| |
Windy City Open
2022
Men's Draw
23 Feb - 02 Mar
Chicago, USA, $250k |
SECOND
ROUND
24
FEB |
THIRD ROUND
25-26
Feb |
QUARTERS
27-28 Feb |
SEMIS
01 Mar |
FINAL
02 Mar |
[1] Ali Farag (EGY)
11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (34m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) |
Ali Farag
w/o
Saurav Ghosal |
Ali Farag
6-11, 11-9,
12-10, 11-7 (61m)
Marwan Elshorbagy |
Marwan Elshorbagy
11-5, 6-11,
9-11, 11-1, 11-0 (56m)
Youssef Ibrahim
|
Youssef Ibrahim
7-11, 10-12,
11-4, 11-7,
11-9 (96m)
Paul Coll |
[9/16] Saurav Ghosal (IND)
14-12, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6 (76m)
George Parker (ENG) |
Todd Harrity (USA)
11-2, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11 (54m)
Declan James (ENG) |
Todd Harrity
11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (38m)
Marwan Elshorbagy |
[6] Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY)
11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (50m)
[9/16] Grégoire Marche (FRA) |
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP)
6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11 (89m)
[5] Diego Elias (PER) |
Iker Pajares Bernabeu
11-6, 6-11, 11-4,
10-12, 11-9 (66m)
Cesar Salazar |
Iker Pajares Bernabeu
11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (33m)
Youssef Ibrahim
|
Cesar Salazar (MEX)
11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (32m)
Yip Tsz Fung (HKG) |
[9/16] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)
8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (40m)
Leonel Cardenas (MEX) |
Youssef Ibrahim
8-11, 9-11, 11-9,
13-11, 11-6 (75m)
Mohamed Elshorbagy |
[3] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)
11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (36m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) |
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY)
11-13, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (56m)
[9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) |
Tarek Momen
11-2, 11-9, 11-1 (33m
Omar Mosaad |
Tarek Momen
11-2, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 (75m)
Fares Dessouky |
Tarek Momen
12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11,
11-5 (89m)
Paul Coll |
Omar Mosaad (EGY)
11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (45m)
Greg Lobban (SCO) |
[9/16] Mazen Hesham (EGY)
11-7, 11-3, 12-10 (35m)
Borja Golan (ESP) |
Mazen Hesham
7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8 (66m)
Fares Dessouky |
[8] Fares Dessouky (EGY)
11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 (63m)
[9/16] Youssef Soliman (EGY) |
[7] Joel Makin (WAL)
11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (50m)
Patrick Rooney (ENG) |
Joel Makin
11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (74m
Karim Abdel Gawad |
Joel Makin
11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (70m)
Paul Coll |
[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
11-9, 11-9, 11-5 (34m)
Nicolas Müller (SUI) |
Adrian Waller (ENG)
12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-9 (75m)
[9/16] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) |
Adrian Waller
11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (39m)
Paul Coll |
James Willstrop (ENG)
11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (44m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) |
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) [bye]
Arturo Salazar (MEX) v [17/32] Raphael Kandra (GER)
[17/32] George Parker (ENG) v [WC] Andrew Douglas (USA)
[9/16] Saurav Ghosal (IND) [bye]
[17/32] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) v Declan James (ENG)
Auguste Dussourd (FRA) v [17/32] Todd Harrity (USA)
[9/16] Gregoire Marche (FRA) [bye]
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) [bye]
[5] Diego Elias (PER) [bye]
Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) v [17/32] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP)
[17/32] Shahjahan Khan (USA) v Tsz Fung Yip (HKG)
Alan Clyne (SCO) v [17/32] Cesar Salazar (MEX)
[17/32] Victor Crouin (FRA) v Leonel Cardenas (MEX)
[9/16] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) [bye]
[17/32] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) v Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) [bye]
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) [bye]
[9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) [bye]
[17/32] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Nathan Lake (ENG)
Greg Lobban (SCO) v [17/32] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY)
[17/32] Lucas Serme (FRA) v Borja Golan (ESP)
[9/16] Mazen Hesham (EGY) [bye]
[9/16] Youssef Soliman (EGY) [bye]
[8] Fares Dessouky (EGY) [bye]
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) [bye]
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v [17/32] Patrick Rooney (ENG)
[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) [bye]
Tayyab Aslam (PAK) v [17/32] Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[17/32] Adrian Waller (ENG) v Ivan Yuen (MAS)
[9/16] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) [bye]
[17/32] James Willstrop (ENG) v Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) [bye]
|
Windy City Open
2022
Women's Draw
23 Feb - 02 Mar
Chicago, USA, $250k |
SECOND
ROUND
24
FEB |
THIRD ROUND
25-26
Feb |
QUARTERS
27-28 Feb |
SEMIS
01 Mar |
FINAL
02 Mar |
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)
Julianne Courtice (ENG) |
Nour El Sherbini
10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (56m)
Tinne Gilis |
Nour El Sherbini
11-7, 11-3, 11-2 (29m)
Rowan Elaraby
|
Nour El Sherbini
5-11, 15-17, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (66m)
Hania El Hammamy
|
Hania El Hammamy
15-13, 11-9, 11-8 (62m)
Nouran Gohar
|
Tinne Gilis (BEL)
11-2, 11-3, 11-6 (21m)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) |
Alexandra Fuller (RSA)
11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4 (50m)
Donna Lobban (AUS) |
Alexandra Fuller
11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (36m)
Rowan Elaraby |
[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)
11-5, 2-11, 14-12, 12-10 (43m)
Lisa Aitken (SCO) |
[6] Salma Hany (EGY)
11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10 (63m)
Tze Lok Ho (HKG) |
Salma Hany
11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (28m)
Nadine Shahin |
Salma Hany
11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (37m)
