World's Top Squash Players Face Off in Windy City Open Finals

The $500,000 tournament concludes with star-studded matchups in Chicago's historic University Club.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Windy City Open, one of the world's premier squash tournaments, is set to conclude on Wednesday night with the finals of the men's and women's divisions. The women's final will feature World No. 2 Amina Orfi of Egypt taking on eight-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini, also of Egypt. The men's final will pit World No. 1 Mostafa Asal of Egypt against World No. 2 Paul Coll of New Zealand. The tournament, which has a $500,000 prize purse split evenly between the men's and women's champions, is held at the historic University Club of Chicago and serves as a showcase for the growing popularity of squash ahead of its 2028 Olympic debut.

Why it matters

The Windy City Open is one of the most prestigious events in professional squash, highlighting the sport's rising global profile and supporting the local nonprofit MetroSquash, which provides squash and academic programming to public school students in Chicago. The tournament's finals feature some of the world's top-ranked players, showcasing the incredible athleticism and strategy required to excel at the highest levels of the sport.

The details

Over the past seven days, the Windy City Open has narrowed down a field of 64 competitors to the final two players in both the men's and women's draws. In the women's final, World No. 2 Amina Orfi will face off against eight-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini. In the men's final, World No. 1 Mostafa Asal will take on World No. 2 Paul Coll. The tournament, which is held at the University Club of Chicago's ornate Cathedral Hall, features a $500,000 prize purse that will be split evenly between the men's and women's champions.

  • The Windy City Open began last Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The finals are scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Amina Orfi

The World No. 2 female squash player from Egypt.

Nour El Sherbini

An eight-time World Champion squash player from Egypt.

Mostafa Asal

The World No. 1 male squash player from Egypt.

Paul Coll

The World No. 2 male squash player from New Zealand.

Yoni Ellous

The tournament director of the Windy City Open.

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What they’re saying

“The level of athleticism, if you've never seen squash before, is absolutely astonishing. We sometimes talk about athletic chess, because you have to make certain moves.”

— Yoni Ellous, Tournament Director, Windy City Open (FOX32 Chicago)

“It's been an amazing seven days. I love Chicago. Very familiar with the place, with the court, the venue, everything.”

— Nour El Sherbini (FOX32 Chicago)

“It takes a lot, actually. It's a lot of sacrifice, a lot of effort, and huge motivation to be able to keep going and to come back and be hungry for more.”

— Nour El Sherbini (FOX32 Chicago)

What’s next

The women's final match starts at 6 p.m. on February 12, 2026, followed immediately by the men's final. The finals can be streamed on SquashTV.

The takeaway

The Windy City Open showcases the incredible athleticism and strategy of the world's top squash players, while also supporting the growth of the sport through its partnership with the local nonprofit MetroSquash. As squash prepares to make its Olympic debut in 2028, events like the Windy City Open are helping to raise the sport's global profile and inspire the next generation of players.