Nov 18, 2024
As the birthplace of squash, we take a closer look at how England and its players have impacted the sport over the years ahead of an Olympic
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from Belgium
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Canada
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from France
seen from China
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from France
As the birthplace of squash, we take a closer look at how England and its players have impacted the sport over the years ahead of an Olympic
Tecnifibre launch new Carboflex
Semis: ElShorbagy into a fifth
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-0 [3] Tarek Momen (Egy) 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 (44m)
Mohamed ElShorbagy kept his impressive record in Philadelphia - and this season - going as he beat compatriot Tarek Momen in straight games to reach a fifth US Open final.
The match was similar to yesterday’s semis as ElShorbagy got the better of two tough opening games before easing through the third.
“Me and Tarek have had lots of tough battles this year,” said 28-year-old ElShorbagy.
“We have already played twice in the same week and we are probably going to play so many times this season. We had a tough match in San Fran and today was a bit different with different conditions. Winning that second game made a huge difference for me to be 2-0 up.
“I’m really happy to be off in three and playing Ali tomorrow, he has had a really good run here and with how many matches he has had, I had to make sure that I won in three if I was going to get through today.
“You had to win the rally many times before you won the point. Patience was the key today and I think I was a little bit more patient than him.
“It would mean so much to have a shot at winning the U.S. Open title for the fourth time, but I’m up against the best player in the world right now. I’m after him and I want his ranking, but right now he had an unbelievable season last season and I think it’s fitting that the first Platinum tournament of the season we have the World No.1 and No.2 in the final and hopefully it’s a good match in front of everyone.”
2016: ElShorbagy & Serme are the Champions
Camille Serme and Mohamed Elshorbagy are the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Champions …
[6] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-1 [1] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 11/8, 7/11, 12/10, 11/9 (54m
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-2 [4] Nick Matthew (Eng) 10/12, 12/14, 11/1, 11/4, 3/0 rtd (68m)
Camille claims US Open crown
Capping off a week of tremendous performances, France’s Camille Serme added the current world champion and world number one to her list of scalps as she claimed her first U.S. Open title with a four-game win over top seed Nour El Sherbini – having already beaten the world number two and defending champion in the quarter-finals and the home favourite in the semis.
The first two games were shared, Sherbini getting the better start in the first as she advanced from 2-all to 6-3 and holding that lead to take it 11-8, Serme did the same in the second, going from 3-4 to 8-4 and levelling the match 11-7.
There were a number of swings in the third, Sherbini led 4-2 and 6-3, Serme pulled back to lead 8-7 but Sherbini responted to reach game ball at 10-9. That was saved, and after the Egyptian tinned Serme’s serve landed in the backwall nick to give her the game and the lead.
Sherbini regrouped and came out attacking in the fourth, taking a 4-0 lead. Serme’s defence has been outstanding all week tough, and it was no less so today. Often at full stretch she would just keep getting balls back, and anything loose would probably be punished as Serme’s volley drops have been just as good.
The Frenchwoman took five points in a row to lead 5-4, then 8-5, and quickly 10-7 for three Championship balls.
Two lets, two tough rallies both won by Sherbini, but on the third a loose ball presented itself and Serme fired it into the front corner to claim her second career World Series title, and a well deserved one at that.
“I just can’t believe it,” said Camille. “Two weeks ago, I was so far from this, and now, you are telling me I’m the U.S. Open Champion… It’s crazy!
“Today was a completely different match from the semi against Amanda, we all know that Nour has got unbelievable shots as well, she is not number one for nothing…
“It’s crazy because I felt I was behind, I just kept pushing and she gave me some important points, and I thought OK, you can do this, you can win and I just pushed so hard, and at the end, I just tried and played a few shots as well.
“I’m so happy, thank you so much for the support.”
Elshorbagy takes his second
World No. 1 Mohamed Elshorbagy won his second Delaware Investments U.S. Open title after world No. 4 Nick Matthew was forced to concede due to injury early in the fifth game of a final played out in front of a sold out Drexel crowd.
Although the match ended in unfortunate circumstances, the two champions of the sport showcased exemplary sportsmanship and determination to the very end.
The first game gave 2007 champion Matthew hope of capturing a second U.S. Open title, but also proved to be the thirty-six-year-old’s downfall.
After shooting his way to a 6-3 lead, Matthew pulled up grabbing his upper hamstring mid-rally. Two rallies later, Elshorbagy tumbled into the Englishman causing a brief injury break while Matthew appeared to favor his back. But Matthew pressed on, holding off the twenty-five-year-old at both nine-all and ten-all to win the twenty-minute first game 12-10.
Despite the physical discomfort, Matthew’s determination shone through in the second as the two battled through long rallies and remained within one or two points of each other until Matthew held two game balls at 10-8.
After Elshorbagy fought off one game ball, Matthew called his ball down to concede a second game ball.
Elshorbagy then went up 11-10, but also called his next ball down to level the score at eleven-all. After a Matthew tin gave Elshorbagy a second game ball, the Egyptian squandered his second opportunity. After a drop winner, Matthew earned a two-game lead on a stroke call to go up 14-12 after twenty-four minutes.
Matthew’s injury became clear from the onset in the third game as he struggled to move around the court and only managed to win points off clear winners.
The fourth was more of the same, and just a few points into the fifth game, Matthew saved his body any further distress and offered his hand to Elshorbagy.
Elshorbagy, the 2014 champion, is the fifteenth male to win two U.S. Open titles.
“I have great memories here, two years ago, when I won it, it took me to the top of the rankings, whenever I come back here, I’m just so happy to be back.
