Photo: Marius Borning, @marius.borning
Since 2017, Andy Taylor has been the voice of the Qatar Classic Squash Championship. With his individual style and delivery, Andy writes and narrates each player’s introduction; highlighting career accomplishments, providing context for fans before each match. As tournament emcee, Andy also interviews the winners and hosts the trophy celebration at the conclusion of the championship. In addition to his role with the Qatar Squash Federation, Taylor also hosts Doha’s professional tennis events, the Qatar ExonMobil Open and the Qatar Total Open . . . along with professional padel’s Ooredoo Qatar Major.
A voice acting veteran, Andy is best known as the Voice of the US Open in New York. There, he has spent 25-years shaping the sound of the tennis season’s final Grand Slam; enhancing the fan experience. Informing. Entertaining. Celebrating sport and its colorful cast of characters.
PAUL COLL CLAIMS FIRST QATAR CLASSIC TITLE . . . HANIA EL HAMMAMY TRIUMPHS AGAIN
The first Platinum event of the 2025-26 PSA Squash Tour season — once again, the sport’s top talents descended on Doha for seven days of heart-pounding action at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. Missing from the draw . . . World #1 and 2024 Finalist Nouran Gohar — who cited “personal reasons” before pulling-out of both the Qatar Classic and US Open.
On the women’s side, HANIA EL HAMMAMY kept her unbeaten streak alive, dropping only a single game enroute to her second Qatar Classic title. Just a week earlier, she captured her first PSA Diamond title at the Egyptian Open, and reclaimed the World #2 ranking. With a 3-game triumph over defending champion Nour ElSherbini in the Doha Final — El Hammamy was 10-0 to start the season . . . and considering Gohar’s absence from the Tour, found herself potentially poised to claim the sport’s top-ranking before the end of the year.
Meanwhile World #3 PAUL COLL — who 2-weeks earlier fell in one of the most stunning upsets in squash history (World #252 Adam Hawal, R2 Egyptian Open) — finally overcame his Doha demons to lift the Qatar Classic trophy. In 2019, he reached the Final of the World Championship in Doha (Momen), then achieved back-to-back Qatar Classic Finals in 2020 (Farag) and 2021 (Elias). But remarkably, after that stellar run, Coll went winless in Doha for 3-years — losing opening matches to Abdulla Al-Tamimi (2022) and Joel Makin (2023, 2024). Finally, with his 4-game triumph over World #1 Mostafa Asal, the 33-year-old claimed his first Qatar Classic title — his 6th career Platinum trophy — and first Platinum title in nearly 2-years.
QATAR SQUASH: 33 YEARS OF HIGHLIGHTS AND HISTORY
For over three decades, the Qatar Squash Federation has hosted the sport’s elite at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. Originally coined the Qatar International, Pakistan’s Jansher Khan captured the first five Doha titles from 1992 to 1996. Canada’s Jonathan Power then won back-to-back Doha titles over Peter Nichol . . . earning triumphs at the 1997 Qatar International and the 1998 World Championship.
Enter the Qatar Classic Squash Championship (Men)
After a two year absence, professional squash returned to Doha in 2001. Rebranded the Qatar Classic, Peter Nichol – now representing England – again reached back-to-back Doha Finals. This time, he captured the first two Qatar Classic titles over Australia’s David Palmer. England’s Lee Beachill and James Willstrop won the next two Qatar Classic titles, before Egypt began its outright Doha dominance.
In fact, since Ramy Ashour became the first Egyptian Doha champion at the 2006 Qatar Classic; the Arab nation has won 14 of the last 19 Doha titles, including three World Championships. Mohamed Elshorbagy – the only 4-time Qatar Classic Champion – reached a record six consecutive finals on this court (2012-2017) while representing Egypt. In 2022, he captured his 4th title while representing England, and remains the only player – male or female – to reach seven Doha Finals.
Qatar Classic Squash Championship (Women)
The sport’s elite female talent made their first Doha appearance in 2001, when Australia’s Sarah Fitz-Gerald captured the first women’s Qatar Classic title. A year later, she backed-up the triumph by capturing the World Championship in Doha.
Between 2006 and 2011, legend Nicol David owned Doha’s notoriously frigid glass court, earning five Qatar Classic titles in 6-years. Following a 3-season hiatus, top English talent Laura Massaro captured the 2015 title over rising star, 20-year-old Nour ElSherbini . . . who would quickly go-on to become one of the greatest talents in squash history. But unfortunately, the women wouldn’t return to Doha for another 8-years.
Finally, in 2023, the Qatar Classic returned as a mixed event – and once again, Nour ElSherbini reached the Final . . . where she fell to Hania El Hammamy in a 5-game, 84-minute classic. Determined to capture the only Major title she had yet to win — in 2024 (down 2-games to none), ElSherbini outlasted Nouran Gohar in a 96-minute thriller to claim the title and complete her Major trophy collection.
