Egypt’s Amina Orfi becomes youngest women’s squash world number one at 19

Orfi, the reigning senior and junior world champion, topped the rankings with victory at the Qatar Classic last week.

Amina Orfi has become the youngest women’s world number one in squash after a thrilling victory in the Qatar Classic last week saw her clinch the crown and top the rankings.

At 19 years and two months old, the Egyptian eclipsed the previous record set by New Zealand’s Susan Devoy, who was 20 years and two months old in 1984.

Orfi dethroned compatriot Hania El Hammamy from world number one when she defeated the 26-year-old 3-2 in the Qatar Classic final (7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10). The victory earned Orfi her first Platinum title, third major victory and 15th win of her career.

“Sweat, tears, heartbreaks, and tons of sacrifices all for this moment,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, when the official Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings update weekly.

Orfi’s historic milestone is the latest of her outstanding year. In May, she became the youngest world champion at 18 years and 10 months when she beat then world number two Nour El-Sherbini in a thrilling five-game final at the World Championships in Egypt.

The win made her the first player to hold both the world junior and senior PSA championship titles at the same time. The PSA is the global governing body for men’s and women’s professional squash circuits.

“It feels amazing,” Orfi said after her victory in Doha on Friday.

“To become world champion and become world number one in the same year is a dream that I’ve had since I was very young and I really want to enjoy it.

“I want to just stay at this level now and keep trying to improve every day. I want to stay on top now that I’m the world number one, and I want to win a lot more titles too,” said Orfi, who has been in the world’s top three since last October.