Hania El Hammamy
|
[9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY)
14-12, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5 (56m)
Nada Abbas (EGY) |
Mariam Metwally (EGY)
11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 14-12 (67m)
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) |
Mariam Metwally
11-7, 11-6, 4-0 ret. (23m)
Hania El Hammamy |
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
11-8, 11-1, 11-4 (23m
Rachel Arnold (MAS) |
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (29m)
[9/16] Hollie Naughton (CAN) |
Amanda Sobhy
11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8 (64m)
Tesni Evans |
Amanda Sobhy
12-10, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6 (66m)
Joelle King |
Joelle King
11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (32m)
Nouran Gohar
|
[9/16] Tesni Evans (WAL)
9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (53m)
Hana Ramadan (EGY) |
Lucy Turmel (ENG)
13-15, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (78m)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) |
Lucy Turmel
11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 1-11, 11-8 (64m)
Joelle King |
[5] Joelle King (NZL)
11-2, 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8 (55m)
[9/16] Olivia Clyne (USA) |
[9/16] Nele Gilis (BEL)
11-9, 11-6, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9 (60m)
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) |
Nele Gilis
9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8 (78m)
Georgina Kennedy |
Georgina Kennedy
11-4, 11-9, 11-1 (33m)
Nouran Gohar |
[9/16] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)
11-8, 13-15, 11-3, 13-11 (58m)
[9/16] Olivia Fiechter (USA) |
[9/16] Joshna Chinappa (IND)
11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)
Sana Ibrahim (EGY) |
Joshna Chinappa
11-0, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)
Nouran Gohar |
Danielle Letourneau (CAN)
11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (27m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) |
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bye
Julianne Courtice (ENG) bt Emily Whitlock (WAL) 9-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-1
(40m)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt [WC] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (19m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Cristina Gomez (ESP) 11-3, 11-6, 11-2 (21m)
Donna Lobban (AUS) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 11-13, 11-9, 11-9,
11-7 (37m)
Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt Aifa Azman (MAS) 8-11, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10, 11-4
(45m)
Lisa Aitken (SCO) bt Anna Serme (CZE) 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4 (34m)
[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bye
[6] Salma Hany (EGY) bye
Tze Lok Ho (HKG) bt Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6
(58m)
[9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bye
Nada Abbas (EGY) bt Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (29m)
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Ineta Mackevica (LAT) 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 (24m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Marie Stéphan (FRA) 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 (33m)
Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 11-4, 17-15, 10-12, 11-9
(54m)
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bye
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bye
[9/16] Hollie Naughton (CAN) bye
Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 (24m)
[9/16] Tesni Evans (WAL) bye
Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Yathreb Adel (EGY) 14-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5 (51m)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Énora Villard (FRA) 11-6, 11-9, 11-3 (28m)
[9/16] Olivia Clyne (USA) bye
[5] Joelle King (NZL) bye
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bye
[9/16] Nele Gilis (BEL) bye
[9/16] Olivia Fiechter (USA) bye
[9/16] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bye
[9/16] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bye
Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bt Haley Mendez (USA) 10-12, 12-10, 11-1, 11-4 (35m)
Danielle Letourneau (CAN) bt Emilia Soini (FIN) 11-5, 13-11, 11-7 (22m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bye
|
Coll and Gohar Capture Windy City Open Titles
New Zealand’s Paul Coll and Egypt’s Nouran Gohar have captured the
2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family titles after
respective wins over World No.17 Youssef Ibrahim and World No.3
Hania El Hammamy at the University Club of Chicago.
Coll came back from the brink of defeat against the unseeded Ibrahim
as the new men’s World No.1 overturned a two-game deficit to run out
a 7-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 winner, getting his hands on his
first Windy City Open crown and his second PSA World Tour Platinum
title.
Ibrahim, the first unseeded player to reach the Windy City Open
final since 2012, was magnificent in the opening stages as his
free-flowing, attacking brand of squash blew his opponent away.
However Coll - who became the first man from New Zealand to reach
World No.1 the previous day - never admitted defeat and dragged
himself back into the contest with some long, physical rallies
taking their toll on Ibrahim. Coll then held his nerve in a
nail-biting decider to complete the win in what is, at 96 minutes,
the longest Windy City Open final ever.
“I thought I played pretty well,” said Coll after winning his 18th
PSA title.
“Youssef was incredible. He was so tight to the back and I’d put a
drive one foot off the wall and he’d roll it out of the nick. To
play like that in his first platinum final is a mark of a great
player, he's a danger to everyone.
“This week has been a hugely emotional week for me, going to No.1
was the best thing that's ever happened in my squash career. I
really wanted to win this tournament whilst going to No.1.”
Meanwhile, Gohar has captured her third successive Platinum title
after a 15-13, 11-9, 11-8 victory over El Hammamy saw her win her
first Windy City Open crown. The win also sees her become the first
female player since Malaysian legend Nicol David at the 2015 Hong
Kong Open to win a Platinum event without dropping a game.
