11/09/2013
SHOWDOWN @ SYMPHONY IV 2013
England Makes a Point Over Egypt
England Makes a Point Over Egypt
BOSTON - September 7, 2013 - Down 0-2 in matches at
the break, the heart and soul of current England squash Nick Matthew
and James Willstrop rallied past Amr Shabana and Mohamed Elshorbagy
of Egypt in the second half to win Showdown at Symphony IV (www.squashshowdown.com)
in Boston by one point.
Every match went the distance in the shortened game format of the
4th annual World Champions Challenge on the McWIL all-glass Show
Court in Boston's venerable Symphony Hall.
Shabana thrilled the 700+ attendees with a one-point shootout
tiebreaker victory over James Willstrop, earning the match 11/9
10/11 1/0 in 19 mins. Elshorbagy followed with a tremendous effort
against Matthew resulting in another 2-1 victory for Egypt 11/5,
8/11, 3/2 in 31 mins and a two match to zero halftime lead for the
defending champions.
But Willstrop came alive in the third match of the evening, beating
Elshorbagy by one point in their shootout tiebreaking third game
9/11, 11/10, 3/2 in 24 mins, leaving 2-time World Champion Matthew
to face 4-time World Champion Shabana in the decider. Matthew took
game one, 11-5, but Shabana fought back to take game 2, 11-10. With
the mini-World Cup on the line, Matthew called “3” and won the
shootout tiebreaker 3 points to 2 (20 mins), incredibly tying the
competition in matches, tying the match in games won/lost and
winning the Sharif Khan Trophy for England by a single point 85-84.
Tournament Chairman John Nimick said, "Squash put its best foot
forward before a packed audience in a great venue and with four of
the world's squash superstars. Showdown IV was an exciting
presentation of the sport's best qualities; great athletes and
ambassadors, amazing sport and the ability to showcase historic and
iconic venues."
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(photo credit: Seth Packard)
Showdown@Symphony takes center stage.
(photo credit: Seth Packard)
Egypt's Mohamed Elshorbagy forces England' Nick Matthew off the T.
(photo credit: Seth Packard)
England squeaks past Egypt for World Champions Challenge Title (left to
right: James Willstrop, Nick Matthew).
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