India’s Veer Chotrani produced one of the biggest wins of his professional career, upsetting former World No.15 and second seed Mohamed ElSherbini of Egypt to reach the semifinals of The St. James Expression Open 2025, a PSA Copper-level event.
The 5th seed from India triumphed 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 in a thrilling 70-minute contest that showcased his tactical maturity and fighting spirit. This win marks a major breakthrough for Chotrani, who has experienced a mixed run on the PSA Tour this season. Facing one of the most experienced campaigners on the circuit, the 23-year-old Indian displayed resilience and sharp court coverage to script a memorable comeback victory.
The quarterfinal encounter began on a tough note for Chotrani. ElSherbini, known for his aggressive front-court play and deceptive drops, raced through the opening game 11-7. However, the Indian quickly recalibrated his approach in the second, extending rallies and forcing errors off the Egyptian’s racket. The strategy paid off as Chotrani saved two game points to snatch the second game 12-10 a moment that completely shifted the momentum.
In the third game, the Indian capitalized on his rhythm, taking control of the ‘T’ and pushing ElSherbini deep into both corners. His precise length and disciplined retrievals saw him take the third 11-8. But just when he seemed to be running away with the match, ElSherbini struck back, dominating the fourth 11-5 with his trademark volleys and cross-court nicks.
The decider was a test of endurance and composure. Chotrani started strongly, surging to a 6-2 lead before ElSherbini mounted a brief comeback. The Indian, however, maintained focus, producing tight drops under pressure to seal the final game 11-6. With that, he completed one of the most impressive victories of his PSA career a five-game thriller over a player once ranked inside the world’s top 20.
Road to the Semifinals
Earlier in the tournament, Chotrani had defeated another Egyptian, Mohamed Sharaf, in the Round of 16. The Indian won that match 3-1 (11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8), coming from 6-8 down in the fourth game to clinch victory. The comeback against Sharaf demonstrated the same mental strength and tactical patience that would later serve him well against ElSherbini.
These back-to-back wins have propelled Chotrani into the semifinals of a PSA Copper Tour event for the first time this season a much-needed resurgence after an up-and-down year marked by early-round exits and close losses.
A Tournament of Upsets
The St. James Expression Open 2025 has turned into a showcase for emerging talent and surprise results. On the women’s side, Hong Kong’s Sin Yuk Chan continued her incredible run, defeating top seed Marina Stefanoni 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5 to stretch her unbeaten streak on the PSA Tour to 16 matches. The World No.50 has already won three titles this season the NASH Cup, Boston Open, and Hamilton Open and looks poised for another deep run.
Egypt’s Zeina Zein, Norway’s Madeleine Hylland, and USA’s Sabrina Sobhy also registered impressive upset wins, knocking out higher-ranked seeds in a dramatic day of action. In total, seven seeded players fell across both draws on day two a testament to the tournament’s competitiveness.
In the men’s draw, World No.65 Salman Khalil continued his rise with a win over England’s Nathan Lake (11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5), while Argentina’s Jeremias Azana stunned No.7 seed Muhammad Ashab Irfan in straight games. Despite the chaos, top seed Leonel Cardenas and U.S. No.1 Timothy Brownell managed to survive their respective encounters, keeping the top half of the draw intact.
For Indian squash, Chotrani’s win over a player of ElSherbini’s calibre is a reminder of the growing depth in the nation’s men’s circuit. Having transitioned from a successful junior career which included titles at the British Junior Open and U.S. Junior Open Chotrani has been steadily climbing the PSA rankings. His ability to hold his nerve in long, tactical battles is becoming one of his biggest assets.
With this victory, he not only boosts his confidence but also strengthens India’s presence on the global squash stage, following in the footsteps of established names like Saurav Ghosal and Ramit Tandon. A semifinal berth at a Copper-level event could also provide a valuable rankings boost, setting him up for higher-tier challenges in 2026.
Veer Chotrani’s campaign in Springfield continues, and with the form he’s shown, few would bet against another upset. His next challenge awaits in the semifinals a stage where he’ll once again look to combine composure, precision, and belief to continue his remarkable run.
