RESULTS: PSA International 25 Sportsmax Open, Cairo, Egypt
Final:
[2] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt [Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 6-11, 12-10, 12-10, 6-11, 16-14 (96m)
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda celebrated home success in the inaugural Sportsmax Open when he lifted the PSA World Tour International 25 event trophy at the American University in Cairo.
But the second seed from Cairo was stretched for 96 minutes before overcoming the event’s giant-killer Marwan El Shorbagy – the 17-year-old qualifier from his own country who ousted two seeds on the way to his unexpected appearance in the final.
El Shorbagy, from Alexandria, arrived in Cairo fresh from winning the world junior title in Belgium – then immediately went through two rounds of qualifying, before beating third-seeded Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan in the quarter-finals, then top seed Omar Mosaad in the semis.
And the youngster continued his winning ways in the final, taking the opening game before conceding the next two only in tie-break games.
But 22-year-old Reda ultimately emerged triumphant, beating his promising fellow countryman 6-11, 12-10, 12-10, 6-11, 16-14 to secure the 11th PSA World Tour title of his career.
emi-finals:
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [1] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 4-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 (54m)
[2] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-13, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2 (81m)
Clearly inspired by his new status as world junior champion, Egyptian teenager Marwan El Shorbagy pulled off his third successive giant-killing victory in the inaugural Sportsmax Open when he defeated top-seeded compatriot Omar Mosaad to reach the final of the PSA World Tour International 25 squash event at the American University inCairo.
After two rounds of qualifying, the 17-year-old from Alexandria began his main draw run by beating India’s experiencedSiddharth Suchde, before despatching third-seeded Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan in the quarter-finals.
But only four months after losing in straight games to world No14 Mosaad, El Shorbagy recovered from a game down to beat his formidable opponent 4-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 in 54 minutes.
“I feel so happy,” said the youngster after reaching the fourth final of his brief PSA World Tour career to date. “I expected that Omar would win – he is a very talented player and I like his professionalism.
“This is the match of my life!”
El Shorbagy will now face another higher-ranked fellow countryman for the title.
But second seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda was tested for 81 minutes before getting the better of unseeded compatriotOmar Abdel Aziz 11-13, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2.
“It was too tough a match,” conceded Reda, who is now in his 14th Tour final. “Omar is a friend of mine. We train together – I know his style and he knows my style.
“It was 50/50 till the third game and then he lost his concentration and so I won.”
The final will be the first Tour meeting between El Shorbagy and Reda.
“It will be a great match,” conceded 22-year-old Reda. “Marwan is perfect and he is in form.”
Quarter-finals:
[1] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 14-12 (67m)
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [3] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5 (42m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt [Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (45m)
[2] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 13-11, 11-1, 6-11, 12-14, 11-7 (88m)
Egyptian qualifier Marwan El Shorbagy produced his second upset in two days in the inaugural Sportsmax Open in Egypt when he beat third-seeded Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 25 squash event at the American University in Cairo.
Only days after being crowned world junior champion in Belgium, the 17-year-old from Alexandria followed his first round triumph over India’s experienced Siddharth Suchde to topple Khan, the world No28 from Peshawar, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5.
Marwan El Shorbagy‘s stunning upset means that the Sportsmax semi-finals will be an all-Egyptian affair.
The Egyptian teenager admitted that his world junior championship success had given him a big boost: “Really it’s the main push – without it, I’d have never won such a record, and all of these great matches in this beautiful tournament are due to the confidence I gained after the world championship title.”
Marwan also explained that his older brother Mohamed El Shorbagy, ranked nine in the world, had given him good advice: “He told me that I have nothing to lose, so I did my best without any stress as he (Aamir) is 28th in the world and I’m just 92nd – so I’m really proud of the match.”
Atlas Khan, who reached last week’s Malaysian Open final against the odds, acknowledged that his preparation had not been ideal: “I should have rested my body after the long flight from Malaysia, and I arrived on the first day of the tournament so I played without previous training.
“But Marwan was good. He is a younger player that is coming up. He has improved a lot since the last tournament.”
El Shorbagy will now face fellow countryman Omar Mosaad for a place in the final. The top seed beat Italian Stephane Galifi 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 14-12.
It took 88 minutes for second seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda to clinch his place in the last four, stemming a fight back byKristian Frost Olesen to beat the unseeded Dane 13-11, 11-1, 6-11, 12-14, 11-7.
Reda will face Omar Abdel Aziz, the 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 victor over Egyptian qualifier Omar Abdel Meguid.
1st round:
[1] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [Q] Amr Swelim (ITA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (44m)
Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt Islam El Fiky (EGY) 11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-0 (43m)
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (30m)
[3] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 (43m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt [4] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 7-11, 11-1, 12-10 ret. (42m)
[Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 2-0 ret.
Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt [Q] Mazen Gamal (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 (72m)
[2] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4
Competing on home soil for the first time since winning the world junior title earlier this month in Belgium, Marwan El Shorbagy upset India’s Siddharth Suchde in the inaugural Sportsmax Open to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 25 squash event at the American University in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
The 17-year-old from Alexandria, a qualifier, despatched Suchde, ranked 64 in the world, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 and will now face third seed Aamir Atlas Khan for a place in the semi-finals.
Khan, inspired by his surprise appearance in the Malaysian Open final last week, battled to an 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 victory in 43 minutes over Englishman Robbie Temple.
There will be domestic interest in all four quarter-finals – led by event favourite Omar Mosaad, the world No14, who defeated Cairo-born Italian qualifier Amr Swelim 11-9, 11-9, 11-9.
Omar Abdel Aziz and Omar Abdel Meguid secured surprise places in the last eight after their opponents suffered injuries. Aziz faced fellow countryman Mohammed Abbas, a former world No13 who took the opening game.
But Abbas dropped the next two games and had to withdraw in the fourth to give 27-year-old Aziz the match.
Qualifier Meguid had played just two points when opponent Amr Khaled Khalifa, the former world junior champion, was forced to concede the match.
Aziz and Meguid will line-up in the quarter-finals to guarantee home interest in the last four.