Omar El Torkey and Iman Shaheen Crowned Champions at the 2025 ALTO NSW Open — Homegrown Stars Shine Bright

Omar El Torkey and Iman Shaheen Crowned Champions at the 2025 ALTO NSW Open — Homegrown Stars Shine Bright

The 2025 ALTO NSW Open delivered another spectacular weekend of world-class squash at Thornleigh Squash Centre, with over 100 players competing across PSA Challenger events and graded draws.
Fans were treated to thrilling matches, incredible displays of athleticism, and standout performances from both international stars and NSW’s own rising talent.

PSA Titles: Egypt’s El Torkey Makes It Three in a Row

Egypt’s Omar El Torkey continued his phenomenal run of form, claiming his third consecutive PSA Tour title. The in-form Egyptian swept through the draw in dominant fashion, completing his title hat-trick with a commanding 3–0 victory over Malaysia’s Mohammad Syafiq Kamal in the men’s final — extending his unbeaten streak to 14 matches without dropping a single game.

On the women’s side, Canada’s Iman Shaheen produced one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, winning her first PSA Challenger title in an epic five-game battle against India’s Rithika Suthanthria Seelan. Shaheen showed immense grit, saving a match ball in the fifth game before closing it out 13–11 after 67 minutes of high-intensity squash.

🇦🇺 NSW Players Impress on Home Soil

Local hopes were far from overshadowed. NSW’s Thomas Scott impressed with a stellar run to the PSA Men’s semi-finals, defeating teammate Kasper Cheung in an all-NSW second-round clash before falling to eventual champion El Torkey. Cheung bounced back in style, going on to win the VSRP Open Division title, defeating Lachlan Johnston (Carrara) in straight games. Thornleigh’s own Karen Blom also made headlines, powering into the quarter-finals of the women’s draw while balancing her tournament duties and club support across the weekend.

Festival of Squash Atmosphere

The NSW Open wasn’t just about elite competition, it was a full weekend celebration of squash.
“Super Saturday” was a true highlight, with the Junior Bronze Event, Ladies Beginner Group, and six graded divisions all taking to the courts alongside PSA matches. The energy at Thornleigh was electric, with players and spectators packing the venue for what many called “one of the best weekends of squash in years.”

Players praised the venue, atmosphere, and scheduling, with many noting the sense of community and professionalism that defined the event.

Graded & Junior Champions

• VSRP Open Division: 🏆 Kasper Cheung (Thornleigh) def. Lachlan Johnston

• KANSO Div 1: 🏆 Lilly Rae (NZ) def. Karen Blom (Thornleigh)

• DUNLOP Div 2: 🏆 Fred Schebesta (Sydney Uni/Bondi) def. Emilia Scott (Thornleigh)

• TECNIFIBRE Div 3: 🏆 Maeghan Wang (Thornleigh) def. Daniel Gonzalez-Velandia (Thornleigh)

• HEAD Ben Miller Accounting Div 4: 🏆 Nathaniel Middleton (DGEN) def. Nathan Lin (Willoughby/JETS)

• Div 5: 🏆 Joshua Wood (Elanora) def. Ayrron Anthony (Thornleigh)

• Women’s Novice: 🏆 Lilly Kennedy (Thornleigh)

• Junior Div 1: 🏆 Tyler Phabmixay (Cheeky Monkey Squash)

• Junior Div 2: 🏆 Taoyi Wang (Thornleigh)

• Junior Div 3: 🏆 Amit Itah (Thornleigh)

• Junior Minis: 🏆 Ruben Thomas (Thornleigh)

The ALTO NSW Open 2025 showcased everything great about squash, world-class competition, community spirit, and the continued rise of NSW talent.
A massive congratulations to all players, organisers, and volunteers who made this event possible.