Marwan ElShorbagy (left) in action during his second round fixture with Mathieu Castagnet (right)
We're onto the quarter-finals here at the
2018 El Gouna International, with some superb matches in store on the
banks of Egypt's Red Sea.First up is World No.1 Nour El Sherbini as she takes on France's World No.6 Camille Serme in one of this evening's most highly-anticipated matches.
El Sherbini overcame United States No.2 Amanda Sobhy in the previous round, while Serme beat England's Victoria Lust in straight games. El Sherbini leads the head-to-head record 8-7 and Serme will try to reduce that deficit when the two take to the court at 18:30 local time (GMT+2).
There's no let up in the action as World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy takes on Simon Rösner at 19:15 – the in-form Egyptian looking to win a 13th straight PSA World Tour match against the tall German.
India’s Joshna Chinappa will look to follow up a huge second round win over former World No.1 Nicol David with victory over a previous incumbent of the World No.1 ranking, Laura Massaro.
Last year’s runner-up Karim Abdel Gawad and World No.4 Marwan ElShorbagy will contest the last match of the day at 20:45.
ElShorbagy ended Gawad’s World Championship title defence at this in Manchester four months to go and will look to move into the semi-finals today – where older brother Mohamed ElShorbagy will await.
You can watch LIVE coverage on SQUASHTV and Eurosport Player or follow our live scoring page.
Here's the SQUASHTV & Eurosport Player Order of Play
(All times are local GMT+2)
Sublime El Sherbini Sends Serme Out
Nour El Sherbini (left) v Camille Serme (right)
A
majestic display from World No.1 Nour El Sherbini saw her dismantle
World No.6 Camille Serme by a 3-0 margin to underline her status as the
favourite for the women’s title.
El Sherbini, who claimed a second World Championship crown at this venue 12 months ago, had a narrow 8-7 lead on the pair’s head-to-head record and she extended that lead today in a performance that saw Serme unable to really establish herself in the match.
There was positive squash from both players in the opening game as they traded blows early on until El Sherbini found the edge as she pushed Serme deep into the back of the court, while her precision at the front was too much for the Frenchwoman to handle.
The Egyptian then triumphed in a brutal rally at game ball to take the lead, while the onslaught continued in the second as she kept Serme guessing and prevented the number number six seed from executing her attacking shots.
After dropping six points in the second, El Sherbini repeated the feat in the third to follow up her 3-2 victory over former World No.6 Amanda Sobhy two days ago.
“The match was tough even if it finished 3-0,” said El Sherbini.
“I’m used to playing with Camille in the semi-finals of the finals, so it’s really hard to play two tough matches after each other. But I’m really glad that I played well, I’m pleased with the way I’m playing and I’m happy to be in the semis.
“I think today I just relaxed, didn’t put any pressure on myself, enjoyed my game and I was just having fun.”
Result
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [6] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (35m)
ElShorbagy Makes it a Lucky 13 Against Rösner
El Sherbini, who claimed a second World Championship crown at this venue 12 months ago, had a narrow 8-7 lead on the pair’s head-to-head record and she extended that lead today in a performance that saw Serme unable to really establish herself in the match.
There was positive squash from both players in the opening game as they traded blows early on until El Sherbini found the edge as she pushed Serme deep into the back of the court, while her precision at the front was too much for the Frenchwoman to handle.
The Egyptian then triumphed in a brutal rally at game ball to take the lead, while the onslaught continued in the second as she kept Serme guessing and prevented the number number six seed from executing her attacking shots.
After dropping six points in the second, El Sherbini repeated the feat in the third to follow up her 3-2 victory over former World No.6 Amanda Sobhy two days ago.
“The match was tough even if it finished 3-0,” said El Sherbini.
“I’m used to playing with Camille in the semi-finals of the finals, so it’s really hard to play two tough matches after each other. But I’m really glad that I played well, I’m pleased with the way I’m playing and I’m happy to be in the semis.
“I think today I just relaxed, didn’t put any pressure on myself, enjoyed my game and I was just having fun.”
Result
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [6] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (35m)
ElShorbagy Makes it a Lucky 13 Against Rösner
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World
No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy booked his place in the semi-finals after
making it 13 wins out of 13 against Germany’s World No.6 Simon Rösner.
