Team USA’s Olivia Weaver won her second PSA Gold title of the season, defeating Egypt’s world No. 6 Amina Orfi in the final of the Easy Times Brewing Co. Australian Open Sunday, March 16, in Brisbane.
The American world No. 4 entered the the $120,000 draw as the tournament’s top seed and opened up her tournament with a close 3-0 win against teammate Marina Stefanoni. Weaver reached the final at the expense of Egypt’s world No. 13 Salma Hany in the quarterfinals and world No. 9 Rowan Elaraby in the semifinals.
Seventeen-year-old Egyptian phenom Orfi, and it was the Egyptian who started off on the front foot taking the first game 11-4. With Australian squash legend Rod Martin in her coaching corner, Weaver breathed new life into the match, pulling away from 9-all to win the second game 11-9. Weaver continued her momentum with a dominant performance to take the third game 11-1.
Orfi appeared to be on the brink of forcing a fifth game with an early 7-2 to lead, but Weaver clawed back to 8-8 all, and would go on to clinch the title 11-9 after fifty-three minutes.
“It’s going to take a long time to sink in,” Weaver admitted afterwards. “I’m a bit lost for words, just the fact that I pushed through that. Amina was so tough. It’s unbelievable that she’s doing this at 17. She made it so tough and I just had to dig really deep and commit to my game plan. It wasn’t easy and it’s been a tough week. I feel like I haven’t always played my best squash. There are so many moments as an athlete that you doubt yourself and question what you’ve been doing and just to get through this match and win this event means everything.”
Weaver continues to reach new heights this season, maintaining a career high world No. 4 ranking and winning three major titles, including the two biggest titles of her career in Australia and San Francisco. The twenty-nine-year-old won her first career PSA Gold title during October’s Silicon Valley Open, and added defended her PSA Bronze Chestnut Hill Classic title in November.
Weaver will compete in the PSA Platinum El Gouna Open next, April 12-18, in Egypt.