Ali Farag

Ali Amr Farag (; born 22 April 1992) is an Egyptian professional squash player. He is the 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 World Champion. He has a highest career world ranking of world No. 1 by the Professional Squash Association (PSA).

Education

Farag graduated from Harvard University in 2014 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Farag also graduated as one of the best squash players in college history, suffering only two defeats in his three years. As a member of Harvard's Varsity Squash Team, Farag won two individual national titles and helped lead Harvard to its first team title in 17 years in 2014.

Professional career

After graduating, Farag returned to the pro circuit, and began a rapid climb up the world rankings. He was named the PSA Player of the Month in April 2015 for reaching the main draw of the El Gouna Invitational as a qualifier and for winning back-to-back titles in Ireland.

Farag won his first world title at the 2018–19 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, beating Tarek Momen in the final and continuing the recent Egyptian domination of the sport. He reached the final of the 2019 British Open championship, but was defeated by his fellow Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy.

In July 2021, he again reached the final of the British Open championship, but this time he was defeated by New Zealand's Paul Coll. However, just one month later, in August 2021, he claimed his second World title at the 2020–21 PSA Men's World Squash Championship.

Farag won his third World title at the 2022 PSA Men's World Squash Championship.

In 2023, Farag finally won his first British Open, defeating Peruvian Diego Elías in the 2023 Men's British Open Squash Championship. It was a tough and close match, with both players tiring towards the end of the third game before Farag emerged the winner. In the fourth game, Farag managed to reduce a small deficit with well timed attacking drop shots and mixing up his attack. Farag clinched the title on the first match ball.

Farag's form continued as he reached his fourth world championship final. During the 2023 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, he defeated top seed Mostafa Asal in the semi final and then won a fourth World crown against Karim Abdel Gawad in the final. It moved Farag up to join Amr Shabana and Geoff Hunt in the all-time list with four world title wins.

Titles and Finals

Major Finals (30)

Major tournaments include:

* PSA World Championships
* PSA World Tour Finals
* Top-tier PSA World Tour tournaments (Platinum/World Series/Super Series)

Personal life

He is married to fellow squash professional Nour El Tayeb. The pair set a new record by becoming the first married couple to both win the same major title on the same day after winning the US Open in 2017. The couple came close to repeating the feat in the 2019 US Open, but Tayeb lost her final in a narrow 5-game thriller.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Farag, Ali
Egyptian male squash players
Harvard Crimson men's squash players
Living people
1992 births
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni
21st-century Egyptian sportsmen
Squash players from Cairo
21st-century American sportsmen