Tournament of Champions starting later today in New York will see World No.3 Diego Elias back in action in his first major event since the season-opening Egyptian Open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018The Peruvian Puma\u2019 made his first outing since that Diamond-level final in September at the Motor City Open last week, where he finished runner-up to Marwan ElShorbagy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2024 world champion has fond memories of the Tournament of Champions, having won the event in 2023 and reached back-to-back finals in the last two years, and can be found in the same half of the draw as World No.2 Paul Coll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kiwi No.1 Coll kick-started his 2026 in commanding style last week after picking up the Squash in the Land title in Cleveland and will be hoping to bounce back from his exit to Youssef Ibrahim in the last Platinum event on tour, the Hong Kong Open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tournament of Champions remains one of the very few titles that World No.1 Mostafa Asal is yet to win in his career to date, with the Egyptian having never progressed beyond the semi-finals from his four visits to Grand Central Station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asal opens his account against compatriot Fares Dessouky, before a potential blockbuster second-round clash with World No.9 Mohamad Zakaria \u2013 who arrives on the back of his maiden Gold-level title at the Karachi Open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, World No.4 Karim Gawad has the opportunity to rise to World No.3 in the PSA Rankings for the first time since 2020 if he reaches the quarter-finals and Elias fails to reach the final this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018The Baby-Faced Assassin\u2019 will be hoping to bounce back from his semi-final exit to Zakaria in Pakistan earlier this month, but faces a tricky first-round opponent in World No.13 Aly Abou Eleinen, who himself seems to be rediscovering some of his best squash after a series of injury lay-offs in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other threats in the men\u2019s draw include No.5 seed Youssef Ibrahim, No.6 seed Marwan ElShorbagy, No.7 seed Victor Crouin, and No.8 seed Mohamed ElShorbagy, a three-time winner of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A number of players look well-placed for a title charge in the women\u2019s draw, with each of World No.3 Amina Orfi, World No.4 Olivia Weaver and World No.5 Nour ElSherbini arriving at the event with a title win in their previous outing on tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, World No.1 El Hammamy, who is the defending champion in New York, will still be the player to beat after a superb opening half of the season, which saw her clinch consecutive major titles at the Egyptian Open, Qatar Classic and U.S. Open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twelve months ago, El Hammamy defeated both Gohar and ElSherbini on her way to her first ToC title, and the Egyptian will have to do it the hard way once more, having been drawn in the same quarter of the draw as No.6 seed Satomi Watanabe, who got the better of her at the China Open in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No.3 seed ElSherbini also potentially lies in wait for El Hammamy if the pair were to advance successfully to the semi-finals stage of the event, with \u2018The Warrior Princess\u2019 looking to build upon her stellar title victory at the Hong Kong Open before the New Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After resounding title wins at the Karachi Open and Squash in the Land, No.2 seed Orfi and No.4 seed Weaver, both of whom have been named in the bottom half of the draw, will both arrive in New York City full of confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eighteen-year-old Orfi has proved herself a serious contender for major silverware on the PSA Squash Tour this season. With four title successes and two major final appearances under her belt already this campaign, the inevitable next step in Orfi\u2019s career will be a Platinum title, and she looks as well placed as ever to try achieve this feat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
U.S. No.1 Weaver, meanwhile, will be looking to build upon her first Platinum final appearance at the Hong Kong Open and tread new ground in front of her home fans in The Big Apple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further back in the seedings, No.5 seed Sivasangari Subramaniam, No.6 seed Watanabe, No.7 seed Tinne Gilis and No.8 seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir will all be capable of springing shocks and gatecrashing the latter stages of the Platinum event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A number of home interests will be joining Weaver in trying to deliver in front of the New York crowd, with U.S. men\u2019s No.1 Timothy Brownell facing off against No.6 seed Marwan ElShorbagy and men\u2019s Wildcard Dillon Huang taking on No.7 seed Victor Crouin. In the women\u2019s draw, Amanda Sobhy will be featuring in her 12th ToC, while American Laila Sedky has been awarded a Wildcard spot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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