The match began with a gruelling 120-shot plus rally which went in ElShorbagy’s favour and that laid down a marker for the rest of the game as the Egyptian powerhouse dropped just two points as he motored to a one-game lead.
Rösner, backed by a vocal German contingent in the crowd, offered more resistance in the second game as he counterattacked and slowed the pace down but ElShorbagy hit a series of piledrivers low on the front wall as he broke the German’s rhythm and he converted the first of his two game balls to double his lead.
A third game blitz from the German Tree-Chopper saw him take the first seven points on offer as ElShorbagy took his foot off the gas but ElShorbagy battled back to within a point before Rösner finally put the ball away to halve the deficit.
But ElShorbagy had the better of the fourth game and, after Rösner had recovered from 8-4 down to level, he took the next three points to wrap up a win that could see him take on younger brother Marwan in the next round if Marwan defeats World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad later this evening.
“Simon has been in great form this year, he’s at his highest World Ranking and he won the Tournament of Champions in January, so I knew how tough it was going to be,” said ElShorbagy.
“I think we played here two years ago and it was tough as well. I just expected it to be tough from the first point and it kept getting tougher and tougher. I’m just glad that I pulled away at the end.
“I was maybe relaxed at the beginning but then he put pressure on me in the third game. I loved that third game, it was very tricky in the fourth and then when he came back from 8-4 it could have been anyone’s game.
“I didn’t want to go to five games but with a player of his quality it was tough going in the end but I’m glad I pulled through.”
Result
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [7] Simon Rösner (GER) 3-1: 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 (56m)
Massaro Marches into Semis
The match began with a gruelling 120-shot plus rally which went in ElShorbagy’s favour and that laid down a marker for the rest of the game as the Egyptian powerhouse dropped just two points as he motored to a one-game lead.
Rösner, backed by a vocal German contingent in the crowd, offered more resistance in the second game as he counterattacked and slowed the pace down but ElShorbagy hit a series of piledrivers low on the front wall as he broke the German’s rhythm and he converted the first of his two game balls to double his lead.
A third game blitz from the German Tree-Chopper saw him take the first seven points on offer as ElShorbagy took his foot off the gas but ElShorbagy battled back to within a point before Rösner finally put the ball away to halve the deficit.
But ElShorbagy had the better of the fourth game and, after Rösner had recovered from 8-4 down to level, he took the next three points to wrap up a win that could see him take on younger brother Marwan in the next round if Marwan defeats World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad later this evening.
“Simon has been in great form this year, he’s at his highest World Ranking and he won the Tournament of Champions in January, so I knew how tough it was going to be,” said ElShorbagy.
“I think we played here two years ago and it was tough as well. I just expected it to be tough from the first point and it kept getting tougher and tougher. I’m just glad that I pulled away at the end.
“I was maybe relaxed at the beginning but then he put pressure on me in the third game. I loved that third game, it was very tricky in the fourth and then when he came back from 8-4 it could have been anyone’s game.
“I didn’t want to go to five games but with a player of his quality it was tough going in the end but I’m glad I pulled through.”
Result
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [7] Simon Rösner (GER) 3-1: 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 (56m)
Massaro Marches into Semis
Laura Massaro (right) v Joshna Chinappa (left)
England’s
Laura Massaro continued her impressive form at this year’s El Gouna
International as she put India’s Joshna Chinappa to the sword, winning
3-0 in just 23 minutes.
Comfortable wins over Mayar Hany and Joey Chan in previous rounds had suggested that Massaro was working her way back into form after previous disappointments at the Commonwealth Games and the Windy City Open.
And there was no let up against Chinappa – who had caused a huge upset against Malaysia’s eight-time World Champion Nicol David in round two – as she dominated the ’T’ and put in a clinical performance that gave Chinappa very little chance to attack.
At times Chinappa showed glimpses of the ability that saw her end a five-game winless run against David but she was powerless to stop Massaro at times as the 34-year-old World No.7’s superb length game helped pull Chinappa out of position and she was rewarded with an 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 victory that will see her take on World No.1 Nour El Sherbini for a place in the final.
