Tribune News Network
Doha
The 21st edition of the highly anticipated Qatar Q-Terminals Classic is set to showcase top-quality professional squash action in Doha at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex from September 30th to October 5th.
This year’s event will feature both a men’s and women’s draw, building on the success of the previous year, with reigning champions Ali Farag and Hania El Hammamy returning to defend their titles.
Ali Farag, the men’s top seed and a three-time winner of the Qatar Classic, will be aiming to continue his dominance on the Khalifa Complex glass court. Farag’s triumph in the 2023 event was part of his exceptional season, where he secured seven victories, making it his best season ever on the PSA Squash Tour. In his opening round, Farag will face the talented Indian player Ramit Tandon.
New Zealand’s Paul Coll, the World No.2, had an outstanding 23/24 campaign, clinching four titles, including two Platinum level events and one Gold level event. Coll was one of only two players who managed to defeat World No.1 Ali Farag multiple times last season. With adjustments made to his game during the summer, Coll will be eager to surpass his previous achievements and challenge for the top spot in the world rankings.
Diego Elias, the newly crowned World champion, and Mostafa Asal, the recent British Open champion, are the No.3 and No.4 seeds respectively. Both players will be aiming to close the gap on Farag and Coll in the rankings. Elias, who claimed his first Platinum event title in the Qatar Classic in 2021, will look to carry his World Championships form into this tournament. Asal, featuring in his third Qatar Classic, will be determined to surpass his previous semi-final exits and add more major titles to his name after his recent British Open success.
Local favourite Abdulla Al Tamimi, Qatar’s No.1, will rely on home advantage as he competes in his ninth Qatar Classic. Al-Tamimi’s best finish came in 2022 when he reached the quarter-finals. In this year’s edition, he faces a tough challenge in the first round against No.3 seed Mostafa Asal and will need all the support available to score a win over the World No.3.
On the women’s side, defending champion Hania El Hammamy will be looking to regain her top form after a challenging second half of the previous season. El Hammamy, currently ranked World No.3, claimed two Platinum event titles last season, including the prestigious British Open. She will face USA’s Sabrina Sobhy in her opening fixture as she looks to rejoin the race for World No.1.
Nour ElSherbini, the top seed, aims to go one step further this year and secure the title after finishing as the runner-up in the last two women’s events held in Qatar. ElSherbini, who tops the draw for the second consecutive year, will face former World No.3 Joelle King in the first round.
Nouran Gohar, the No.2 seed, ended the 23/24 season in exceptional form, winning five consecutive events, including her first World Championships title. Gohar has closed the gap between herself and ElSherbini at the top of the world rankings and is determined to dethrone her compatriot. With her powerful and relentless style of play, Gohar will be a formidable force throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the Organizing Committee of QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash Championship 2024 has announced that tickets for the event will be on sale online starting September 1, while tickets will be available at the sales outlet at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex soon.
On the occasion, Tariq Zainal, Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation (QTSP&BF) and Tournament Director, stated: "We are pleased to announce the hosting of QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash and we are eagerly looking forward to welcoming all the players participating in this exceptional edition.”