Nouran Ahmed Gohar (Arabic: نوران أحمد جوهر; born 30 September 1997 in Egypt) is a professional squash player who represents Egypt. She is the 2023–24 World Champion. She reached a career-high world ranking of No. 1 in July 2020.

Nouran Gohar
Nouran Gohar in 2024
Full nameNouran Ahmed Gohar
CountryEgypt
Born (1997-09-30) 30 September 1997 (age 27)
Egypt
ResidenceStamford, Connecticut, USA
Height167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
RetiredActive
PlaysRight Handed
Coached byOmar Abd El Aziz, Karim Darwish
Racquet usedTechnifibre
Women's singles
Highest rankingNo. 1 (October 2020)
Current rankingNo. 2 (July 2024)
World OpenW (2023–24)
Medal record
Women's squash
Representing  Egypt
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Cairo Singles
Silver medal – second place 2020–21 Chicago Singles
Silver medal – second place 2022 Cairo Singles
Silver medal – second place 2023 Chicago Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Kuala Lumpur Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 El Gouna Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2019–20 Cairo Singles
World Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Issy-les-Moulineaux Team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Dalian Team
Gold medal – first place 2022 Cairo Team
Updated on June, 2021.

Career

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She lifted her first Tour title at the Prague Open in December 2013 at 16 years of age, where she played to her seeding to see off Lucie Fialová to triumph. Gohar earned another title the following year at the Irish Open before her victory over Omneya Abdel Kawy in the final of the Monte Carlo Classic elevated her into the world's top 20 for the first time. A quarter-final finish at the Texas Open in April 2015 ensured that Gohar would breach the top 15 in the world.[1]

Gohar won the prestigious British Junior Open three times: in 2012, 2015, and 2016. She also was a two time World Junior Squash champion, winning consecutive titles in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, she was part of the Egyptian team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Women's World Team Squash Championships.[2]

In 2018, she won her second world team title as part of the Egyptian team that won the 2018 Women's World Team Squash Championships.[3]

In May 2019, Gohar defeated the French fourth seed Camille Serme in the final of the prestigious Women's British Open Squash Championship, which saw Gohar (seeded seventh) becoming the lowest seed to win the tournament in the modern era. On her way to the final, Gohar had beaten the number 1 and 3 seeds (Raneem El Weleily and Nour El Tayeb).[4] This helped propel her toward the number 1 ranking in the world, which she achieved in July 2020.

In 2022, she was part of the Egyptian team that won the 2022 Women's World Team Squash Championships, her third world team title.[5]

In May 2023, she reached the final of the 2023 PSA Women's World Squash Championship, defeating number 3 seed Hania El Hammamy in the semi final.[6] However, in the final despite being the top seed she was defeated in straight sets by Nour El Sherbini. It was the third consecutive world final that Gohar had been beatean by El Sherbini.[7]

Personal life

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Gohar is married to fencer Ziad El-Sissy.[8]

Major World Series final appearances

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British Open: 6 finals (2 title, 4 runner-up)

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Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 2016   Nour El Sherbini 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 8-11
Winner 2019   Camille Serme 11-3, 11-8, 11-3
Runner-up 2021   Nour El Sherbini 9-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-2
Runner-up 2022   Hania El Hammamy 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 4-11
Runner-up 2023   Nour El Sherbini 9-11, 7-11, 1-11
Winner 2024   Nour El Sherbini 11-6, 17-15, 3-11, 7-11, 11-4

Hong Kong Open: 1 final (1 title, 0 runner-up)

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Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 2016   Amanda Sobhy 6–11, 12–10, 11–7, 11–8

El Gouna International: 5 finals (2 title, 3 runner-up)

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Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 2019   Raneem El Weleily 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 6-11
Runner-up 2021   Nour El Sherbini 7-11, 8-11, 5-11
Runner-up 2022   Hania El Hammamy 11-2, 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 4-11
Winner 2023   Nele Gilis 11-5, 11-7, 11-9
Winner 2024   Nour El Sherbini 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6

United States Open: 3 finals (3 titles, 0 runner-up)

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Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 2019   Nour El Tayeb 3–11, 8-11, 14–12, 11–8, 11–7
Winner 2021   Hania El Hammamy 9–11, 11-9, 11–7, 11–3
Winner 2022   Nour El Sherbini 3-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Professional Squash Association Official Biography".
  2. ^ "Egypt Beats England, Winning Women's World Team Squash Championship". Cairo Scene. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Women's World Team Championship squash: Egypt beat England to retain title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  4. ^ "EGYPTIAN DUO GOHAR AND ELSHORBAGY LIFT 2019 BRITISH OPEN TITLES". PSA World Tour. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Egypt defeat USA in thriller to retain WSF Women's World Team Championship". World Squash. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  6. ^ "2023 World Championship draws". PSA. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  7. ^ "FINALS : Sherbini and Farag retain titles". World Squash. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  8. ^ "So you think you know Nouran Gohar?". thesquashsite.com. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by World No. 1
July 2020 – Present
Succeeded by
Current Holder