Sivasangari Subramaniam became the first Malaysian since the great Nicol David in 2017 to reach the quarter-finals of the PSA World Championships after a fine performance against United States No.2 Amanda Sobhy.
World No.9 Sivasangari had only made it as far as the third round on one previous occasion but produced some of her best squash to outplay the World No.8 at Chicago’s Lakeshore Sport & Fitness to win 11-8, 14-12, 11-6.
United States No.1 Olivia Weaver will be Sivasangari’s quarter-final opponent after the World No.4 defeated Egypt’s Salma Hany by a 3-1 margin.
“The last two times I’ve played Amanda it’s been 3-2 and I won the last one, but she’s a fighter with what she’s been through and she’s come back much stronger,” Sivasangari said afterwards.
What a performance from @sangari_99! 🔥
Laying down a marker for the rest of the field 👊#PSAWorldChamps pic.twitter.com/Cew4C5aU8c
— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) May 14, 2025
“I’m really pleased to be winning in three and that reaction [celebration] showed how much it means to me as I’ve never been in the quarter-finals of the World Championships. I barely make it into the quarter finals of Platinum events.
“I’m happy with how I performed today.”
Seven-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini continued her attempts to lift a record-equalling eighth PSA World Championships trophy with victory over fellow Egyptian Farida Mohamed. Her last eight match will be against England No.8 seed Georgina Kennedy, who advanced after her opponent – World No.10 Rowan Elaraby – suffered an ankle injury in the second game of their clash, resulting in her pulling out in the next game.
Former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy produced a battling comeback from two games down as he overcame Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann to reach the quarter-finals.
ElShorbagy – the 2017 World Champion who earlier this week broke the men’s all-time PSA appearances record – was outplayed in the opening two games by Steinmann, who was bidding to become the first Swiss player in the history of the sport to reach the last eight of the sport’s most prestigious tournament.
However, ElShorbagy dug into his energy reserves and battled back to draw level, before holding Steinmann at bay in a gruelling fifth game to earn his spot in the last eight for the ninth year in succession.
“He’s been to Bristol to train with me a few times and I’ve never seen him play this well before,” said ElShorbagy.
“The first two games I couldn’t stop him and Greg [Gaultier] was telling me I need to slow it down. I kept telling him that I was trying and he kept on rushing me and he was so accurate. He didn’t give me an error or two in the first three games that I could play with.
“The only one I can remember is when I was 2-0 down, at 9-9, he had a chance to win it and I was in big trouble there. I’m just really happy, I can’t remember the last time I was 2-0 down and came back to win 3-2, it gives me physical confidence. I’m happy to be through to the quarters and I look forward to my rest day tomorrow.”
World No.1 Mostafa Asal advanced to the quarter-finals of the men’s event after a comfortable win against Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng. He will play 2016 World Champion Karim Gawad next. Gawad’s match with World No.12 Aly Abou Eleinen was cut short, with Eleinen limping off court with a knee injury after conceding the second game.
Results – Men’s Third Round (Bottom Half): 2024-25 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Victor Crouin (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (39m)
[7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
[6] Karim Gawad (EGY) bt [11] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-0, 0-0 ret. (21m)
[2] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [10] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (56m)
Draw – Men’s Quarter-Finals (Top Half): To Be Played May 14th
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [5] Tarek Momen (EGY)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v [3] Diego Elias (PER)
Draw – Men’s Quarter-Finals (Bottom Half): To Be Played May 15th
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) v [7] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
[6] Karim Gawad (EGY) v [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
Results – Women’s Third Round (Bottom Half): 2024-25 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family
[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) bt [12] Salma Hany (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-4 (47m)
[7] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [15] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 14-12, 11-6 (34m)
[8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [9] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 3-1: 1-11, 11-8, 5-2 ret. (29m)
[2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [16] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 (37m)
Draw – Women’s Quarter-Finals (Top Half): To Be Played May 14th
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Satomi Watanabe (JPN)
Nada Abbas (EGY) v [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
Draw – Women’s Quarter-Finals (Bottom Half): To Be Played May 15th
[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) v [7] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
[8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)