The 2024/25 SmartCentres PSA Squash Tour Finals have officially kicked off in Toronto, marking a historic first for Canada as the nation plays host to the season-ending championship. From June 23-27, 2025, SmartCentres’ Revival Film Studios will welcome the world’s elite squash players as they battle for a share of the impressive $635,000 prize pot.
This highly anticipated tournament, a pinnacle event on the PSA Squash Tour calendar, sees only the top eight men and women from the Squash Tour Finals Standings earn their coveted spots in Toronto. These players, who have accumulated points across various PSA events throughout the season, are divided into two groups of four for a round-robin stage. Each competitor will play three matches, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
The scoring format for the early stages of the tournament differs from standard PSA events, employing a best-of-three game system. However, the intensity will ramp up for the final, which will revert to the traditional best-of-five format. Following the group stages, the competition transforms into a straight knockout, promising thrilling encounters as players vie for the ultimate season-ending title.
The PSA Squash Tour Finals boast a rich history, dating back to its inception in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1993. Legendary Pakistani player Jansher Khan dominated the early years, claiming four titles in the event’s first five editions. The tournament then found a long-term home in England for 17 years, with Hatfield, London, and Manchester serving as host cities. Notable champions from this era include England’s Del Harris, Scotland’s Peter Nicol, Canada’s own Jonathon Power (a two-time winner), Australians David Palmer and Anthony Ricketts, and Frenchman Thierry Lincou. Egyptian stalwarts Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana have also each lifted the trophy twice, with a memorable 2010/11 final involving Shabana being canceled due to adverse weather.
A significant milestone occurred in 2012 with the introduction of a women’s tournament, which saw Malaysian superstar Nicol David clinch the first two titles. In 2016, Dubai became only the second city outside Europe to host the Finals, followed by memorable editions at Dubai Opera (the first sporting event held there) in 2017 and the Emirates Golf Club in 2018. The event then moved to Cairo’s Mall of Arabia in 2019, ushering in a period of Egyptian dominance.
Recent years have seen Egyptians reign supreme. Mostafa Asal has secured a hat-trick of men’s titles, with Ali Farag claiming his first in 2024. In the women’s draw, Nouran Gohar has taken three titles (2021, 2023, 2024), while eight-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini emerged victorious in 2022.
This year’s men’s field features a formidable lineup, including Mostafa Asal (EGY), Diego Elias (PER), Paul Coll (NZL), Joel Makin (WAL), Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG), Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG), Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY), and Tarek Momen (EGY). The women’s competition is equally stacked with talent, showcasing Nouran Gohar (EGY), Olivia Weaver (USA), Amina Orfi (EGY), Tinne Gilis (BEL), Satomi Watanabe (JPN), Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS), Amanda Sobhy (USA), and Georgina Kennedy (ENG).
With world-class squash players, a substantial prize fund, and a unique new Canadian venue, the 2024/25 SmartCentres PSA Squash Tour Finals promise an unforgettable week of action for squash enthusiasts worldwide.