It was a repeat of the 2021 U.S. Open final and Gohar came out on
top once again to add the Windy City Open triumph to her collection
of major tournament wins this season, which includes September’s CIB
Egyptian Open in front of the famous Great Pyramid of Giza.
It’s Gohar’s 15th PSA title and her fifth of the 2021-22 season.
Gohar and Coll both win over $35,000 in prize money for their
efforts in Chicago this week, while Coll secures automatic
qualification for the CIB PSA World Tour Finals in June. All
Platinum title winners - as well as the PSA World Champions -
qualify for the PSA World Tour Finals, with the remaining spots
being allocated to the highest ranked players on the CIB Road to
Egypt Standings.
“Wow, that was tough, that was really tough,” said Gohar afterwards.
“I know we’ve been playing for over an hour, Hania was retrieving
everything and it was very tough out there. I’m glad I didn’t drop a
game in this tournament. I can’t really believe it, the first time I
came to Chicago I was 15 and I was in qualification on the
traditional courts. I was just dreaming to be on the glass court,
not even to win, and now seven or eight years later I’m winning the
event, it’s huge for me.”
The next event on the PSA World Tour will be the men’s Optasia
Championships between March 6-11, while the next women’s event will
be the CIB Black Ball Open between March 12-17. Both tournaments
will be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
Semi Finals
Ibrahim Reaches Maiden Platinum Title Decider as
Windy City Open Finalists Decided
Egypt’s World No.17 Youssef Ibrahim has reached his first PSA World
Tour Platinum final after he came out on top in a feisty five-game
battle with World No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy to reach the title decider
of the Windy City Open Presented by Walter Family.
Ibrahim had already beaten the older ElShorbagy brother - former
World No.1 Mohamed - in the quarter finals and he followed up that
win with a victory over two-time runner-up Marwan at the University
Club of Chicago, winning 11-5, 6-11, 9-11, 11-1, 11-0 in a match
that saw both players penalised with conduct strokes due to dissent.
“I expected the match to have a lot of mind games involved,” said
Ibrahim, who is the first unseeded player to reach the Windy City
Open finals since Pakistan’s Yasir Ali Butt in 2012.
“The last time we played, the same thing happened, and I
unintentionally got dragged into his game. He’s the best at playing
that type of game, so I have to give this to him. I’m happy that I
dealt with it after the third game I lost.
“I had to keep the rallies going, playing tight and high because
anything in the middle he takes too much space. I’m happy that when
I stayed on court after the third to get my mind right, I was able
to deal with it today.”
Up next for Ibrahim is a meeting with 2020 runner-up Paul Coll, who
celebrated his first day as the new World No.1 with a gruelling
12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5 victory against former World Champion
Tarek Momen.
Coll, who today became the first man from New Zealand to top the PSA
World Rankings, will look to win his second major title when he
takes on Ibrahim in tomorrow’s title decider. Coll has won all three
of their previous meetings on the PSA World Tour and is yet to drop
a game to the Egyptian.
“It's a new challenge for me and I'm enjoying it,” said Coll.
“It’s a big week for me with a lot of pressure and I've loved every
minute of it. I'm learning as a player and I think I'm growing, I’m
loving this week and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I’m very happy
I contained him, I came out strong in the fifth, and I’m very happy
with how I responded and I’m glad I brought it home. I’m really
excited for tomorrow and another final here in Chicago, and I'm
looking to win this one.”
In the women’s final, World No.3 Hania El Hammamy and World No.2
Nouran Gohar will go head-to-head in a repeat of October’s U.S. Open
final following respective wins over World No.1 Nour El Sherbini and
World No.6 Joelle King.
El Hammamy achieved a magnificent comeback from two games down to
end El Sherbini’s title defence and her unbeaten run in Chicago,
which stretched back to 2018 after 20 straight wins in the ‘Windy
City’.
“I have no words to explain how happy I am with today’s win,” said
El Hammamy.
“I’ve beaten Nour twice before, but I think today is a little more
special. Being 2-0 down is amazing to be able to win in five. She’s
been World No.1 for 17 months and been a World Champion and she
needs no introduction. Her confidence and stamina are so hard to
break, and to win that after being 2-0 down means a lot to me.”
Gohar, who won that U.S. Open final bout with El Hammamy, was
ruthlessly efficient against King as she dispatched the Kiwi in
straight games after just 32 minutes of play.
The 24-year-old will now appear in her first Windy City Open final
and will look to win her third Platinum title in a row.
“I’m very happy with it, having a 3-0 match before the final
definitely helps to prepare for that as it’s the most important
match of the tournament,” Gohar said.
“I train really hard for these kinds of matches and I’m very happy
with my performance today, Joelle is such a good player and I’m so
happy I won in three and can go to bed early tonight. Last time,
Hania beat me, it’s always tough playing her and you can never take
her for granted. Even if you win a few times in a row, she’s
definitely one of the best players right now and I’m really looking
forward to that match.”
The Windy City Open finals take place tomorrow (March 2) and play
begins at 18:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
Quarter Finals Bottom
New Zealand Duo King & Coll Reach Windy City Open
Semis
New Zealand duo Joelle King and Paul Coll booked their places in the
semi finals of the Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
after a day of drama at the University Club of Chicago earlier
today.
