Top Egyptian Squash Player Announces Her Retirement

posted on: Jul 20, 2020

By: MacKenzie DiLeo/Arab America Contributing Writer

World renowned professional squash player from Egypt, Raneem El Welily, announced her retirement from the sport on June 25. Her 18-year career in squash captured 24 Professional Squash Association titles, including the 2017/2018 PSA World Championships. She was also a member of Egypt’s World Team Championship winning side on four separate occasions. In 2015, El Welily made history when she became the first Arab woman ranked as number one in any sport. She also made history again in 2019 when her husband, Tarek Momen, won the 2019/2020 PSA Men’s World Championship. This made them the first married couple to become World Champions in any sport. Together, El Welily and Momen were featured in the Guinness Book of World Records earlier this year for their achievement.

On June 25, El Welily posted the following on Facebook to share news of her retirement with her near 45,000 followers: “Squash has been my life for the past 25 years, but the time has come for me to say goodbye… I have been so fortunate to have witnessed many generations play the game, to have been inspired by so many legends, and to have been a part of such a great era.” The news was met with positive regard and well wishes from her followers. Many were seemingly inspired by her words, bidding her farewell with comments including “You are a fantastic squash player and a wonderful role model,” and “One of the most naturally talented women ever to have picked up a squash racquet.”

So… What Exactly is Squash?

In case you are unfamiliar, squash is a racquet and ball sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow ball. The two players alternate in striking the ball with their racquets onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court. The sport resembles racquetball, but racquetball is played with a solid rubber ball that is extremely bouncy. Because the squash ball is hollow and barely bounces, squash is more challenging than racquetball as it requires the player to bend and stretch more.

El Welily’s Career

El Welily was born and raised in Alexandria. She attended the German School in Alexandria where she began her initial training for squash at only age six. By age 10, El Welily began winning junior tournaments in Egypt. At age 12 she then became a part of the Egyptian winning squad in Cairo. Her junior career really took off, however, when she became the Women’s International Squash Player Association (WISPA) Young Player of the Year in 2005. That same year she also became World Junior Champion, and she earned the title again in 2007.

El Welily’s adult career took off in 2009 after winning the Heliopolis Open in Egypt. She entered the world’s top 20 after becoming a qualifier in the Malaysian Open, and then she gradually worked her way into the top 10. In 2012, El Welily became number two in the world after defeating Nicol David, who at the time ranked number one. She eventually was able to surpass David in 2015 after winning the Tournament of Champions, the Windy City Open and the Alexandria International.

The video clip below showcases some of El Welily’s best moments in tournaments throughout her career:

Additional Arab Women Who Have Had a Successful Career in Squash

Nouran Gohar is another Egyptian woman who has had an immensely successful career in squash. She was previously ranked as number two immediately behind El Welily, and with El Welily’s retirement, Gohar will become number one. Gohar won her first title at the Prague Open in 2013 when she was 16 years old. She won another title the following year in the Irish Open, which earned her a spot in the world’s top 20. She was able to improve her rank even further as a quarter-finalist in the Texas Open in 2015.

Yet another Egyptian woman, Omneya Abdel Kawy, has made her way into the top 10 list of female squash players worldwide. At her peak, Abdel Kawy ranked as number four in 2010. Her ranking has fluctuated throughout the top 10 lists since 2016. Nevertheless, she has earned eight titles and has competed in many tournaments since winning the World Junior Championship in 2003.

Sources

https://www.worldsquash.org/world-no-1-raneem-el-welily-announces-immediate-retirement-from-squash/

https://www.facebook.com/Raneemelwelily/

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