Windy City Open finalists face off in world-class squash showdown

Windy City Open: The final squash showdown will soon be underway

The world's best squash players are in Chicago and the finals are tonight. It's the Windy City Open.

CHICAGO - The world's most elite squash players are facing off in a high-stakes showdown held in Chicago.

The Windy City Open finals are set for Wednesday night, and the competition is heating up.

What we know:

The Windy City Open — also dubbed 'The Highest Order of Squash' — began last Thursday with 64 competitors. Over the last seven days, the pool of 32 women and 32 men has been narrowed down to two competitors in each draw. 

On Wednesday night, the professional players will leave it all on the court, not only fighting for the championship title in their respective divisions, but also for a combined $500,000 prize purse, which will be split equally.

In the women's division, Amina Orfi (No. 2) of Egypt is set to take on eight-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini (No. 3), also of Egypt. The men's competition will see Mostafa Asal (No. 1) of Egypt take on Paul Coll (No. 2) of New Zealand. 

The tournament is a smashing display of high-level gameplay and fierce competition.

"The level of athleticism, if you've never seen squash before, is absolutely astonishing," said Yoni Ellous, tournament director, Windy City Open. "We sometimes talk about athletic chess, because you have to make certain moves."

Held in the University Club of Chicago's ornate Cathedral Hall, the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family is where rich history meets today’s elite athletes of the sport — clashing on a state-of-the-art glass court.

Prior to the finals, FOX Chicago caught up with one of the female finalists during her warm-up.

"It's been an amazing seven days. I love Chicago," El Sherbini said. "Very familiar with the place, with the court, the venue, everything."

Now, she is vying for more glory and explained how strategy and speed play a key role. 

"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," El Sherbini said. 

The Windy City Open was founded at the club 45 years ago, and in recent years, Ellous says the sport's popularity has exploded. 

"We're just trying to grow the game," Ellous shared. "We're trying to get ready for the LA Olympics in 2028. We want people to support the game and I think the game sells itself."

It will mark the sport's Olympic debut. In the meantime, Ellous encourages anyone at any level to give squash a go. 

"If you've never tried it, it's definitely fun to do with a significant other, with your partner, with a friend, a co-worker," he said. "You can play year-round because it's always good weather, because we're indoors."

What's next:

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

At the end of the tournament each year, a significant donation is presented by the University Club of Chicago and the Walter family to MetroSquash. The nonprofit, based on the city's South Side, supports public school kids with sports — including squash — and academics.