King, the World No.6, will take on World No.2 Nouran Gohar in the
last four of the women’s event after she battled to a 12-10, 10-12,
8-11, 11-9, 11-6 victory after 66 minutes of exciting squash.
The 33-year-old was returning to the scene of her first PSA World
Tour Platinum final, where she finished as a runner-up in 2018, and
she had won eight of her nine matches with Sobhy on the tour. Buoyed
by her home crowd, USA No.1 Sobhy fought back from a game down to
take the lead, but she was unable to press home her advantage as
King fought back to make it five wins on the bounce against Sobhy.
“I think I'm loving five-setters, every match this week has gone to
five games,” said King.
“I’ve had lapses of concentration. Obviously playing against a class
opponent like Amanda, she just never gave it to me, the last part of
that fifth was just a blur and I just thought if I’m going to go
down, then go down swinging, and it just went my way today.
“I love the Sobhy family, I stay with their dad when I got to Cairo,
they're like a second family to me, and unfortunately someone has to
lose, so next time who knows?”
King and Gohar will go head-to-head for the 10th time on the PSA
World Tour. Gohar has won five of their nine matches so far and will
look to make it three in a row following her dominant 11-4, 11-9,
11-1 win against England’s Georgina Kennedy, who was appearing in
her maiden PSA Platinum quarter final.
“To beat Georgina 3-0, you definitely have to be at your best,” said
Gohar.
“She’s the one to watch right now. Thankfully I’ve played her a few
times now, we played last month and it’s never easy, even if it’s
3-0. The second game was crucial for me to close it and have a big
lead because she’s always pushing, even when she’s down. I have lots
of respect for her, but I’m glad I had a game plan, I executed it
pretty well and I’m looking forward to the semi final match.”
In the men’s event, Coll will take on former World Champion Tarek
Momen in the last four following respective wins against Welshman
Joel Makin and World No.9 Fares Dessouky.
Coll, who will become the first male Kiwi to go to World No.1
tomorrow (March 1), was immaculate against Makin as he achieved an
11-6, 11-5, 11-5 victory. Their previous encounter saw Makin hold a
2-1 lead before sadly retiring from the match due to injury, but an
upset was never on the cards today in Chicago as a focused Coll went
about his work with the minimum of fuss.
“It’s [becoming World No.1] a dream come true, it's going to be a
great day,” said Coll, who was runner up at the 2020 edition of the
Windy City Open.
"I can't wait to wake up but I have a job to do, we’ll enjoy it as a
team tomorrow and then quickly focus on the match tomorrow night.
It's going to be a battle, he [Momen] looked like he was playing
well tonight, so I’ll have to be on my game. I'll enjoy the win
tonight, have some dinner and relax and focus on that match
tomorrow, it's going to be a big match, but I’ll be ready.”
World No.5 Momen ground out a five-game victory over Dessouky by an
11-2, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 scoreline. There were plenty of
traffic issues and arguments with the referee throughout the
75-minute contest, but Momen rose above all of that and kept his
head well to seal a place in the semi finals of the Windy City Open
for the third time.
“I always like to play free-flowing matches and today I got
sucked into a game I'm not comfortable with,’ Momen said.
“Fares is such a good friend of mine and such a good player, the
artillery he has is unreal and unfortunately sometimes when we have
to have discussions with the referee, it's not how I want to play.
I’m not blaming him for it, but I felt like we both were not
comfortable with it. Seeing that I was almost knocked out first
round, I’m very happy to be here. I've brought my family all the way
from Egypt, so I didn't want it to be an early week.”
The Windy City Open semi finals take place tomorrow (March 1) and
play begins at 17:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown live
on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
QF Top
ElShorbagy Sends World No.1 Farag Out of Windy City Open
World No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy has sent defending champion and World
No.1 Ali Farag out of the 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the
Walter Family after coming from behind to win their quarter final
fixture at the University Club of Chicago earlier today.
Farag was on an 18-match unbeaten run in Chicago following his
triumph at the 2020 Windy City Open as well as the 2018-19 and
2020-21 PSA World Championships held in the city, but his recent
form against ElShorbagy has been mixed, with ElShorbagy winning
their last three matches.
After a closely-contested first and second game which left the match
poised at 1-1, Farag surrendered three game balls in the third to
hand ElShorbagy a crucial lead following a trio of uncharacteristic
mistakes from the No.1 seed. It was a lead ElShorbagy wouldn’t
relinquish as he hit his targets at the front of the court to record
a 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-7 victory.
“Just to get another win over Ali means a lot to me,” said Marwan.
“Ali is a great player, he's the World No.1, he sets his standards
very high and he makes everyone on the tour work very hard and he's
improving our own games. I’m just very happy to get the win today.
When I woke up this morning I just had a good feeling today.
“It’s always tough playing Ali, it's always tense, but I just tried
to keep my composure, we were both arguing but I think it's part of
the game, we’re in such a small space, interference will always
happen but Ali is such a great player and I respect him a lot. He's
a two-time World Champion and has been World No.1 for many months,
and I know he’s losing it to Paul [Coll], but he'll be determined to
get it back.”
ElShorbagy was a runner-up at the Windy City Open in both 2017 and
2018 and he will look to reach a third final when he takes on
compatriot Youssef Ibrahim in the last four.
