Teenager Aboelkheir Wins Biggest Career Title at Carol Weymuller Open
3 Feb 2025

Fayrouz Aboelkheir claimed the biggest title of her career, winning the Carol Weymuller Open 2025 crown with a straight games win over fellow Egyptian Nada Abbas in the final of the PSA Squash Tour Bronze event at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn, New York.
18-year-old Aboelkheir was a beaten finalist in this event 12 months ago, losing to Farida Mohamed, but avenged that defeat by beating Mohamed 3/0 in this year's semi-finals, setting up this final showdown with fourth seed Abbas.
Abbas had got past the experienced Sarah-Jane Perry in the other semi and was playing in her first World event final, with a packed crowd in the house to watch.
Aboelkheir, meanwhile, was the No.1 seed but if she was feeling any additional pressure because of it, she didn't show it early on, winning the first three points of the match and controlling much of game one, taking it 11-7 when Abbas found the tin on a forehand kill.
Five minutes into game two it looked as though the 18-year-old might be heading for another comfortable game at 9-4 up, but Abbas - who herself had lost a 9-4 lead in game two of her semi-final win - reeled off the next five points to level the score, letting out a huge roar of emotion as she did so.
But she was ultimately unable to complete the turnaround, with Aboelkheir smashing a backhand winner off the serve return, before closing out the game on a stroke, a rally that ended with Abbas tumbling to the ground while trying to clear.
It then appeared as though the match may be all-but over at 5-0 to Aboelkheir in the third, but Abbas rallied get back to 10-8 before saving the two match balls, with the teenager perhaps understandably nervous with the winning line so close.
But with tension filling the venue, Aboelkheir found the perfect moment to hit a back-wall nick on a lob, drawing a wry smile from Abbas and handing the teenager another match ball.
And this time, she would not denied - albeit after a yes-let - hitting a backhand volley drop that the fourth seed was unable to return.
Victory secures Aboelkheir her fourth PSA Tour title and her first in a Bronze-level event, as well as adding her name to an illustrious list of players to have won this tournament over the years, including Nour ElSherbini, Nicol David and Michelle Martin.
"I'm just over the moon right now," said the 18-year-old after collecting her trophy.
"To win my biggest title so far and in my favourite club, the club where last year, I broke into the top 20 and also made my first final on the World Tour. It's very special here for me and I'm very happy.
"Nada is definitely one of the best players on Tour so I'm very happy to get through today and win the title.
"I got very nervous after being 10-8 up [in the third]. I just visualised the big moment and didn't take it easy on myself, that's why I maybe zoomed out for two points, but then I just took it point-by-point and I think that's what made it so much easier on my mind and on myself."