weymuller Open Begins
29 January 2025
Lucy Beecroft and Mariam Metwally both battled back from the brink of defeat to win, as action got underway at the Carol Weymuller Open 2025 in Brooklyn, New York.
Eight first-round matches were taking place at The Heights Casino, with England’s Beecroft taking on compatriot Grace Gear on the unique Court West, which features a glass left-hand wall and three solid walls around the rest of the court.
Beecroft had won the pair’s two most recent encounters but lost game one here 11-9, before being bagelled in the second, then finding herself staring down the barrel of a first-round exit at 10-8 down in the third.
But the 28-year-old – who lives and trains in New York and had coach Peter Nicol in her corner – rallied to win four points on the bounce and keep the match alive, clinching the game on a stroke down the backhand wall.
She then had to fight back from 6-3 and 9-8 down in the fourth, once again closing out the game on a stroke, before finally taking control of proceedings, racing into a 6-2 lead in the decider.
She didn’t have to wait long for victory, either, losing only three more points in the match, turning to her supporters and letting out a huge roar of emotion after securing the win.
That would prove to be one of three five-game battles in an action-packed second half of the day, with Ki Ya Lee and Mariam Metwally also winning 3-2.
Lee came out on top of a topsy-turvy duel with Finland’s Emilia Sonia, winning 11-9 in the fifth, an ending that paled in comparison to that between Metwally and Tsz-Wing Tong of Hong Kong, China.
The pair went toe-to-toe for more than an hour, going deep into a fifth game tiebreak after Metwally had fought back from 8-6 down, with the referee heavily involved in the closing stages.
The Egyptian had three match balls – all of which she thought she’d won on a stroke but all of which were given as a no-let – before saving one herself at 13-12 down, eventually getting over the line at the fourth time of asking when Tong found the tin down the backhand side.
Round two of the Carol Weymuller Open starts at 5pm local time (GMT-5) on Thursday, January 30, streaming live on SQUASHTV.
For more information on the Carol Weymuller Open 2025, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X,Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp and LinkedIn.
Results: Round One
Nardine Garas (EGY) bt. Katie Malliff (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 12-10 (30m)
Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt. Nour Heikal (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8 (40m)
Hana Moataz (EGY) bt. Min Jie Teh (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 13-11, 11-4 (24m)
Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) bt. Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-4, 10-12, 12-10 (52m)
Aira Azman (MAS) bt. Haley Mendez (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (24m)
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bt. Grace Gear (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 0-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-5 (52m)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt. Emilia Soini (FIN) 3-2: 11-4, 3-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9 (39m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt. Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 3-2: 11-7, 10-12, 8-11, 11-5, 15-13 (63m)
Fixtures: Round Two
Aira Azman (MAS) v [6] Melissa Alves (FRA)
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v Hana Moataz (EGY)
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) v Hana Ramadan (EGY)
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v [8] Hollie Naughton (CAN)
Nardine Garas (EGY) v [2] Salma Hany (EGY)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) v [3] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v Mariam Metwally (EGY)
The Carol Weymuller Open gets underway today as 24 players head across New York to the Heights Casino Club in Brooklyn for the PSA Squash Tour Bronze level event.
The event has been a regular tournament on the PSA calendar with players always speaking highly of it’s amazing atmosphere and warm feel. The top four seeds all hail from Egypt with 2024 finalists Fayrouz Aboelkheir and Farida Mohamed both featured again. Salma Hany has been suffering with injuries of late but returns as the No.2 seed this week. Nada Abbas completes the top four seedings and will be looking to get the better of her compatriots to score a second win since 2021.
Play on day one gets underway at 17:00 (GMT-5) with two courts in action before play moves to one court from the quarter finals onwards. Both courts will be streamed live on SQUASHTV.
The two Wildcards competing in the 2025 Carol Weymuller Open will be New York-born former World No.36 Haley Mendez and Malaysia’s Min Jie Teh, who reached Round Two of the event as a Wildcard last year. Mendez is up against Malaysia’s Aira Azman whilst Min Jie Teh will take on Hana Moataz.
