Most teenagers are busy trying to pass calculus or figure out what to do with their lives. Egypt's Amina Orfi, however, just casually became the youngest women's world champion in squash history. At 18 years and 10 months old, she didn't just win; she dominated the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Championships 2026, taking down world number two Nour El-Sherbini in a nail-biting, five-game final.
The final scores, for those who appreciate the sheer drama: 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 14-12. That last game alone could have been a whole movie. The whole thing went down in Giza, Egypt, because of course it did.
History Maker
Orfi isn't just the youngest to ever hoist the trophy; she's also the first player ever to simultaneously hold both the world junior and senior PSA championship titles. Because why win one when you can collect a matching set?
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Start Your News Detox"I'm speechless," Orfi said after securing her 12th PSA title. Which, fair. Most of us would be, too, after preventing a 31-year-old legend like El-Sherbini from snagging her ninth world title. El-Sherbini, for context, won her first world title at a ripe old 20.
This epic showdown wasn't just a quick sprint. It clocked in as the eighth-longest women's match ever recorded and the second-longest women's PSA World Championships final. Only a marathon 118-minute match from 1981 holds the record for longer. So, yeah, they earned their post-match snacks.
El-Sherbini took the first game, probably thinking this would be a nice, orderly affair. But Orfi, world number three, quickly found her rhythm, snatching the next two games. El-Sherbini, being an eight-time champ, wasn't about to roll over and won the fourth, setting up that dramatic, tie-break-filled fifth game. It could have gone either way, until Orfi unleashed a backhand that El-Sherbini simply couldn't touch. Game, set, match, history.
Orfi's path to the final wasn't exactly a stroll through the park either. She faced world number one Hania El-Hammamy in the semis, dropping the first game before powering through the next three. Talk about earning it.
Men's Title Stays Home Too
Not to be outdone, fellow Egyptian Mostafa Asal secured his second world championship title on the men's side, beating Youssef Ibrahim 11-4, 11-1, 12-10. Ibrahim, despite reaching his first final and taking down some serious talent, couldn't quite contain Asal, who stayed firmly in control for the 57-minute final.
Asal, 25, called it "amazing to win... in front of your family and friends," while also giving a shout-out to Ibrahim for playing with a shoulder injury. Because apparently, playing with one arm tied behind your back is the new normal. He also noted the unique pressure of defending a world title on home turf. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.
