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21/10/2016
Men’s World Championship NEWS

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ElShorbagy Ready To Give Everything For World Championship Triumph Borja Golan Pulls Out of 2016 Men’s World Championship Hesham Withdraws from 2016 Men’s World Championship

ElShorbagy Ready To Give Everything For World Championship Triumph World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy says he is ready to make amends for his shock third round exit in the 2015 PSA Men’s World Championship and will give everything to claim the title when the 2016 iteration of squash’s most significant tournament gets underway at Cairo’s Wadi Degla Club this Thursday (October 27). The 25-year-old has won nearly every other major title in the sport, including an impressive six consecutive World Series tournaments during the 2015/16 season, but the World Championship crown has so far remained elusive - with last year’s third round defeat to James Willstrop coming as a particularly disappointing result. But with over 100 players from around the world coming together to contest the crown it is ElShorbagy, who has ranked as World No.1 for 24 of the past 25 months, who will be hoping to finally live up to his top ranked status and lift the iconic trophy to make amends for his defeats in two previous finals. “Last season was the best season of my life - winning six World Series titles - and I think I had just one bad day during the whole season,” said ElShorbagy. “Unluckily for me that day was at the World Championship. But one tough day like that gives you a test of character to see how you deal with situations like these, and I am proud of how I came back stronger after that loss and with how my season went after that. “And knowing that the World Championship is the only major title left for me to win in my career when I am still 25 makes me smile and be proud of what I have achieved so far.” After a stuttering start to the 2016/17 season saw him lose out in the second round of the Hong Kong Open and semi-finals of the Al Ahram Open, the Bristol-based Egyptian returned to timely form last week when he clinched the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open title - the only World Series title he failed to collect during the 2015/16 campaign. “The U.S. Open was very important for my confidence especially just before the Worlds,” said the man who lost out to compatriot Ramy Ashour in both the 2012 and 2014 World Championship finals. “For a period, because of the amount of matches I played last two season, I felt that I had been fighting my body on court before dealing with who I have to play. “In Philadelphia, that was the first time I felt free on court this season. I now feel fresh and like I am moving well and I feel I am playing better each tournament and hopefully that means I’m peaking going into this week. “Winning it would mean so much - but I only feel peace when I know I did my best on court whether I win or lose. “And I want to finish it this year knowing I gave it everything.”

Borja Golan Pulls Out of 2016 Men’s World Championship Spanish World No.14 Borja Golan has withdrawn from next week’s Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship in Cairo after suffering a herniated disc. Golan, a former World No.5, has won 31 PSA World Tour titles over a 15-year career and has emerged as his country’s greatest ever player after recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in 2009. The 33-year-old’s withdrawal means that Egypt’s Zahed Mohamed will now take on Hong Kong’s Max Lee in round one, while England’s Ben Coleman moves into the main draw, with the World No.51 set to face a qualifier. Revised Main Draw – 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [Qualifier] Lucas Serme (FRA) v Olli Tuominen (FIN) Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI) Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v [14] Cameron Pilley (AUS) [10] Ali Farag (EGY) v Declan James (ENG) James Willstrop (ENG) v [Qualifier] Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [Qualifier] [Qualifier] v [8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [Qualifier] Chris Simpson (ENG) v [Qualifier] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v [16] Max Lee (HKG) [12] Simon Rösner (GER) v Diego Elias (PER) Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [Qualifier] Leo Au (HKG) v [Qualifier] Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG) [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v [Qualifier] Alan Clyne (SCO) v Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [WC] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) Joe Lee (ENG) v [15] Fares Dessouky (EGY) [9] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Qualifier] Tom Richards (ENG) v Daryl Selby (ENG) Greg Lobban (SCO) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA) Todd Harrity (USA) v [5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) [7] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Raphael Kandra (GER) Ben Coleman (ENG) v [Qualifier] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [Qualifier] [Qualifier] v [11] Tarek Momen (EGY) [13] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Qualifier] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v [Qualifier] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Adrian Waller (ENG) Paul Coll (NZL) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) Qualification for the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship begins on Tuesday October 25th, with the main draw action getting under way on Thursday October 27th. Tickets to the tournament are available for free when purchasing a day pass to the Wadi Degla club and prices start from $5.

Hesham Withdraws from 2016 Men’s World Championship Egyptian World No.22 Mazen Hesham has pulled out of the upcoming 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship in Cairo after failing to recover from the hip injury he sustained during last month’s Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA. The 22-year-old, who has fast become one of the most popular and enigmatic characters on the PSA World Tour, was forced to retire mid-way through his first qualifying round clash with Spaniard Carlos Cornes Ribadas in the Al Ahram Open, meaning he also missed last week’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open. As a result of the injury, United States No.1 Todd Harrity replaces Hesham in the main draw and will take on three-time World Champion Ramy Ashour in the opening round. Revised Main Draw - 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [Qualifier] Lucas Serme (FRA) v Olli Tuominen (FIN) Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI) Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v [14] Cameron Pilley (AUS) [10] Ali Farag (EGY) v Declan James (ENG) James Willstrop (ENG) v [Qualifier] Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [Qualifier] Chris Simpson (ENG) v [Qualifier] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v [16] Borja Golan (ESP) [12] Simon Rösner (GER) v Diego Elias (PER) Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [Qualifier] Leo Au (HKG) v [Qualifier] Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG) [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v [Qualifier] Alan Clyne (SCO) v Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [WC] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) Joe Lee (ENG) v [15] Fares Dessouky (EGY) [9] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Qualifier] Tom Richards (ENG) v Daryl Selby (ENG) Greg Lobban (SCO) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA) Todd Harrity (USA) v [5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) [7] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Raphael Kandra (GER) Max Lee (HKG) v [Qualifier] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [Qualifier] [Qualifier] v [11] Tarek Momen (EGY) [13] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Qualifier] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v [Qualifier] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Adrian Waller (ENG) Paul Coll (NZL) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) Qualification for the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship begins on Tuesday October 25th, with the main draw action getting under way on Thursday October 27th. Tickets to the tournament are available for free when purchasing a day pass to the Wadi Degla club, prices start from $5.