An all-English clash between Lucy Beecroft and Grace Gear is one of the picks of the day as they compete for a spot in round two. Fellow Englishwoman and World No.28 Katie Malliff narrowly missed out on a top eight seeding position and now faces Egypt’s Nardine Garas in the opening round with a clash with No.2 seed Hany awaiting the victor.
For more information from the PSA Squash Tour, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp and LinkedIn.
Full Draw: Carol Weymuller Open 2025:
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) [bye]
[WC] Min Jie Teh (MAS) v Hana Moataz (EGY)
Aira Azman (MAS) v [WC] Haley Mendez (USA)
[6] Melissa Alves (FRA) [bye]
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) [bye]
Nour Heikal (EGY) v Hana Ramadan (EGY)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) v Emilia Soini (FIN)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) [bye]
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) [bye]
Marie Stephan (FRA) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v Grace Gear (ENG)
[8] Hollie Naughton (CAN) [bye]
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) [bye]
Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) v Mariam Metwally (EGY)
Katie Malliff (ENG) v Nardine Garas (EGY)
[2] Salma Hany (EGY) [bye]
Returning Finalists Mohamed & Aboelkheir To Headline Carol Weymuller Open 2025
The full draw for the Carol Weymuller Open 2025 has been released, with defending champion Farida Mohamed and 2024 runner-up Fayrouz Aboelkheir two of the headline names set to feature at the PSA Squash Tour Bronze-level event in New York.
Taking place between January 29- February 2 at The Heights Casino, Mohamed will return looking to replicate her 2024 heroics in which she defeated home favourite Olivia Weaver in the semi-finals and Aboelkheir in the title decider. The World No.14 returns this year as the No.3 seed and could see a rematch against top seed Aboelkheir if both were to make their way to the semi-finals stage.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Aboelkheir will be looking to build upon a strong start to the 2024/25 season, during which she has reached the quarter-finals at the U.S. Open and Paris Squash and, in turn, risen to the brink of the top ten in the women’s rankings. Aboelkheir is seeded to begin her campaign against compatriot Hana Moataz after a first-round bye whilst sitting in the same quarter of the draw as No.6 seed Melissa Alves. The French No.1 will be eying a third title of the season after tasting success at both the Copper-level Hamilton Open and Cape Town Open events.
Despite an injury-affected start to the current season, No.2 seed for the event, Salma Hany, will be one of the title favourites in New York. The Egyptian, who picked up the Australian Open title last season, will begin her campaign against one of Hong Kong’s Ka Yi Lee or England’s Katie Malliff, while also sitting in the same quarter of the draw as No.7 seed Sarah-Jane Perry.
A number of dangers lie further back in the seedings, with Egypt’s Nada Abbas coming in as the No.4 seed and China Open champion Rachel Arnold named as the No.5 seed, while Canada’s No.8 seed Hollie Naughton will be determined to start the new year on the front foot.
The two Wildcards competing in the 2025 Carol Weymuller Open will be New York-born former World No.36 Haley Mendez and Malaysia’s Min Jie Teh, who reached Round Two of the event as a Wildcard last year.
For more information from the PSA Squash Tour, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp and LinkedIn.
Full Draw: Carol Weymuller Open 2025
[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) [bye]
[WC] Min Jie Teh (MAS) v Hana Moataz (EGY)
Aira Azman (MAS) v [WC] Haley Mendez (USA)
[6] Melissa Alvves (FRA) [bye]
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) [bye]
Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) v Hana Ramadan (EGY)
Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v Aifa Azman (MAS)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) [bye]
[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) [bye]
Marie Stephan (FRA) v Nour Heikal (EGY)
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v Grace Gear (ENG)
[8] Hollie Naughton (CAN) [bye]
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) [bye]
Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) v Mariam Metwally (EGY)
Katie Malliff (ENG) v Ka Yi Lee (HKG)
[2] Salma Hany (EGY) [bye]
