Past champions Diego Elias and Nour El Sherbini kickstarted their quests for silverware at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions 2025 in successful style, defeating Mohamad Zakaria and Hollie Naughton on day two in New York City.
The matchup between Elias and Zakaria pitted the reigning world champion against the current world junior champion inside the spectacular Grand Central Terminal, with 17-year-old Zakaria targeting a first top-10 win of his young career.
Elias cut a frustrated figure throughout an intense 21-minute opening game, with Zakaria taking a surprise lead after the No.3 seed was penalised with a conduct stroke for dissent at 12-11 down.
However, after returning to court, Elias began to find his range and take control of the middle of the court, managing to navigate his way through the subsequent three games by 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 scorelines.Â
“He [Zakaria] is such a good player,” Elias said after the match. “He’s only 17, so he’s going to keep getting better. He’s a great player and I know he’s going to be at the top soon.
“It’s the first match of the year and I haven’t played on the PSA Tour for a month and a half, so there were a lot of nerves, and even more when you’re playing a 17-year-old.”
A potential semi-final meeting with World No.2 Mostafa Asal remains on the cards for Elias after the Egyptian claimed an impressive straight games win over Aly Abou Eleinen, overturning his defeat to the 25-year-old earlier this season at the U.S. Open.Â
Elsewhere, defending champion and No.2 seed Nour El Sherbini began her quest for a sixth Tournament of Champions title with a crushing 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 victory over Canada’s Hollie Naughton.Â
Results: Men’s First Round (Bottom Half)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bt Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) 3-1: 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (66m)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-0: 11-8, 12-10, 15-13 (41m)
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-0: 17-15, 11-6, 11-8 (48m)
[5] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 (46m)
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-1: 10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (38m)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Declan James (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-2 (38m)
Timothy Brownell (USA) bt [WC] Dillon Huang (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 11-3, 11-7 (47m)
[2] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-2 (45m)
Results: Women’s First Round (Bottom Half)
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 (27m)
Nada Abbas (EGY) bt [WC] Laila Sedky (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (36m)
[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Lucy Turmel (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-9, 11-6 (29m)
[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-4 (31m)
Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [WC] Charlotte Pastel (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2 11-8 (20m)
Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Tomato Ho (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (31m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (20m)
Draw: Men’s Second Round (Top Half: To Be Played January 25)
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT)
Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) v [8] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)Â
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Baptiste Masotti (FRA)Â
Victor Crouin (FRA) v [4] Paul Coll (NZL)
Draw: Men’s Second Round (Bottom Half: To Be Played January 26)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)Â
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) v [5] Joel Makin (WAL)Â
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Fares Dessouky (EGY)Â
Timothy Brownell (USA) v [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
Draw: Women’s Second Round (Top Half: To Be Played January 25)
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Amanda Sobhy (USA)
Nele Gilis-Coll (BEL) v [8] Amina Orfi (EGY)Â
[5] Tinne Gilis (BEL) v Tesni Murphy (WAL)
Sana Ibrahim (EGY) v [4] Olivia Weaver (USA)
Draw: Women’s Second Round (Bottom Half: To Be Played January 26)
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v Nada Abbas (EGY)Â
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) v [6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)Â
[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v Malak Khafagy (EGY)Â
Georgia Adderley (SCO) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)