Egypt’s reigning world No. 1, Raneem El Welily, announced her immediate retirement from professional squash Thursday, June 25, while also revealing the celebratory news that she and her husband, world No. 4 Tarek Momen, are expecting their first child.
El Welily has been a trailblazer for Egyptian and women’s squash since turning professional in 2002. In September 2015, El Welily became the first Egyptian woman to become world No. 1 in any sport.
At thirty-one years old, El Welily becomes just the third squash player to retire while ranked world No. 1, following Susan Devoy and Jonathan Power.
Widely celebrated for her good sportsmanship and demeanor in addition to her world-class ability, El Welily received the PSA Spirit of Squash Award for the past four years.
El Welily has won nearly every major title the sport has to offer, including the 2017 PSA World Championship title in Manchester, England, and a total of twenty-four professional titles. El Welily has won all three PSA Platinum titles held in the United States, including the 2018 U.S. Open, 2015 Tournament of Champions and a three-year Windy City Open reign from 2015-2017.
Read El Welily’s first of three statements on instagram below.