Squash Squared Open : it’s Marwan’s

Day SIX : Marwan ends Iker run to claim the title

Top seed Marwan ElShorbagy became the fourth Squash Squared Open Champion tonight as he ended the spectacular run of Spain’s unseeded Iker Pajares, who had already upset three seeds on the way to the biggest final of his career to date.

Pajares led the first 8-4 but Marwan pegged that lead back, and after taking the first in extra points went on to control the next two games to win his first PSA title for over a year.

Squash Squared Open 2019 : FINAL

[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-0 Iker Pajares (Esp)   13-11, 11-7, 11-6 (51m)

Happy to win my 10th PSA title here in Wimbledon. A title that means a lot to me. Thanks to Stacey and his team for putting such a great event!

Thanks to my team Haitham Effat, Hadrian Stiff, @dannymaz1 and Ian Thomas for everything they did for me in the last period. And thanks to my amazing Sponsors @tecnifibre and @ChannelVAS

Marwan ElShorbagy

PHOTO GALLERY

Day FIVE : Semi-Finals

Tonight’s semi-finals kicked off with yet another upset as unseeded Spaniard Iker Pajares downed former champion James Willstrop in three games.

In the final he’ll meet top seed Marwan ElShorbagy, who prevailed three-nil in an all-Egyptian match against World Junior Champion Mostafa Asal.

SEMI-FINALS, Wed 15th May

Iker Pajares (Esp) 3-0 [3] James Willstrop (Eng)             11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (48m)

[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-0 Mostafa Asal (Egy)    11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (37m)

On Twitter
Tough match against a good friend the Jackal @maelshorbagy and I wish him luck tom in the final. I am happy with my performance during all the tournament and inshallah more to come .
Mostafa Asal

Another tough match against the world junior champ @mostafassaloof … happy to be in the final.
Marwan ElShorbagy

Day FOUR : Quarter-Finals

Quarter-Finals evening at The Wimbledon Club with some unexpected names on the match cards after several round two upsets.

In the top half of the draw an Egyptian finalist is assured after top seed Marwan ElShorbagy twice came from a game down to beat Frenchman Baptiste Masotti and world junior champion Mostafa Asal continued his winning run winning three close games to beat India’s Mahesh Mangaonkar.

Home interest was maintained as James Willstrop beat Lucas Serme in possibly the longest three-nil ever (70 minutes!), setting up a semi-final against Spain’s Iker Pajares, who produced another upset as he beat sixth seed Daryl Selby in four games.

QUARTER-FINALS, Tue 14th May

[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-2 Baptiste Masotti (Fra) 11-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6 (56m)
Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 Mahesh Mangaonkar (Ind)                               11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (51m)

[3] James Willstrop
(Eng) 3-0 [8] Lucas Serme (Fra)                       18-16, 11-6, 11-9 (70m)
Iker Pajares (Esp) 3-1 [6] Daryl Selby (Eng)                               11-5, 5-11, 11-3, 11-3 (57m)

Day THREE : It’s Marathon Day at TWC

What a night at The Wimbledon Club, with four epic round two matches, each one at least an our long, which saw Iker Pajares beat second seed Omar Mosaad in 99 minutes as Lucas Serme, Daryl Selby and James Willstrop all progressed with difficulty.

Round TWO, Mon 13th May, Bottom Half

Iker Pajares (Esp) 3-2 [2] Omar Mosaad (Egy)      8-11, 12-10, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7 (99m)

[8] Lucas Serme (Fra) 3-0 Ben Coleman (Eng)                        11-4, 13-11, 11-6 (62m)

[3] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-2 Chris Simpson (Eng) 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6 (78m)

[6] Daryl Selby (Eng) 3-2 George Parker (Eng)      16-14, 3-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9 (93m)

PHOTO GALLERY

Day TWO : Upsets galore at the Wimbledon Club

Round two of the Squash Squared Open got under way at the Wimbledon Club with a trio of upsets as seeds were bundled out.

World Junior Champion Mostafa Asal downed fourth seed Tom Richards in three games, and India’s Mahesh Mangaonkar stunned Cesar Salazar, the Mexican seventh seed also going down in three.

Baptiste Masotti continued the upsets as he took out fellow Frenchman and fifth seed Mathieu Castagnet – just back from a calf injury – in five games, leaving it to top seed Marwan ElShorbagy to restore a semblance of order as he came from a game down to beat Fares Dessouky in an all-Egyptian clash.

Round two continues on Monday evening with the bottom half of the draw.

Round TWO, Sun 12th May, Top Half

Mahesh Mangaonkar (Ind) 3-0 [7] Cesar Salazar (Mex)                  11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (44m)

Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 [4] Tom Richards (Eng)                                11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (42m)

Baptiste Masotti (Fra) 3-2 [5] Mathieu Castagnet (Fra)  11-4, 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 (60m)

[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Fares Dessouky (Egy)         7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (64m)

Round ONE, Sat 11th May

Fares Dessouky (Egy) 3-0 Asim Khan (Pak)               11-3, 11-2, 11-0 (27m)
Baptiste Masotti (Fra) 3-0 [wc] Tom Walsh (Eng)        11-9, 11-7, 11-4 (30m)

Mahesh Mangaonkar (Ind)  3-0  Ramit Tandon (Ind)  11-9, 11-3, 11-2 (38m)
Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 [wc] Jordan Warne (Eng)         11-1, 11-2, 11-2 (19m)

Chris Simpson (Eng) 3-0 Olli Tuominen (Fin)              11-7, 11-4, 16-14 (47m)
Ben Coleman (Eng) 3-0 Carlos Cornes (Esp)                      11-6, 3-3 rtd (20m)

George Parker (Eng) 3-1 Patrick Rooney (Eng)  11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (66m)
Iker Pajares (Esp) 3-1 Sébastien Bonmalais (Fra) 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3 (70m)