Ibrahim will line up in his first Platinum semi final after beating
Spain’s Iker Pajares Bernabeu in straight games. The World No.17
came into the match following a stunning comeback from two games
down against two-time winner Mohamed ElShorbagy in round three, but
it was a more comfortable fixture against Pajares - who was
appearing in his maiden Platinum quarter final - as he won 11-5,
11-4, 11-6 in 34 minutes.
“I remember in my first Platinum quarter final I was way too
excited,” Ibrahim said afterwards.
“I prepared so well for this match and just wanted to get a good
start. From then on, I stuck to my tactics. It wasn't his best day
and Iker has a lot better to offer than this, but I think I held it
together better. I didn't give him a chance to get into the match
and I'm happy with that.”
In the women’s event, World No.1 Nour El Sherbini and World No.3
Hania El Hammamy will contest one of the semi finals after they
achieved respective wins against fellow Egyptians Rowan Elaraby and
Salma Hany.
El Sherbini struggled to a tight 3-2 win over Belgium’s Tinne Gilis
in the previous round, but the reigning champion was firing on all
cylinders today as she dispatched Elaraby by an 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
margin in just 29 minutes.
“I’m really happy with my performance, I think I really needed this
win for my confidence after my last match,” admitted El Sherbini.
“It’s always a tough battle against Hania and I think she proved
herself this season. She’s been challenging all the players and I
always like this kind of challenge, she beat me in Philadelphia and
I won at Black Ball, so I’ll do my best to be ready for this one
again.”
Meanwhile, El Hammamy also recorded a comfortable victory, with an
11-8, 11-8, 11-5 victory seeing her move into the semi finals of
this tournament for the first time.
“I’m really happy to beat Salma in three, she’s such a dangerous
opponent and is very hard to play, very tricky,” said El Hammamy.
“I’m very positive with the way I’m approaching each tournament,
knowing that I have to beat one or two [of El Sherbini and Nouran
Gohar] at least. I’ve been able to beat one of them in each
tournament, and my next goal is to beat both of them in one
tournament. I’m gaining confidence, and I hope to do it very soon.”
The Windy City Open quarter finals continue tomorrow (February 28)
and play begins at 17:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown
live on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
R3 Bottom
England’s Kennedy Reaches First Platinum Quarter Final at Windy City
Open
England’s World No.10 Georgina Kennedy has reached the quarter
finals of a PSA World Tour Platinum event for the first time after
she came through a gripping five-game battle against Belgium’s Nele
Gilis at the Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family earlier
today.
Kennedy, 24, has enjoyed an extraordinary rise up the PSA World Tour
Rankings over the past 12 months, moving up from No.167 in the world
in February, 2021 to inside the top 10 for the first time earlier
this month.
The Londoner showed no signs of slowing down either as she came back
from 2-1 behind to get the better of Gilis in a fascinating contest.
High-octane, lengthy rallies were the order of the day as both
players entertained spectators at the University Club of Chicago,
and it was Kennedy who put together a run of points at the crucial
stages to cap an 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8 victory in 78 minutes.
“All credit to Nele, it's so difficult to get a point off of her,”
said Kennedy afterwards.
“She forced so many errors from me just because I didn't know how to
win points against her sometimes.
“Last year I was just watching SQUASHTV and hoping to be at these
amazing events, and to be in the quarters is just way beyond my
expectations.”
Kennedy will take on World No.2 Nouran Gohar in the next round where
she will look to claim her first win over the Egyptian at the third
attempt. Gohar got the better of India’s Joshna Chinappa, winning
11-0, 11-6, 11-8.
Meanwhile, United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy squeezed past Wales’
Tesni Evans in a captivating five-game contest. Evans had fought
back from 2-0 down and then two match balls down to level the
scores, but Sobhy tightened up and held her nerve in a nail-biting
fifth game to progress to the last eight.
“Before the match I was joking that I would continue the trend of my
five-set matches never going over the hour mark,” said Sobhy.
"I saw the finish line when I was up in the third, she came with
full force, but at the end of the day I’m through and I'm just happy
about that.”
An exciting fixture against New Zealand’s Joelle King awaits. King’s
match with England’s Lucy Turmel followed a similar pattern as the
Kiwi surrendered a two-game advantage, before coming through to
prevail in the decider. King has won eight of her nine matches
against Sobhy, including the last four in a row.
In the men’s event, No.8 seed Fares Dessouky and World No.9 Mazen
Hesham went toe-to-toe, with the former winning the all-Egyptian
battle by a 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8 scoreline.
Up next for Dessouky is a meeting with World No.5 Tarek Momen, who
saw off former World No.3 Omar Mosaad in impressive style.
“Mazen is one of the most talented players on tour, I have so much
respect for him,” said Dessouky.
“We've been competing since we were very young and I'm happy today
that I won, I felt he was the better player at times and I got a
little lucky at the end I think. I'm just enjoying every match, I’m
happy to be back here again competing on this court. I'm trying to
find my way again and I’m happy to be in the quarters.”
2020 runner-up Paul Coll has also booked his place in the last eight
after a 3-0 victory against England’s Adrian Waller saw him set up a
quarter final match with Welshman Joel Makin. Makin saw off former
World No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad to advance and he will look to avenge
his defeat to Coll at December’s CIB Squash Open Black Ball, where
he forced to retire from the match due to injury despite holding a
2-1 lead.
