Top seeds Mohamed Elshorbagy and Gregory Gaultier meet in China final
By NATHAN CLARKE
Top seed Laura Massaro meets 18-year-old sensation Nouran Gohar in the final of the JP Morgan 2016 China Open.
The 18-year-old Egyptian Gohar kept up her recent winning streak on the PSA World Tour by defeating compatriot and 2015 champion Raneem El Welily to reach the final in Shanghai, where World No.2 Massaro awaits.
Gohar stormed to glory at last month’s Hong Kong Open, defeating Massaro, Nicol David and Amanda Sobhy en route to the title.
She has continued her impressive run – which now stands at eight matches unbeaten – on Shanghai’s Bund with a dominant performance against El Welily while Massaro came through a tough four-game encounter with New Zealand’s Joelle King.
The men’s finale will see defending champion Gregory Gaultier, the World No.2, face off against World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbay after both came through their respective last four encounters with Karim Abdel Gawad and Borja Golan in straight games – with Gaultier’s progress aided when Gawad retired with injury during the third game of their battle.
JP Morgan 2016 China Squash Open, The Bind, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
Women’s Semi-final Results:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [4] Joelle King (NZL) 3-1: 17-15, 7-11, 11-7, 13-11 (50m)
[3] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9 (47m)
Women’s Final:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [3] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Men’s Semi-final Results:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [8] Borja Golan (ESP) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-9 (42m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 5-2 (retired injured)
Men’s Final:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Picture courtesy of PSA