Quick finals in Shanghai shoot-outs
By NATHAN CLRKE
A virtuoso performance from England’s Laura Massaro in the finale of the 2016 China Squash Open saw her power to the title in straight games and gain revenge for defeat to opponent Nouran Gohar at last month’s Hong Kong Open.
Massaro fell to the 18-year-old Egyptian in a bruising quarter-final in Hong Kong but made amends on the edge of Shanghai’s breathtaking Bund as she halted Gohar’s 8-match winning streak, playing accurate and disciplined squash to take the honours and claim her first PSA World Tour title since winning the 2015/16 season-ending Dubai PSA World Series Finals in May.
The World No.2 came through 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 in just 36 minutes to secure the silverware while Men’s World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy bounced back from his shock second round exit in Hong Kong to defeat World No.2 Gregory Gaultier and claim the men’s title – winning 3-0 in three minutes less than Massaro – and improve on his first round defeat here last year.
ElShorbagy lost out to Australian Cameron Pilley in Hong Kong last month but looked back to the form that saw him claim six of seven PSA World Series titles last season as he overpowered Gaultier, the Frenchman who was hoping to defend the crown he won ahead of ElShorbagy’s younger brother, Marwan, twelve months ago, to win 11-5, 11-3, 11-3.
JP Morgan China Open, The Bund, Shanghai, China.
2016 China Squash Open – Women’s Final:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [3] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (36m)
2016 China Squash Open – Men’s Final:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 (33m)
Picture by PSA