“I wanted a good, solid performance," said Coll.
"I'm last on and it's a long day, I just tried to stay switched on
and focused and executed my game plan from the first to the last
rally, so I'm very happy."
The Windy City Open quarter finals begin tomorrow (February 27) and
play begins at 14:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown live
on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
R3 Top
Ibrahim Completes Stunning Comeback To Send Elshorbagy Out
World No. Youssef Ibrahim made it three wins out of three against
former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy as he came back from two games
behind and then overturned two match balls to reach the quarter
finals of the Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family.
ElShorbagy has found it difficult against Ibrahim over the past two
years, with Ibrahim claiming huge upsets at both the 2020 and 2021
Qatar Classics, with the latter win seeing ElShorbagy take a four
month break to prepare for the second half of the season.
The two-time Windy City Open champion returned with a title-winning
display at the Squash on Fire Open last week and was good value for
his 2-0 lead against Ibrahim, with the 31-year-old playing tight,
controlled squash and profiting off his opponent’s errors.
Ibrahim went up another level in the third game though as he started
playing winners from all areas of the court. Initially, ElShorbagy
couldn’t respond as he surrendered the third game, only to get back
on top in the fourth to hold a match ball. A tin from the World No.3
handed Ibrahim a lifeline though and he made no mistake in levelling
the scores, overturning a further match ball.
A promising start to the fifth from ElShorbagy saw him lead 4-1, but
Ibrahim’s powers of recovery were evident once again as the
22-year-old – who is currently studying at Princeton University –
launched yet another comeback, taking 10 of the next 12 points on
offer to seal a huge win.
“What a week,” Ibrahim said afterwards.
“I’m playing one of the best players in the history of the game and
it’s such an honour to be on court with Mohamed. I knew it would be
such a tough game and he did everything he could to win. I got
caught in the first two games, but I stayed calm and I tried to stay
with him in the third and with every game being so close it was so
mental.”
Ibrahim has a big opportunity to reach a first PSA World Tour
Platinum semi final but will need to get past Iker Pajares Bernabeu
first. Pajares became just the third Spanish player to reach the
semi finals of a Platinum event after he axed Mexico’s Cesar Salazar
in five games.
“I was feeling very nervous, I think I was 7-1 up in the fourth and
he came back but I’m just so happy to get through,” said Pajares.
“It’s never easy to play a good friend like Cesar, we spend a lot of
time together but I just had to focus on my game and try to stay
solid and get the win.”
ElShorbagy’s younger brother, Marwan, is also through after beating
men’s USA No.2 Todd Harrity 3-0 and he will take on World No.1 Ali
Farag in a mouthwatering quarter final clash. Farag’s match with
Ghosal did not go ahead, with Ghosal withdrawing due to an injury
sustained during his second round fixture with England’s George
Parker, meaning Farag received a walkover into the last eight.
In the women’s event, all four of the matches went to seeding, with
defending champion Nour El Sherbini, World No.3 Hania El Hammamy,
World No.7 Salma Hany and World No.9 Rowan Elaraby all winning.
El Sherbini will take on Elaraby next after she got the better of
Belgium’s Tinne Gilis in a thrilling five-game battle. Gilis was
magnificent and unsettled the reigning World Champion, but El
Sherbini used her big-game experience to grind out the win.
“To win this match I had to really dig deep” admitted El Sherbini.
“She was playing so well and getting everything back, it was an
amazing match and I’m really happy to be through, these matches give
you confidence and belief.”
Meanwhile, No.3 seed El Hammamy sailed through to the quarter finals
after beating Mariam Metwally, who retired through injury mid-way
through the third game. El Hammamy and Hany will go head-to-head for
a place in the semi finals.
“I think from growing up watching the top Egyptian players, I
learned that you need to be consistent in this game to reach World
No.1 or to be successful, so that’s something I think about,” said
El Hammamy.
“I’m really looking forward to playing Salma, she’s been doing
really well recently. I haven’t played her for a while and I think
we’re both playing well, so it should be a good match and I’m
looking forward to it.”
The third round of the Windy City Open continues tomorrow and play
begins at 12:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
Pajares Stuns Elias in Dramatic Windy City Open Comeback
Spain’s World No.23 Iker Pajares Bernabeu claimed the biggest win of
his career to date after he claimed a huge upset against World No.6
Diego Elias in a dramatic 3-2 victory at the University Club of
Chicago to secure his place in the third round of the Windy City
Open Presented by the Walter Family.
Pajares - who was last seen retiring from last week’s Squash on Fire
Open semis due to injury - found himself two games down against a
dominant Elias, but he displayed grit and determination to haul
himself back into the encounter.
The Spaniard held three match balls in the decider, only to see
Elias rattle off three quick-fire winners to force a tie-break.
Pajares was able to take the next point, and then a controversial
decision from the referee saw him call Elias’s retrieval as a double
bounce to hand the win to Pajares. A frustrated Elias remonstrated
with the referee, but his appeals fell on deaf ears as Pajares moved
through to the last 16.
“I’m over the moon, it’s the best win of my career,” said Pajares
afterwards.