“It really gives me a lot of confidence, and I’m really happy I found my best squash this week. It had been a while since I found the way to play the way I like to play, I got it back again…
“I grew up watching Nick playing, he comes out from my generation, we call it the Golden Generation, for me, he is the greatest of all of them. What I have learned from him is just incredible. He pushed himself, he deserves respect from everyone in this world, what he did this week, what he did today, was unbelievable, and I think that people will only realise how important he was for the game when he stops.
“Shabana has been great with me all week, we Egyptian players are so lucky he’s played all the generations, he knows them inside out, and we speak about the tactical side of the game before every match. Of course, my mum, she is here with me, such a great support mentally..
“To win my first World Series of the season is giving me a great confidence, for sure, thanks for the people that came to support us all week, USSquash for organising the event, Delaware Investments, and I really cannot wait to be back here next year. Thanks everyone.”
Matthew commented:
“I wanted to give the crowd the best spectacle possible but you need two good legs to beat Mohamed, he is the best player in the world, so, I tried my best.
“This week I found myself. I might not have won the tournament, but I won my squash back, on and off the court, I found that method to enjoy my squash, to play with a smile on my face, but ultimately, my body let me down. But the mind was in the game, I was just enjoying it, I had no pressure, I loved it, I loved being on this stage. I was a winner this week, full stop, regardless of the result tonight.”
FULL 2016 COVERAGE
2014: Three-peat for Nicol
It was a mixture of youth and experience that triumphed in the finals of the Delaware Investments U.S. Open in Philadelphia – Nicol David beat Nour El Sherbini to claim a third title in a row while Mohamed Elshorbagy celebrated his rise to world #1 with victory over Amr Shabana.
[1] Nicol David (MAS) 3-0 [7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-5, 12-10, 12-10 (41m)
[3] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) d3-1[4] Amr Shabana (EGY) 8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (45m)
Three In a Row For David
Malaysian superstar Nicol David (right) claimed her third Delaware Investments U.S. Open title in a row as she beat surprise finalist Nour El Sherbini in straight games in today’s final at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
With heavy strapping on her right thigh, the Egyptian teenager looked to be struggling with her movement in the first game as David pushed her to all corners of the court. Sherbini was getting to most of the shots, but it looked to be a bit of a struggle as David forged leads of 4-2, 7-2 and 10-4 before taking the game 11-5.
For the next two games, however, Sherbini matched David all the way. Looking calmer and more controlled, she was moving better, hitting better, and we had a real contest on our hands.
Sherbini was a point or two ahead for most of the second, but it was David who got to game ball first at 10-9, doubling her lead at the second attempt, 12-10, as Sherbini’s dropshot clipped the tin.
In the third it was David with a slight early advantage, but Sherbini continued to play well, drew level at 7-all and earned three game balls at 10-7. But David is renowned for comebacks, and while she showed no sign of making a mistakle, Sherbini was forced into three miscues—the third being an attempted long drop that found the tin and elicited a loud shreik from the youngster.
Another tin gave David match ball, but as she served the ball broke, delaying the final point as the new one was warmed up.
It didn’t take long to finish as David forced a weak boast and drove it into the corner out of Sherbini’s reach to claim a third U.S. Open title.
“I don’t believe it. I was really just in the game, I’m sill thinking that I need to keep warming up that ball,” said David.
“Sherbini played such a good game of squash, and I really had to play even better because it was so difficult out there and to win that title.
“I think with Sherbini it’s more of just getting in the groove.
“I think in the second game she just found the rhythm and flow, and also just good shots and she was really putting on the pressure. So I had to keep up with that pace and, at the same time, bring my game forward so I’m really pleased with that.
“I’m so pleased. Really happy to win another U.S. Open.”
Elshorbagy Steamrolls Shabana
Twenty-four hours before tonight’s U.S. Open men’s final, Egyptian Mohamed Elshorbagy (left) learned he would be world No. 1 on November 1. His reaction, with his mother in the crowd, was emotional after achieving a life-long dream. So the best player in the world could be forgiven for having a letdown in the final against countryman Amr Shabana.
“I’m just really happy this happened in front of my mother,” said Elshorbagy of becoming world No. 1. “Just really happy I could maker her proud.”
In the opening game, it appeared that just might be the case as he looked lethargic, while Shabana came out firing. An early 5-2 lead for the Maestro was all he needed because Elshorbagy never got closer than 8-9 before Shabana closed out the first game, 11-8.
“Obviously he outplayed me in the first game,” said Elshorbagy.
The second began in similar fashion, with Shabana running out to a 6-2 lead, which is when everything changed. Elshorbagy began applying pressure by stepping forward, increasing the pace with impressive drives to the back corners, and forced Shabana into a handful of errors to draw even at 7-7. The pair traded points to nine but Elshorbagy secured the game, 11-9.
“Shabana kind of lost his concentration and there was this little chance I could come back in the match,” Elshorbagy said of his recovery from dropping the opening game.
The third and fourth were lopsided in favor of Elshorbagy as a string of tins in both games by Shabana essentially handed the younger Egyptian his first U.S. Open title.
“I’m just overwhelmed; I don’t know what to say,” said an elated Elshorbagy after the final.
“This week has been great. It’s been a dream. I came here with the goal of winning this tournament before becoming world No. 1 because winning this tournament is such a great honor.”
Elshorbagy went on to say, “I always thought that if I don’t get the number one ranking this year, maybe I’ll be able to get it at another tournament. But you only get to play the U.S. Open once when you’re twenty-three years old. I had only one shot at it. I’m really just glad I did it.”
FULL 2014 COVERAGE
Grasshopper Cup
Hong Kong Finals