PHOTO ALBUM
Sunday 15th December – Finals
MEN: EGYPT 2-0 ENGLAND
Mazen Hesham 3-2 Curtis Malik 4-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8 (63m)
Ali Farag 3-1 Mohamed Elshorbagy 6-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 (50m)
WOMEN: EGYPT 2-0 USA
Nour ElSherbini 3-1 Olivia Weaver 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (38m)
Rowan Elaraby 3-1 Marina Stefanoni 11-6, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9 (42m)
Egypt’s women have defended their WSF Women’s World Squash Team Championship title after defeating USA at Hong Kong Football Club.
Egypt went into today’s tie aiming for a fourth consecutive title, having won the 2016, 2018 and 2022 editions, and their second in a row at the expense of the USA, who had qualified for consecutive finals this year and in 2022, having previously never made it beyond the quarter-finals.
With today’s string order 3-1-2, it was Egypt’s World No.7 Rowan Elaraby and USA’s World No.38 Marina Stefanoni who were up first, playing their first match against each other since the Richmond Open six years ago. On that occasion, Elaraby triumphed 3-0 and the 24-year-old came out on top again today, settling in after Stefanoni took the opening points to give her side the lead with an 11-6 win.
Stefanoni competed hard in game two, saving a game ball at 10-9 to force a tie break, but could not force her way through, and Elaraby doubled her lead with a 12-10. Stefanoni came roaring back in game three, halting Elaraby’s momentum with a well-deserved 11-6 win to set nerves jangling amongst the Egypt bench.
In an epic fourth game, it initially looked like Elaraby might run away with it, only for Stefanoni to come charging back, playing with no fear as she fought desperately for every inch of space. Despite the onslaught, Elaraby was able to inch ahead and went two match balls up at 10-8. Stefanoni saved one fantastically but made an error at the crucial moment, giving away a stroke as Elaraby clinched it 11-9.
Afterwards, Elaraby said:
“This is a very emotional one for me. It’s a big event and I’m representing Egypt and it’s huge. Having my teammates here and representing them is such a privilege and being a part of this team. I’m really happy I got the win today – I was actually really nervous about this one. It’s not like any other match so there were many different feelings and I’m glad I’m through.”
In the second match, World No.2 Nour El Sherbini and World No.4 Olivia Weaver played a rematch of their meeting at the final of the 2022 edition of this event, with El Sherbini recording a comfortable victory on that day to get Egypt the second win they needed to lift the title in front of their home fans.
Weaver has hit a purple patch of form since then, rising up the rankings after a hugely impressive year, but there were questions marks over her fitness this week, with the American playing just one match at this tournament before today’s final after suffering a back injury in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open last week.
Those doubts were quickly dispelled, though, by a comprehensive performance from the US No.1, with the 29-year-old storming into the lead thanks to an 11-7 win. El Sherbini didn’t panic, though, improving in game two to hit back 11-6.
After the see-saw nature of the first two games, the third was more even, with both players playing well to take what would be a crucial lead. Weaver pushed hard, but fell to some excellent court craft from the World No.2, with El Sherbini pulling away after some clever shots down the centre to move within a game of the world championship title.
El Sherbini was at her very best in game four, wrong footing Weaver on several occasions as she ensured the title would remain in Egyptian hands after another 11-7 win.
“It’s very emotional and it’s always the best feeling playing for your country and playing for your team as well,” El Sherbini said.
“It’s always an honour playing the Teams event, especially with these amazing players so I’m really happy to win and to bring the title back to Egypt.
“It’s been two and a half weeks, I love Hong Kong and it’s been our lucky charm here and we’re really happy to win this title here.”
In the men’s final, both Mazen Hesham and Ali Farag were forced to dig deep and fight back against a fired-up England side, who were aiming to end a run of three consecutive final defeats to the reigning champions.
England’s World No.35 Curtis Malik came out at breathtaking pace in the opener, playing some of the best squash of his career to date as he took the game to World No.5 Hesham, forcing the Egyptian onto the back foot with an 11-4 win.
Hesham saved game ball to level the scores with a 13-11 win in game two, but looked uncomfortable, and Malik regained the lead with a dominant 11-6 win.