“I wasn’t expecting that, I’ve been in the US for three weeks and I
woke up this morning with my body not feeling great and I was just
thinking about home. I don’t know what happened, I went 2-0 down
then just carried on. I saw he started to get a little tired, so I
pushed a bit more.
“At the end, it’s just a fight, I was at 10-7 then he came back well
and I think I was lucky to sneak another point to get another match
ball. I don’t know if the ball was double or not, it’s not my
decision to make, but overall I’m just very happy.”
Pajares will play Mexico’s Cesar Salazar in the third round after he
beat Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip in straight games.
Meanwhile, men’s US No.1 Todd Harrity will appear in the third round
of a PSA World Tour Platinum event for the first time in his career
after the World No.35 recorded an 11-2, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11 victory
over England’s Declan James.
“It’s my first time winning two matches at a major event like this
and my first time in the last 16, so it's very exciting for me,”
said Harrity, who will play two-time runner-up Marwan ElShorbagy
next.
“I've worked hard and it’s finally paid off, and it’s also my first
time beating Declan. I think we've played a few times now and he’s
so skilful, so I'm very pleased with this win. There’s no pressure
on me going into the next round, all I want to do is play well and
make the most out of the opportunity.”
Defending champion Ali Farag got his title challenge under way with
a 3-0 win against Germany’s Raphael Kandra, while 2020 runner-up
Paul Coll defeated former World No.1 James Willstrop in the final
match of the day. Mohamed ElShorbagy - a winner in 2016 and 2018 -
was also in action, with the Egyptian toppling Frenchman Mathieu
Castagnet.
In the women’s event, Belgium’s Nele Gilis got the better of 2018
champion Nour El Tayeb in a gripping contest that saw her win 11-9,
11-6, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9 in 60 minutes.
World No.81 El Tayeb, playing just her third tournament since
returning from a 14-month spell on the sidelines due to the birth of
her daughter, almost mounted a magnificent comeback, but Gilis kept
her focus to see off an incredibly dangerous opponent.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions, you know she’s still
coming back from giving birth, and I have huge respect for her and
how she’s managed to come back so strongly,” said Gilis.
“I came into the match with no pressure because I know she’s still a
top five in the world player, and I just wanted to give it my all.
At 2-0 up, I then thought that I have a real chance of winning and
then she came back like she did last week and came out firing in the
third like she had nothing to lose.”
Gilis will take on England’s Georgina Kennedy next following
Kennedy’s 3-1 win over USA No.2 Olivia Fiechter.
USA No.1 Amanda Sobhy got her tournament under way as she recorded a
routine 3-0 victory over Canada’s Hollie Naughton. Sobhy will take
on Wales’ Tesni Evans after Evans came back from 2-0 down to beat
Egypt’s Hana Ramadan.
“I haven’t played a major event since the U.S. Open,” said Sobhy.
“My last couple of results weren’t the greatest, but I’m back and
that’s all that matters. I kept it, in true Sobhy fashion, 3-0 under
the 30-minute mark. I’m excited to be back, I love this venue, I
have great memories here and I hope to keep progressing.”
Reigning champion Nour El Sherbini got off to a winning start
against England’s Julianne Courtice, while No.2 seed Nouran Gohar
dispatched Canada’s Danielle Letourneau.
The Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family continues
tomorrow, with defending champions El Sherbini and Ali Farag joining
the fray as the second round begins. Play starts at 12:00 (GMT-6)
and will be broadcast live on
SQUASHTV.
For more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
Sobhy and Harrity Claim Wins on Home Soil as Windy City
Open Begins
USA duo Sabrina Sobhy and Todd Harrity claimed wins on home soil as the
2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family got under way today
at the University Club of Chicago.
World No.24 Sobhy has equalled her best ever finish at the PSA World
Tour Platinum event after the 25-year-old got the better of Australian
wildcard Sarah Cardwell, winning 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 in just 19 minutes to
set up a second round encounter with Belgium’s Tinne Gilis.
“It’s pretty important, but just to play well is more important, and to
have a good opponent and to have fans is also very important,” said
Sobhy.
“I am happy that I won in three, and I am happy that I accomplished all
those other things, so I am pleased with how it went. I am very happy
with how the first couple of tournaments [in 2022] have gone. It was
definitely a confidence boost, but it was also quite exhausting.
“It is a weird balance of feeling good from the past couple of wins and
coming into this tournament with a little lower energy than maybe if I
didn't play these past events, but that is part of the journey and
learning experience, to progress and to keep getting stronger with each
game. We’ll see how this week goes.”
The day’s biggest upset in the women’s event saw England’s World No.67
Julianne Courtice come back from a game down to get the better of Welsh
World No.18 Emily Whitlock.
Whitlock started the better of the two as she stormed out of blocks and
lifted the ball well to move her opponent off the ’T’, but Courtice’s
response was impressive as she stormed back to take a 2-1 lead. In the
second rally of the fourth game, Whitlock suffered an injury after
chasing down a boast. Following a length break for treatment, the
28-year-old returned to court but her movement wasn’t the same as
Courtice closed out the win in four.
“Unfortunately, she had a fall and I hope that she feels better and gets
recovery for it,” said Courtice afterwards.
“It is never nice to win a match like that, but I am also happy to get
through. It has been a really hard time, I have had a few knocks, I got
COVID and have really struggled to get back from there. Since Christmas,
though, I really feel like I have made a U-turn and I am on the way back
up.”
