[2] Ali Farag -02- (EGY) def [3] Tarek Momen -04- (EGY)
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Semifinal Score: 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4 (61m)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Classic.
A tactical spectacle from the World #2 Ali Farag. Just 11-days-ago, Tarek Momen came-back – down 2-games-to-1 – and defeated Farag in the championship match of the St. George’s Hill Classic. It was Tarek’s first title in four years — and a puzzling loss for Farag, who played from ahead most of the match.
Tonight, starting in game-3, Ali shifted strategies – lobbing whenever he felt uncomfortable, focused on disturbing the Viper’s rhythm. It worked. In just over an hour, Farag found himself in his 5th Platinum Final since winning his first alongside wife Nour El Tayeb at the 2017 US Open.
Ali is on a mission to secure the one remaining goal he’s set for himself – the World #1 ranking. With wins this week over the World #9, World #11, World #10 and now the World #4, it’s safe to say that the target is clearly in sight. With a win tomorrow, he will capture his second career Platinum title.
Annoucer Corner | Farag now leads the head-to-head with Momen
Tonight was the 7th meeting between these two players. Each had won three of their previous matches. Just 11 days ago, Tarek Momen won their most recent clash in the St. George’s Hill Final, overcoming a 2-games to 1 deficit to capture the title in a 5th and deciding game.
► Oct 2018 – St. George’s Hill Classic (F) – Tarek Momen | Score: 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9 (87m)
► Aug 2018 – Bellevue International (RR) – Ali Farag | Score: 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8
► Apr 2018 – El Gouna International (QF) – Ali Farag | Score: 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (33m)
► Mar 2018 – Canary Wharf Classic (SF) – Tarek Momen | Score: 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6 (68m)
► Jan 2018 – Tournament of Champions (SF) – Tarek Momen | Score: 11-3, 2-11, 14-12, 6-11, 11-9 (80m)
► Apr 2016 – El Gouna International (R2) – Ali Farag | Score: 11-5, 8-4 ret. (23m)
Each player’s announcer introduction for tonight’s Semifinal match…
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[2] Ali Farag -02- (EGY)
Tonight, this 26-year-old is competing in his 9th career Platinum Semifinal. Remarkably, he’s reached the Semifinals or Final in 6 of the last 7 Platinum events; and last June, made his first appearance in the championship match of the season-finale at the PSA World Tour Finals. Last season, he captured his first Platinum title at the US Open, where he and Nour El Tayeb became the first married couple in history to win the same major championship on the same day.
He now owns 12 PSA titles, and just last week – reached his 25th Tour level final at the St. George’s Hill Classic. With one of the toughest draws again here in Doha, he’s had to overcome the World #9, World #11, and World #10 to reach tonight’s Semifinal match. From Egypt, please welcome the reigning Egyptian National Champion and #2 Player in the World, Ali Farag.
▲ QF — def [6] Karim Abdel Gawad -10- (EGY) | Score: 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (45m) | RECAP
▲ R3 — def Saurav Ghosal -11- (IND) | Score: 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 (39m) | RECAP
▲ R2 — def Mohamed Abouelghar -09- (EGY) | Score: 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (68m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — Bye
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Announcer Corner | Ali Farag’s Best Platinum runs to date:
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Nov 18 (F) – Qatar Classic
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Oct 18 (SF) – US Open
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Jun 18 (F) – PSA World Tour Finals
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Apr 18 (F) – El Gouna International
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Feb 18 (SF) – Windy City Open
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Jan 18 (SF) – Tournament of Champions
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Nov 17 (F) – Hong Kong Open
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Oct 17 (W) – US Open
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Mar 17 (SF) – Windy City Open
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[3] Tarek Momen -04- (EGY)
Last year, this 30-year-old reached his first career Platinum Final right here at the Qatar Classic. And he never looked back – storming through the rest of the season, reaching another Platinum Final at the Tournament of Champions and the Semifinals of the Windy City Open. He cracked the PSA’s top-5 and qualified for the PSA World Tour Finals for the first time in 4-years. This year, he’s at it again. Last week, he captured his first title in four years at the St. George’s Hill Classic – and tonight, competes in his 5th career Platinum Semifinal. On a 7-match win-streak, in his 11th Qatar Classic Squash Championship, please welcome back to the Semifinals – From Egypt – the #4 Player in the World – Tarek “The Viper” Momen.
▲ QF — def Joel Makin -33- (WAL) | Score: 8-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-6 (51m) | RECAP
▲ R3 — def James Willstrop -18- (ENG) | Score: 7-11, 11-0, 11-1, 11-7 (39m) | RECAP
▲ R2 — def Nicolas Müller -17- (SUI) | Score: 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (27m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — Bye
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Announcer Corner | Tarek Momen’s Best Platinum runs to date:
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Nov 18 (SF) – Qatar Classic
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Feb 18 (SF) – Windy City Open
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Jan 18 (F) – Tournament of Champions
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Nov 17 (F) – Qatar Classic
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Aug 14 (SF) – Hong Kong
