Frenchman Victor Crouin won his first ever game against Mostafa Asal before the Egyptian world No 1 was forced to retire from their third round contest due to illness at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions
Asal had won their previous four matches, but Crouin took the opening game of their last 16 encounter at Grand Central Terminal. The Egyptian called to extend the game break to three minutes, but was unable to continue after that time due to dizziness and other symptoms, meaning Crouin was awarded the match.
Crouin battled hard in the first game and was sharp onto Asal’s attacks, responding with accurate counter drops to test the movement of the Egyptian. Asal saved one game ball at 10-9 to force a tiebreak but the Frenchman recovered to take the game.
Result: @jpmorgan @ToCSquash Men's RD3
🇫🇷 @VCrouin beats [2] @mostafasal_ 🇪🇬 3-0: 12-10 retired (19m)#TOCSquash pic.twitter.com/zkxWvlWTjz
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) January 22, 2023
Asal was clearly not at his best physically and in the game break, made the decision to withdraw from the match as he was experiencing dizziness and other symptoms.
Egypt’s Jana Shiha caused an upset in the opening match of the day, as she got the better of world No.8 Sarah-Jane Perry in a thrilling five game contest to reach her first ever Platinum quarter final.
Shiha was featuring on the glass court at Grand Central Terminal for the first time in her career, and she was not fazed by the occasion, starting strongly in each of the opening two games. The young Egyptian won them both on a tie-break to lead 2-0 in the contest.
Perry came back from 2-1 down in their last meeting, which came at the Everbright Securities International Hong Kong Squash Open, and she threatened to do the same, but from 2-0 down in this one. The Englishwoman levelled up the match and sent it into a decider, but Shiha was able to regroup to move through to a first Platinum quarter final, winning 11-9 in the fifth after a 62-minute battle.
“I had no idea this was going to happen. I had a tournament last week. Really bad loss first round. But then I was like, ‘Honestly, I’m just going to go for it. Do whatever I do, play my best’,” Shiha said.
Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy put in a solid performance in his third round clash in New York City, overcoming the challenge of Swiss No.1 Nicolas Mueller in straight games.
World No.9 Mazen Hesham came through a tricky all-Egyptian battle with good friend Moustafa El Sirty, winning in straight games to move into the quarter finals of the competition.
The New Zealand No.1 needed all five games to defeat Wales’ Emily Whitlock in round two but hit top form in round three as she overcame Belgium’s Nele Gilis to reach her third Tournament of Champions quarter final.
Colombia’s giant killer Miguel Rodriguez progressed to his third Tournament of Champions quarter final after beating France’s Auguste Dussourd in four games at New York’s Grand Central Terminal.
Results
Men’s Third Round (Top Half) Results: J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions
Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY) 3-0: 12-10 retired (19m)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (29m)
[7] Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (39m)
Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-1 (67m)
Men’s Third Round (Bottom Half) Draw: To Be Played Sunday, January 22
[4] Diego Elias (PER) v Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v [6] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[8] Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v [1] Paul Coll (NZL)
Men’s Quarter Final (Top Half) Draw: To Be Played Monday, January 23
Victor Crouin (FRA) v [5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[7] Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Miguel Rodriguez (COL)
Women’s Third Round (Top Half) Results: J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 (31m)
[6] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-1 (25m)
Jana Shiha (EGY) bt [8] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-2: 14-12, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11, 11-9 (62m)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 (36m)
Women’s Third Round (Bottom Half) Draw: To Be Played Sunday, January 22
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v Tomato Ho (HKG)
Georgina Kennedy (ENG) v [7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)
[5] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Olivia Clyne (USA)
Melissa Alves (FRA) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Women’s Quarter Final (Top Half) Draw: To Be Played Monday, January 23
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [6] Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Jana Shiha (EGY) v [4] Joelle King (NZL)