Courtice will play World No.1 and defending champion Nour El Sherbini in
the second round, while the likes of Danielle Letourneau, Nada Abbas and
Lucy Turmel also secured wins on day one.
In the men’s event, USA No.2 Todd Harrity is through to the last 32
after his first round opponent, India’s Ramit Tandon, was forced to
retire from their match due to injury. Harrity will play England’s
Declan James next.
However, the country’s No.1 player bowed out as Shahjahan Khan fell to
Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip in a tight five-game affair. World No.30 Khan
was outplayed in the opening two games but showed impressive resilience
to weather the storm. Fung Yip recovered in the decider though to seal a
12-10, 11-3, 8-11, 12-14, 11-4 triumph to set up a round two fixture
with Mexico’s Cesar Salazar.
“I am happy to be able to win the match, because as you can all see,
Shah is very, very tough,” Fung Yip said.
“Any break of focus would have been a nightmare, so I am very lucky and
happy to have got through in the fifth. During the pandemic, it was not
easy, we did not have much chance to compete, especially overseas, so it
will take some time to gain back the momentum. I am hoping I am going in
the right direction to gain that momentum again to try to get back to a
higher ranking.”
Home favourite Nathan Lake - who plays at the University Club of Chicago
- was cheered to the rafters by a partizan crowd but ultimately went
down in four games to former World Championship finalist Omar Mosaad.
“He is a big guy like me, so I knew I had to move as much as I could,”
Mosaad said.
“Of course, he just moved to Chicago, so everyone was cheering for him,
hopefully [they cheer] for me tomorrow. I am really happy with my win
today, and I think the last few tournaments I have started to play well,
and I hope to keep this going with the next match.”
Elsewhere, former World No.1 James Willstrop came through an
entertaining four-game battle with Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi and he
will take on No.2 seed Paul Coll in a mouthwatering second round clash.
The Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family continues tomorrow,
with defending champions El Sherbini and Ali Farag joining the fray as
the second round begins. Play starts at 12:00 (GMT-6) and will be
broadcast live on
SQUASHTV.
To buy tickets and for more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
Draws Released For Windy City Open Presented By The
Walter Family
World No.4 Amanda Sobhy represents USA’s best chance
The draws for the 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
have been released, with eight US stars in action across the women’s and
men’s events at the University Club of Chicago.
The Windy City Open is one of the richest events on the calendar, with
the PSA World Tour Platinum event boasting $500,000 in total player
prize compensation.
96 of the world’s leading female and male players will battle it out
under the chandeliers of the University Club of Chicago’s stunning
Cathedral Hall for the prestigious trophy – and World No.4 Amanda Sobhy
represents USA’s best chance of having an American winner for the first
time.
The 28-year-old, who is based in Philadelphia, is a four-time Windy City
Open quarter finalist and is seeded at No.4 for this year’s event. Sobhy
will line up against Canada’s Hollie Naughton in round two and is seeded
to play World No.2 and two-time semi finalist Nouran Gohar in the semi
finals.
Meanwhile, World No.1 Nour El Sherbini returns to the scene of her fifth
PSA World Championship triumph following her win over Gohar last July.
El Sherbini will take on either Wales’ Emily Whitlock or Chicago-based
Haley Mendez in round two, while she is predicted to take on No.3 seed
Hania El Hammamy in the last four.
The other three US players in action in the women’s draw are World No.11
Olivia Fiechter, World No.12 Olivia Clyne and World No.24 Sabrina Sobhy.
Fiechter will clash with 2018 winner Nour El Tayeb in round two, while
Clyne will take on 2018 runner-up Joelle King. Meanwhile, Sabrina Sobhy
will take on wildcard Sarah Cardwell in the opening round.
World No.1 Ali Farag celebrates at last year's World
Championship.
Like El Sherbini, Farag also tasted PSA World Championship success at
the University Club of Chicago during the 2020-21 season, and he returns
to defend his crown following his victory over New Zealand’s Paul Coll
in 2020.
Farag will find himself up against either Germany’s Raphael Kandra or
Mexico’s Arturo Salazar in the second round and is seeded to play
two-time champion Mohamed ElShorbagy in the semi finals in what would be
a repeat of the men’s 2020-21 PSA World Championship final.
Coll lines up on the opposite side of the draw. The 29-year-old will
become the first male Kiwi ever to reach World No.1 on March 1 – the day
of the semi finals in Chicago – and he will look to get his name on the
winner’s list after falling at the final hurdle in 2020. Coll is seeded
to play former World Champion Tarek Momen in the semi finals.
A trio of American men will compete, with the USA’s No.1 male player,
Shahjahan Khan, taking on Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip in round one. Todd
Harrity will play Frenchman Auguste Dussourd in the opening round, while
wildcard Andrew Douglas will lock horns with England’s George Parker.
Action from the University Club of Chicago will be shown live on
SquashTV
while the semi finals and finals will be shown by PSA’s broadcast
partners.
To buy tickets and for more information, visit the
tournament
website or follow the Windy City Open on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram.
|
SECOND
ROUND
24
FEB |
THIRD ROUND
25-26
Feb |
QUARTERS
27-28 Feb |
SEMIS
01 Mar |
FINAL
02 Mar |
|