Joel Makin is the first Welsh player to win the PSA Squash Tour Finals British number one Joel Makin has become the first Welsh player to win the PSA Squash Tour Finals after he beat world number one Mostafa Asal at Toronto's Revival Film Studios. The 30-year-old won the first two games 11-10, 11-7, before Asal, 24, retired from the match due to an ankle injury after the Egyptian went 1-0 behind in the third game. Makin was appearing in the first major PSA final of his career and he has now won the 10th - and biggest - title of his career. It is Makin's second title of the season after also winning the Silicon Valley Open in October 2024. "I've just been chipping away, and it's not been a short process, that's for sure," said Makin. "It was a really high quality one, the same as last night [against Diego Elias]. We had two really good games, it was frustrating in the third that we didn't get to keep going. "At sudden death again in the first game, it was really high quality. It's upsetting that he [Asal] wasn't right. "I'm happy to win, but I want that challenge, I want to win. I want to see how I am against him when he's playing well. "It's been another good week, it wasn't my best stuff in the group stages, but you've just got to keep trying, keep on getting better and come out and bring my best performance on the night." World number one Nouran Gohar of Egypt won the women's trophy after beating world number four Olivia Weaver of the United States 11-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3. The PSA Squash Tour Finals brings the curtain down on the PSA Squash Tour campaign, with the 2025-26 season set to begin in August.
Makin makes history with PSA Squash Tour Finals title win
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"Joel Makin Becomes First Welsh Player to Win PSA Squash Tour Finals"
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Joel Makin has made history by becoming the first Welsh player to win the PSA Squash Tour Finals, achieving this milestone with a victory over world number one Mostafa Asal at the Revival Film Studios in Toronto. Makin, who is 30 years old, demonstrated remarkable skill by taking the first two games with scores of 11-10 and 11-7. However, the match concluded prematurely when Asal, aged 24, was forced to retire due to an ankle injury after losing the initial game of the third set. This victory marks a significant achievement for Makin as it is his first appearance in a major PSA final, and he has now secured the tenth and most prestigious title of his career. Makin had previously won the Silicon Valley Open earlier in the season, and he expressed his joy and determination in his post-match comments, emphasizing the hard work that led to this success.
In his remarks, Makin reflected on the high-quality nature of the matches he played, particularly against Diego Elias in the semifinals, and voiced disappointment that the final did not continue to showcase the competitive spirit he had anticipated. He acknowledged Asal's talent and expressed a desire to face him again under better circumstances to truly measure his abilities against the best. Meanwhile, the women's title at the PSA Squash Tour Finals was claimed by Nouran Gohar from Egypt, who defeated Olivia Weaver from the United States in a closely contested match, finishing with scores of 11-10, 9-11, 11-8, and 11-3. The PSA Squash Tour Finals marks the conclusion of the current PSA season, with the 2025-26 season set to commence in August, promising more exciting matches in the future.
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