ElShorbagy dispatches Momen as Gaultier,
Ashour and Willstrop roll back the years In Zurich
PSA report
World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy put on a masterclass performance
to dismantle compatriot Tarek Momen and book his place in the
semi-finals of the 2018 Grasshopper Cup during a thrilling night
of action that also saw 35-year-old Gregory Gaultier,
34-year-old James Willstrop and maverick 30-year-old Ramy Ashour
roll back the years with a series of vintage performances.
27-year-old ElShorbagy was imperious as he took Momen apart
throughout the first two games before showing tremendous
fighting spirit to recover from dropping the third to prevail
11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8 - just one week after narrowly defeating
Momen in five games in the final of the Canary Wharf Classic.
"Tarek is a great player and last week we had a huge battle
in Canary Wharf which showed just that," said ElShorbagy.
"Today I had to come out and show him that I was ready for
another huge match. He showed how strong he is when he came back
in that third game and I had to be on my toes and be sharp again
in the fourth.
"It's great to be in the semis - I lost in the quarters here
last year so I'm pleased and James (Willstrop) and I always have
tough but fair matches so I'm sure tomorrow with be another one
of them."
ElShorbagy will now meet England's former World No.1 Willstrop
in the semi-finals after the Yorkshireman prevailed 11-13,
15-13, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7 in an 80-minute thriller with 2016 World
Champion Karim Abdel Gawad.
The opening game between the pair, a phenomenally high quality
20 minute affair, saw both players hitting precise lines and
countering each other in all four corners.
From that point on the quality of play only increased, with
Willstrop putting together the sort of squash that accompanied
him throughout his spell as World No.1 back in 2012 to hold off
Gawad and complete a spectacular triumph.
"There were some very loud English people here in the crowd
which just enhanced what was already an unbelievable atmosphere
in this venue," said Willstrop.
"In phases Karim definitely out-did me and I was just trying
my best to hang in there. I just had to have confidence in
myself and come through it mentally and physically.
"He's a former World Champion so it's a great feeling to be
playing well and beating a player like him."
Willstrop's victory came after three-time World Champion Ashour
conjured up a performance of clinical beauty as he halted
in-form Simon Rösner 3-0 in just 34-minutes.
Ashour - who has endured a torrid time with injury over the past
three years - was simply sublime as he mixed up his attacks,
changing the pace and angle at every opportunity to twist and
turn Rösner, leaving the German World No.7 unable to stop the
flow.
"I was just trying not to let him play the squash he is
capable of - he's a very strong player and has recently won a
major event as well," said Ashour.
"I just kept my focus and went on court and got the job done the
way I wanted to."
Ashour's last four opponent Gaultier meanwhile came back from
the brink of defeat to beat Mohamed Abouelghar in one of the
best matches of the 2017/18 PSA World Tour season.
With World No.9 Abouelghar in red hot form, unleashing a
seemingly never-ending barrage of winners from all angles,
Gaultier was staring down the barrel of a straight-games defeat
after losing the first two games and finding himself match ball
down.
But the Frenchman resurrected the match with an epic comeback
that saw him save multiple match balls in the third to stop the
flow, before going on to triumph 13-15, 8-11, 19-17, 11-3, 11-9
after 90-minutes of compelling action.
"It has been the worst season for me - having a lot of injury
issues and I came here with no expectations as I knew that I was
not at my best fitness wise," said Gaultier.
"But I just tried to play as smart as possible and play as tight
as possible. During the first two games the pace was just too
much for me but the more I got into the game the better I felt
moving and the better I was seeing the ball and it was all about
confidence then at that point.
"I have so much experience and that played a part today because
a lot of it is in the head. I enjoyed it out there and I'm
really thankfully to the crowd who really helped me and got
behind me throughout the match - I emptied the tank to win it."