Massaro has reached the semi-final stage at four of her last six tournaments but hasn’t made it to a PSA World Tour final since the 2016/17 PSA Dubai World Series Finals 10 months ago.
“I feel good and I felt like it was a solid performance,” said Massaro.
“It's probably just what I'm known for, consistent and solid, and I guess maybe I haven't been consistent and solid recently, so it's nice to be back to playing that sort of squash.
“I know from last year that it's really hard to transition from the back courts onto the glass courts and especially with such a big win for Joshna [in the last round], I just tried to focus on myself, keep myself positive and not let anything of that come into my game.
“I'm really happy to be in the semi-finals.”
Result
[4] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [16] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 (23m)
Marwan to Face Mohamed After Masterclass Against 2017 Runner-Up Gawad
Comfortable wins over Mayar Hany and Joey Chan in previous rounds had suggested that Massaro was working her way back into form after previous disappointments at the Commonwealth Games and the Windy City Open.
And there was no let up against Chinappa – who had caused a huge upset against Malaysia’s eight-time World Champion Nicol David in round two – as she dominated the ’T’ and put in a clinical performance that gave Chinappa very little chance to attack.
At times Chinappa showed glimpses of the ability that saw her end a five-game winless run against David but she was powerless to stop Massaro at times as the 34-year-old World No.7’s superb length game helped pull Chinappa out of position and she was rewarded with an 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 victory that will see her take on World No.1 Nour El Sherbini for a place in the final.
Massaro has reached the semi-final stage at four of her last six tournaments but hasn’t made it to a PSA World Tour final since the 2016/17 PSA Dubai World Series Finals 10 months ago.
“I feel good and I felt like it was a solid performance,” said Massaro.
“It's probably just what I'm known for, consistent and solid, and I guess maybe I haven't been consistent and solid recently, so it's nice to be back to playing that sort of squash.
“I know from last year that it's really hard to transition from the back courts onto the glass courts and especially with such a big win for Joshna [in the last round], I just tried to focus on myself, keep myself positive and not let anything of that come into my game.
“I'm really happy to be in the semi-finals.”
Result
[4] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [16] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 (23m)
Marwan to Face Mohamed After Masterclass Against 2017 Runner-Up Gawad
Marwan ElShorbagy (right) v Karim Abdel Gawad (left)
World No.4 Marwan ElShorbagy will take on older brother Mohamed for the 14th time on the PSA World Tour after he dispatched last year’s runner-up Gawad in a comfortable three-game fixture.
The two ElShorbagy’s met at the quarter-final stage of last year’s tournament when Marwan eased past his sibling – who was out of form at the time – in just 24 minutes but he has lost their previous meetings on the PSA World Tour, including the final of the PSA World Championships in December.
Speaking after an 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 victory over 2016 World Champion Gawad, Marwan said: “It’s going to be a tough match [against Mohamed] but today I’m just focusing on my game, I played really well to beat Karim in three games, I had to be at my best.
“My brother is a completely different player from 12 months ago so I’m expecting a completely different match.
“Even when he’s not at his best I’m expecting a tough match, he’s never going to give it to me easy, especially me because I’m his younger brother.
“He wants me to have it the hard way, which is making me stronger. I’m just going to enjoy my day off tomorrow and I’m not even going to think about my match with him until a few minutes before my match.”
Result
[4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (37m)
The two ElShorbagy’s met at the quarter-final stage of last year’s tournament when Marwan eased past his sibling – who was out of form at the time – in just 24 minutes but he has lost their previous meetings on the PSA World Tour, including the final of the PSA World Championships in December.
Speaking after an 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 victory over 2016 World Champion Gawad, Marwan said: “It’s going to be a tough match [against Mohamed] but today I’m just focusing on my game, I played really well to beat Karim in three games, I had to be at my best.
“My brother is a completely different player from 12 months ago so I’m expecting a completely different match.
“Even when he’s not at his best I’m expecting a tough match, he’s never going to give it to me easy, especially me because I’m his younger brother.
“He wants me to have it the hard way, which is making me stronger. I’m just going to enjoy my day off tomorrow and I’m not even going to think about my match with him until a few minutes before my match.”
Result
[4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (37m)
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