Controversial End (I'm told), but Egypt is still the Winnerā¦.
Fram reports on the final
Let me set the scene for you.
For the past two days, itās been not such a good time for me. Sick as a dog since the Movenpick, I ended up in hospital on semis day, then back to my hotel room, unable to go out. So last night, everything went well, Steve was at the venue, clicking away, I watched on my laptop, typed the quotes, made the report, piece of cake.
Still not able to come out of the room today, Iām again set for watching the final. Looking for it on the TV here, but canāt find it. On the laptop again, afraid to run out of credit as we are on USB internet. Itās all going well until 9/7 in the 5th.
9/7 in the bleeping 5th!!!!!
Thatās the moment where my internet decides to die. By the time I set up my emergency one ā on my mobile, thanks Egyptian Federation ā Greg is talking. Just manage to type what he says when Mohamed is about to speakā¦ and the emergency internet dies as well.
Steve internet apparently died as well at the venue, as for the match, he was lying on the ground and do not remember anything! So thanks to Nathan from PSA that over the phone talked me through the end of the match.
I can tell you one thing. Mohamed was scared. Very very scared.. Such a huge responsibility. Here. In Egypt. Mohamed somehow never felt ā quite rightly I guess ā that he got the recognition he deserved in his own country.
Having left for Millfield then Bristol from the age of 12, he was finding it hard to find his space in Egypt. Even when he was playing here last year, the crowd seemed to support Ramy, and it was extremely hurtful for Mohamed. Last year, El Gouna turned to a nightmare for him, and hurt him mentally, deeply.
This year, none of that. Ramy is out. The Kids are loving Mohamed, wear tshirts with his photo on, the Medias wonāt have enough of him, TV, radios, he is in demand, he is everywhere. And he is smiling, and he is finally getting the attention a world number 1 should get.
But now, heās got to deliver hasnāt he? Now is crunch time. And what if he cannot deliver? Ā What if he fails? In front of two ministers, the Governor of the Red Sea, The Federation, the Promoters, his fans, you name itā¦.
He freezes for two games. Not that he is playing badly. At all. But he is only trying not to lose. Greg on the other hand, doesnāt have any kind of pressure. He is number 2, he is coming back from injury, and nobody expects him to win. Even the commentators on SquashTV are saying he is bound to lose tonight, āhe is too old to match Mohamed if it goes to 5ā, I hear the commentator sayā¦ Hope that Nick Matthew is not taking it personally, at 35, he shouldnāt even be competiting then, as Greg is only 33!!!
Like I was saying, no pressure. And the hunger. The hunger of competiting when you have been injured. The hunger of wining when you watch the othersā on SquashTV take the tropheys... The energy that comes from having so much to prove... to yourself. And to that vociferous crowd.
First game, he makes 5 unforced errors, Greg 4. Thatās a lot for them. But itās the Frenchman that is controlling the rallies, patiently. He is in there. Mohamed is not playing badly, no, but he is trying not to lose. Not like himā¦. And Greg feels it. 11/7 the first game, in 15m for the Frenchman who plays at his best, controlled. Patient. Gruelling. Lethal.
Second game sees Mohamed cutting right down on the errors, only 1, and he is front for most of the game, a couple of points, Ā but itās all level at 8/8, 9/9. After 22m of a gruelling game, itās again the Frenchman that closes it down, 11/9.
The crowd, who chanted āShorbagyā and āMasrā (Egypt) at the start of the match, is silent. Completely muted.
Basma Shorbagy appears on the scene. Whatever she is telling her son, itās working. Mohamed comes back in the third, the fear of losing has gone. Heās got to win it now. He is against the wall. And he loves that. āI just kept fighting - it might be what I'm best atā he said at the end. So the third is out in a flash, Greg seems flat, Mohamed high, 8m, folded, in the draw.
The 4th is a different kettle of fish, although Mohamed is still back against the wall. He HAS to win, so he is more positive although not playing his normal attacking short game. No, he is taking Greg at his own game, length and accuracy at the back, changing pace and angles. Itās very controlled from both. At 8/5, Greg seems heās got the better of the Favourite, and to be honest, I thought it was in the French bag. And after all what Greg has been through in the past months since his horrific injury in the ToC, how hard he had to work to come back to that level of squash, itās only fair he would win...
But in a typical Bagy fashion, the Egyptian claws back 5 points, 9/8, to take the game on his second game ball, 11/9 in 14m. What Mohamed has retrieved in these four games, is close to surrealā¦. Greg was throwing anything by the kitchen sink...
And if the crowd was silenced at the end of the first two games, well, is baaaaaack!!!!!
But hey, now, the brain starts working again full speed for Mohamed at the start of the decider. Back to the beginning. Back to crunch time. And he freezes again. 4/0 for Greg. But two unforced errors from Greg wake up the Egyptian. He can do this. He know how to do this.
And he find his pace and controlled squash again. Itās not the flashy shots he plays against Ramy as they both open the court. No. Itās a controlled. Patient. Gruelling Squash. Itās Gaultierās squash.
As the rallies get longer, Greg looks a bit tired. But not giving up. On the contrary. He is pushing harder. And harder. 5/5. 6/6. 7/7. Tense is immense. The crowd is cheering every point from Mohamed, whether a winner, a stroke or a tin from Greg! 9/7. Stroke for Mohamed says the ref. Let says the video ref. Mad mad mad.
8/9. At that point, apparently, Greg is about to serve, Mohamed is speaking, doesnāt look like heās going to play, but plays the ball, backhand crosscourt nick (Iām told). Greg is arguing Mohamed was speaking and didnāt look like playing, so he didnāt play himself. Ref replies that he accepted the shot and played it, even if not ready.Once again, I can only say what people tell me.
Greg is not happy, he is fuming. He feels heās been cheated upon. Once again, I didnāt see it myself, I can only write what Iām told.
10/8 match ball. A short rally, Greg has set a wining drop shot of the forehand, Mohamed is nowhere near Iām told. But tin. Match to Mohamedā¦
In come the Fireworks.. Could hear them from my hotel room I tell youā¦
See you next year Inshallah.
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