28-Aug, Day EIGHT, FINALS

[5] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-1 [7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa)
          6/11, 12/10, 11/7, 11/7 (43m)

      REPORT: Astonishing 'Iron' Nouran

Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-2 [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy)
         11/9, 8/11, 11/5, 5/11, 11/6 (75m)
 
     REPORT: Quality, Clean Fair and Flair encounter

Gohar is the new HK Champion,
Ramy makes it three

Nouran Gohar, just days after retaining her World Junior title, came from a game down to beat Amanda Sobhy to claim her first World Series title, taking over from the 11-time champion Nicol David, who Gohar beat in yesterday's semis.

The American started strongly, taking the first game and building a lead in the second, advancing to 10-7, but Gohar fought back to take five points in a row - similar to how Sobhy did to Sherbini in their first game yesterday.

The momentum was with the Egyptian, and she maintained it throughout the next two games, staying just ahead before finally clinching her maiden World Series title.

"I was down, I just had to fight to get back into it I can't believe it !!!" said Gohar.
 
"My only thought was trying to stay on court, trying to look ridiculous on court, but I kept working hard, and at the end, I think the hard work paid off thank God, I won!

"Raneem and my mum gave me a game plan, but I couldn’t execute it in the beginning, she was preventing me from playing, she is such a tough player. So after the first game, I tried and got back to the game plan, and turned it around… so happy…"

It's Three for Ashour

In the men's final Ramy Ashour prevailed in a five-game men's final against fellow Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad to claim his third HK title.

In each of the five games whoever got the better start kept hold of the advantage, and the first four games were shared with each controlling the pattern of two of them.

Ashour got the better start in the decider, which like them all was fiercely contested, although for a period in the middle of the game it seemed that the only way either could win points was via a stroke award.

Ashour kept ahead though, and surged away at the end to add a third HK title to his PSA collection which now numbers 28.



"It feels great to win another major title here," said Ashour.

"It all depends on how much you want it, and I always wanted it so much, that’s the one thing in my life I know how to do, and I feel so empty without it.

"I appreciate playing squash, I appreciate being able to lunge in the four corners without feeling anything, it’s such a blessing, I just want to keep doing it as long as I can ..."