Darwish
Denies El Shorbagy In Macau
Karim
Darwish
survived the all-Egyptian battle against Mohamed El Shorbagy in the final
of the Macau Open - but the top seed was taken the full distance before
claiming the title in the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event on
an all-glass court sited by the famous A-Ma Temple in Macau.
Both
players dropped games in their semi-finals - second seed El Shorbagy prevailing
in his first Tour meeting with younger brother Marwan while world No4 Darwish
held off the challenge of another up-and-coming fellow countryman Karim Abdel
Gawad.
World No8
El Shorbagy went into the final 6/1 down in his career record against Darwish -
but immediately took the advantage by winning the opening game.
Darwish
drew level - but again underdog El Shorbagy recovered the initiative to regain
the lead.
However,
former world number one Darwish - ten years his opponent's senior - dug deep,
calling upon all his experience to close out the match 9-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-4,
11-9 to take the title.
"I'm really
happy to win the Macau Open," said the new champion later. "It was a very tough
match against Shorbagy in the final."
Darwish,
now celebrating the 22nd Tour title of his career, was marking his third
appearance back on the PSA Tour after the birth of his son Omar.
"It's a
kind of a special win for me because it's the first after having my first baby
in May.
"I'm happy
about my performance now after having a minor injury few weeks ago and am
looking forward to the rest of the season."
The match
flagged up 21-year-old El Shorbagy's tenth PSA final appearance: "Another crazy
battle against Darwish," tweeted the runner-up later.
"Lost a lot
of close matches this year and I think it's time that I do something about
it!!!"
Mohamed Wins
Shorbagy Showdown In Macau
Experienced
prevailed in the first PSA World Tour clash between the Egyptian brothers
Mohamed El Shorbagy and Marwan El Shorbagy in today's semi-finals
of the Macau Open when senior sibling Mohamed prevailed in four games to
reach the final of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event on an
all-glass court sited by the famous A-Ma Temple in Macau.
Second seed
Mohamed, ranked eight in the world, took the opening game - but 19-year-old
Marwan, two years behind in age and 14 places lower in the PSA world rankings,
survived the next tie-break game to level the match.
But El
Shorbagy junior was unable to keep up the pressure as Mohamed closed out the
next two games to record his historic 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 victory.
"I hated every
single second of that match," joked the winner later. "I am normally in the same
side of my brother cheering for him!! And today the thought that I actually had
to try and beat him was just so hard for me.
"He is the one
I train with twice a day, every day. We live together, we travel together, we
talk every day about tactics and how to play against other players," added the
21-year-old. "More than that, we are best friends - we know everything about
each other, so anyone can imagine how tough it is playing him after all that.
"We both
understand each other so well - we could read each other really well on court.
"It was just
so tough mentally and I hope this match won't happen again in the future. But
it's just a hope, as I know we are going to be playing a lot. He'll get up in
the ranking fast - he just needs to have some confidence in himself because I
think sometimes he doesn't know how good he can be. He beat a top 10 player in
this tournament and he was almost going to take me to five too!
"I just love
my little brother, even though I didn't really like it that he almost took me to
five today!"
Marwan was not
too displeased with the outcome: "Yes obviously a great match, very fair and we
both enjoyed it - enjoyed every single moment of it!
"And obviously
my brother deserved to win. He's been playing well recently and I hope he wins
tomorrow. I know how hungry he is for this season and I'm very excited for him."
Mohamed's
opponent will be higher-ranked compatriot Karim Darwish, the top seed and
world No4 who also survived a four-game match, beating fellow countryman
Karim Abdel Gawad 11-1, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3.
While former
world number one Darwish, aged 31, is celebrating his 39th PSA Tour final, El
Shorbagy is marking the tenth of his career.
Macau Marks
First El Shorbagy Siblings Meeting
The first Tour
meeting between Mohamed El Shorbagy and Marwan El Shorbagy will
take place in the semi-finals of the Macau Open after the Egyptian
brothers brushed aside their opponents in straight games in today's
quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event at the
Macau Squash Association Complex in Taipa, Macau.
Marwan, the
19-year-old world junior champion, created the biggest upset by beating
higher-ranked compatriot Omar Mosaad, the No3 seed, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5.
Later, big
brother Mohamed set up the long-awaited family showdown when he beat Hong Kong's
Max Lee 11-9, 11-6, 11-7.
"I'm happy
with the way I played today, beating the world number 10 player in three games
is a great result for me," said jubilant teenager Marwan afterwards.
"And tomorrow
I'm sure it's going to be a great match from both of us!"
Mohamed, the
21-year-old world No8, was clearly overwhelmed by the prospect of playing his
brother, room-mate and practice partner in the next round.
"Is this
really happening?!! Am I actually playing against brother tom??!!" tweeted the
No2 seed. "Feel like I'm dreaming!! This should not be happening!!!"
The other semi
will also be an all-Egyptian affair, between top seed Karim Darwish and
unseeded Karim Abdel Gawad. Darwish, the world No4 from Cairo, ended
qualifier Karim Ali Fathi's run, beating his fellow countryman 11-5,
11-9, 11-6.
Gawad, the
21-year-old world No31, produced one of the best wins of his career when he saw
off fourth seed Tom Richards. The Englishman is 17 places higher in the
world - but it was Gawad's day as he powered to an 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 victory.
"Very happy to
win the quarter final match against Tom Richards the current world rank
number 14," said Twitter newcomer Gawad. "I'm also very happy with my
performance."
El Shorbagys
Double Up In Macau
Mohamed El
Shorbagy
and Marwan El Shorbagy are on course for a surprise family showdown in
the semi-finals of the Macau Open after prevailing in today's first round
of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event at the Macau
Squash Association Complex in Taipa, Macau.
Marwan, the
19-year-old world junior champion, pulled off a notable upset, beating
experienced Finn Olli Tuominen, the world No21 and highest-ranked
unseeded player in the draw.
El Shorbagy
junior, ranked 26 in the world, sealed his success in an 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5
victory - and now moves on to face fellow countryman Omar Mosaad, the No3
seed who ousted Egyptian qualifier Omar Abdel Meguid 11-5, 11-7, 11-2.
"Very happy
with my performance," tweeted Marwan later. "Playing Omar mosaad tomorrow
looking forward to it."
And big
brother Mohamed also faced a Finn, Henrik Mustonen. But the No2 seed
almost failed to claim his anticipated place in the last eight when he let slip
a two-game advantage and then had to stage a mighty fight back in the decider
against the qualifier.
However, the
21-year-old world No8 steadied the ship and closed out the match 11-8, 11-9,
8-11, 10-12, 11-9.
"When you r
2/0 and 9/6 up and you think you have won the match for a second and then find
yourself 2/2 and 7/4 down..lucky me to get through," Shorbagy senior admitted to
his Twitter followers later.
There is
already a strong Egyptian flavour to the quarter-final line-up where six players
from the Land of the Pharaohs will be in action.
And the most
surprising name is Karim Ali Fathi - a 19-year-old qualifier who defeated
Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet, ranked 36 in the world, 11-4, 11-9, 6-11,
14-12 to claim one of the biggest scalps of his career.
UK-based Ali
Fathi, at 76 the lowest-ranked player in the draw, now moves forward to face the
highest - world No4 Karim Darwish, the top seed.
In their sixth
Tour meeting since the year 2000, Darwish despatched PSA veteran Ong Beng Hee,
the former world No7 from Malaysia, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9.
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