Open Squash Classic 2025: A Week of Upsets, Fire, and Two New Champions

The much-anticipated Open Squash Classic returned to our courts from October 5th to 9th for the 2025 edition, bringing all the excitement with it. Fans were treated to shock upsets, fiery battles, and two new champions — Fayrouz Abouelkheir and Open Squash’s own Victor Crouin.

Day One opened with Open Squash teaching professional Pedro Facury, who fought valiantly against England’s Nick Wall before falling 3–0. Wall went on to deliver the biggest upset of the tournament when he defeated 2024 Champion and top seed Marwan ElShorbagy, sending a jolt through the packed crowd.

Also on Day One, Open Squash player Hannah Craig took on Alexandra Haydon in a dramatic five-game thriller. Craig led late in the fifth but ultimately lost 13–11 in a nail-biting finish. Despite the tough result, the match delivered an incredible start to the week for the fans.

In the second round, the rest of our Open Squash players entered the draw. Men’s #2 seed Victor Crouin cruised to a comfortable 3–0 victory over Veer Chotrani, much to the delight of the many Open Squash members in attendance. On the women’s side, defending champion Farida Mohamed opened her title defense with a convincing 3–0 win, then followed it with a 3–1 victory in the quarterfinals. Crouin also advanced with a smooth 3–0 win in his quarterfinal match.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, France’s unseeded Melvil Scianimanico became the story of the tournament. After upsetting #7 seed Mohamed ElSherbini, he stunned Nick Wall 3–0 to reach the semifinals. Scianimanico quickly became a crowd favorite as the underdog everyone wanted to see go all the way. His run eventually ended against Leonel Cárdenas, who battled past him in a hard-fought semifinal.

On the women’s side, Mohamed faced #2 seed Abouelkheir in a spectacular semifinal showdown. Mohamed grabbed the opening game 13–11 before Abouelkheir took the next two. Mohamed fought back to level the match, but Abouelkheir edged the fifth 11–9 in a fiery, high-quality battle showcasing the talent of two rising Egyptian stars.
The second semifinal featured #1 seed Nada Abbas and #7 seed Malak Khafagy, with Abbas prevailing in a tightly contested 3–0 to set up a #1 vs. #2 final.

The men’s semifinals were equally riveting. Cárdenas overcame Scianimanico in five games after seeing his 2–0 lead erased, eventually pulling away 11–5 in the decider. Crouin faced Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng in another momentum-swinging showdown: Crouin went up 2–0, Ng responded to tie the match, and Crouin closed it out 11–4 in the fifth to book his spot in the final.

Finals Night was sold out, with every seat behind the glass court filled, the sidewall bleachers packed, and standing-room only crowds pressing in — all hoping to witness history and, ideally, an Open Squash champion.

The Women’s Final between Abbas and Abouelkheir delivered yet another high-paced, unpredictable battle. In the end, the teenager Abouelkheir claimed the title with a 3–1 victory. In her speech, she shared that New York is her favorite city to compete in — having also won the Carol Weymuller Open earlier this year.

The crowd then geared up for the Men’s Final: Cárdenas vs. Crouin. With the vast majority of the club cheering on Crouin, the atmosphere was electric. Crouin delivered a commanding performance, winning 3–0 and improving on his runner-up finish from last year. In his victory speech, he jokingly thanked fellow Frenchman Scianimanico “for doing most of the hard work” against Cárdenas in their grueling semifinal.

We’re so grateful to everyone who came out to support our players and the tournament. Hosting some of the best athletes in the world is always a privilege, and this year’s Classic was one of our most exciting yet. We already can’t wait for 2026!