Hesham played his best game of the final in game four, finally consistently beating Malik’s defences with a combination of patient play and some of his trademark skill to level the scores again 11-6 before finally getting over the line in an 11-8 win in the decider against the distraught Malik.
In the second match of the final, Farag played out another epic encounter with Alexandria-born Mohamed ElShorbagy, whom he described as the greatest rival of his career ahead of the tournament.
ElShorbagy was in sparkling form for much of tonight’s clash, hitting with real ferocity to take a deserved lead through an 11-6 win.
Farag, who endured a torrid start to his semi-final against France’s Victor Crouin before eventually coming back from 0-2 down, clung on in game two, claiming what felt like a hugely important win via a tie break, 13-11.
Both men continued to throw everything at each other as the title bout wore on, but it was Farag who was able to make the telling contribution, as he did in last year’s final in New Zealand, clinching the next two games 11-8, 11-9 to ensure Egypt would enter the history books as the first nation to win the combined championships.
Caught up in the emotion of the moment, Farag broke from his usual stoicism, vaulting the back wall and leaping into the arms of his teammates in unbridled joy and relief.
“It feels amazing to create history with team Egypt. Nothing feels better than representing your country and I love wearing this shirt and I love sharing this moment with some of the best players ever who have graced the squash court. I can’t be happier really and it’s one of the happiest moments of my career,” Farag said afterwards.
13-14th December – Semis
Egypt 2-1 France (Men)
Ali Farag 3-2 Victor Crouin 1-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 (58m)
Mostafa Asal 3-0 Baptiste Masotti (FRA)3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (35m)
Sebastien Bonmalais 2-1 Mazen Hesham 11-9, 7-11, 11-5 (29m)
Egypt 3-0 Belgium (Women)
Hania El Hammamy 3-1 Tinne Gilis 11-6, 10-12, 12-10, 13-11 (60m)
Nour ElSherbini 3-0 Nele Coll 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
Rowan Elaraby 2-0 Marie Van Riet 11-3, 11-5 (12m)
Thursday 12th December – Quarters
Egypt 2-0 France (Women)
Amina Orfi 3-0 Enora Villard 11-6, 11-5, 11-2 (27m)
Hania El Hammamy 3-0 Melissa Alves 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (30m)
Egypt 2-0 Germany (Men)
Karim Gawad 3-0 Valentin Rapp 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (25m)
Ali Farag 3-1 Raphael Kandra 11-2, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5 (30m)
Wednesday 11th December – Last 16
Egypt – Canada (MEN)
Mostafa Asal 3-1 David Baillargeon 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (42m)
Karim Gawad 3-0 Connor Turk 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (25m)
Tuesday 10th December
EGYPT 3-0 SPAIN (WOMEN
Rowan Elaraby 3-0 Ona Blasco 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (17m)
Nour ElSherbini 3-0 Marta Dominguez (ESP) 3-0 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 (20m)
Amina Orfi 3-0 Noa Romero 11-1, 11-2, 11-2 (21m)
EGYPT 3-0 JAPAN (WOMEN)
Rowan Elaraby3-0 Akari Midorikawa 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (17m)
Nour ElSherbini 3-1 Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 6-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8 (38m)
Amina Orfi3-0 Erisa Sano Herring 11-1, 11-2, 11-2 (20m)
EGYPT 3-0 JAPAN (MEN)
Mazen Hesham 3-0 Naoki Hayashi 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (27m)
Ali Farag 3-1 Tomo Endo 6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (32m)
Karim Gawad 3-0 Shota Yasunari 11-9, 12-10, 11-4 (21m)
Pool A – Monday 9th December
Egypt 1-0 Spain (MEN)
Mazen Hesham 3-0 Hugo Varela 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (24m)
Mostafa Asal 3-0 Ivan Perez 11-9, 11-3, 11-6 (29m)
Ali Farag 3-0 Iker Pajares 11-8 11-8 11-7 (24m)
Tuesday 10th December
Egypt – Japan (MEN)
Egypt – Japan (WOMEN)
Egypt – Spain (WOMEN)
MORE INFO
https://worldteamsquash.com/category/today/
