Gohar pulls clear in Women’s WTF Standings
Egypt’s Nouran Gohar has pulled away from compatriot Nour El Sherbini at the summit of the women’s CIB Road to Egypt Standings after capturing the CIB Black Ball Open title last week.
The CIB PSA World Tour Finals are scheduled to take place in Cairo in June 2022 and the event includes both a men’s and women’s tournament featuring eight players each, bringing together all Platinum title winners as well as the reigning PSA World Champions. Any remaining places are allocated to the highest ranked players on the CIB Road to Egypt Standings, with points on offer at all PSA World Tour events during the season
Gohar, who will overtake El Sherbini as the new World No.1 on April 1, won her fourth Platinum title in a row in Cairo as she added the Black Ball title to an impressive title haul that includes the Windy City Open, U.S. Open and CIB Egyptian Open this season.
The 24-year-old moves up to 15,690 points after taking maximum points at the Black Ball Open, with El Sherbini following in second on 11,195 points. Hania El Hammamy makes it a top three as her last 16 exit to a resurgent Nour El Tayeb leaves her on 8,610. USA’s Amanda Sobhy is the highest-placed non-Egyptian in the women’s standings and sits on 5,925.
New Zealand’s Joelle King, England’s Sarah-Jane Perry, Egypt’s Salma Hany and Georgina Kennedy take up the rest of the spots inside the top eight. However, a first ever Platinum semi final in Cairo has seen Rowan Elaraby cut the gap between herself and Kennedy to just 165 points, while USA’s Olivia Fiechter is also in with a shot of challenging the top eight.
In the men’s standings, Ali Farag’s triumph at the Optasia Championships has seen him cut the gap on Paul Coll in first place. Coll, the current World No.1, sits on 14,485 points after a disappointing second round exit at the Canary Wharf Classic last week. Both players have already qualified thanks to Platinum wins at the CIB Egyptian Open and Windy City Open, respectively.
Diego Elias – who reached the Optasia Championships final and the Canary Wharf Classic semis – sits in third place on 9,775 points and is closely followed by Canary Wharf runner-up and reigning World Tour Finals champion Mostafa Asal. They have already booked their spots in Cairo courtesy of respective wins at the Qatar Classic and U.S. Open.
The rest of the top eight is made up of Tarek Momen, Joel Makin, Mohamed ElShorbagy and Marwan ElShorbagy, with Mazen Hesham sitting just 170 points behind Marwan.
As a result of his Canary Wharf Classic triumph, Fares Dessouky has jumped up from 22nd to 15th, putting him on 3,730 points.
The next chance to earn points on the CIB Road to Egypt Standings will come at the Allam British Open between Monday March 28 – Sunday April 3.
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