[9] Marwan ElShorbagy -10- (EGY) def [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy -02- (EGY)
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Quarterfinal Score: 11-6, 2-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-8 (59m)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the 2019 PSA Mens World Championship.
For fans, blood battles are the most enticing match-ups in sport – two talented brothers competing for a chance to earn the game’s biggest title. But for sibling athletes, these moments always feel like you’re being asked to push your brother or sister in front of a bus so you can have the last popcicle. These matches suck.
In the past, Mohamed has typically emerged the victor. It’s a result that’s expected. However tonight, in their 18th meeting on the PSA World Tour, Marwan earned his 4th career Tour-level victory over his imposing older brother. It was a deft and cunning triumph – something the Jackal has perfected.
Reality check: “Outwitting” opponents nets the same result as “outplaying.”
Just look at the scoreline. What happened in games 2 and 4? Good question. Overtly, Marwan will tell you he was simply outplayed – that Mohamed brilliantly changed tactics. Tactics that were impossible to counter.
As a casual observer, however – it felt like Marwan knew exactly what he needed to do – and more importantly, what he needed NOT to do. To win, he only needed to completely exert himself and play his best squash during 3-games. If forced to play full-on for five, he knew Mohamed would have the edge.
Fortunately, full-on exertion scored Marwan the first game. So he gambled, allowed himself to regroup in game-2, conserved energy, and made the match a best of three. In the third-game, his best squash was good enough again. Rather than push his luck in the 4th, he conceded for a decider – where he pulled away late, earning the win in just under an hour.
No criticism. Just tremendous tactics.
Make no mistake – my novice, unqualified match assessment is not a critique of Marwan’s performance. It was brilliant. Especially considering the fact that during games 2 and 4, he continued to make Mohamed work. During those games, he simply avoided the flat-out effort required to make the games more competitive.
For those who follow the NFL, Marwan managed this match like New England Patriots manager Bill Belichick. He executed his game plan, statistically and tactically deploying what needed to be done to give him the best possible chance of victory. To me, there’s nothing better.
Marwan is now 4-14 versus Mohamed on the PSA World Tour
► Nov 2019 | Marwan def Mohamed | QF World Championship – Score: 11-6, 2-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-8 (59m)
► Sep 2019 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF NetSuite Open – Score: 11-4, 17-15 (41m)
► Sep 2019 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF China Open – Score: 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (64m)
► Apr 2019 | Mohamed def Marwan | QF DPD Open – Score: 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (37m)
► Mar 2019 | Marwan def Mohamed | ** Premier League 9th Round – Score: 11-9, 13-11
► Apr 2018 | Marwan def Mohamed | SF El Gouna International Open – Score: 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2 (75m)
► Mar 2018 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF Canary Wharf Classic – Score: 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-3, 11-8 (71m)
► Feb 2018 | Mohamed def Marwan | FF Windy City Open – Score: 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (39m)
► Dec 2017 | Mohamed def Marwan | FF World Championship – Score: 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 (71m)
► Nov 2017 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF Hong Kong Open – Score: 13-11, 11-5, 12-10 (47m)
► Apr 2017 | Mohamed def Marwan | ** Egyptian National Championship (Final) – Score: 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 12-10
► Apr 2017 | Marwan def Mohamed | QF El Gouna International Open – Score: 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (24m)
► Mar 2017 | Marwan def Mohamed | QF Windy City Open – Score: 1-11, 11-8, 13-11, 5-11, 11-8 (69m)
► Jan 2017 | Mohamed def Marwan | QF Tournament of Champions – Score: 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (44m)
► Oct 2016 | Mohamed def Marwan | QF US Open – Score: 11-7, 11-5, 12-10 (50m)
► Mar 2016 | Marwan def Mohamed | ** Premier League 8th Round – Score: 11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7
► Feb 2016 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF Squash Colombia Open – Score: 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (61m)
► Nov 2015 | Marwan def Mohamed | ** Premier League 3rd Round – Score: 10-12, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 12-10 (59m)
► Mar 2015 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF Windy City Open – Score: 12-10, 11-8, 11-4 (42m)
► Sep 2014 | Mohamed def Marwan | FF Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas – Score: 11-3, 11-3, 11-2
► Dec 2013 | Mohamed def Marwan | R2 Hong Kong Open – Score: 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7 (49m)
► Oct 2012 | Mohamed def Marwan | SF Macau Open – Score: 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9
► Feb 2012 | Mohamed def Marwan | ** Premier League 8th Round – Score: 12-10, 12-10, 4-11, 11-6
Announcer Corner | Player Introductions
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[9] Marwan ElShorbagy -10- (EGY)
He is a PSA World Championship Finalist. Two seasons back in Manchester – he defeated defending World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad, then Ali Farag – before facing Mohamed in the Championship Final. That season, he went on to win 3-titles, including his first PSA Platinum in El Gouna – where he defeated brother Mohamed in the Semis, and Ali Farag in the Final. By season’s end, he leapt to a career-high ranking of World #3. Now a 20-time Finalist on Tour, he owns 10 PSA titles in all, has reached the championship match of the Egyptian National Championship twice, and tonight – is through to the World Championship Quarterfinals for a 3rd year in-a-row. From Egypt – He captured his 2nd World Junior Championship here in Doha 7-years-ago – He is the Jackal, Marwan Elshorbagy.
► Marwan is a 3-time Platinum Finalist: 2017-F Windy City Open (defeated Mohamed in the QF), 2018-F Windy City Open (fell to Mohamed in the Final), and 2018-W El Gouna (defeated Mohamed in the Semifinals and Ali Farag in the Final).
► He made his World Championship debut in Rotterdam-2011 as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked outide the top-50. He won both qualifiers, his Round-1 match, then upset Daryl Selby in a 92-minute, 5th-game tiebreak to reach the Quarterfinals…where he fell to James Willstrop.
► In 2012 here in Doha, he won both the World Junior Championship (his 2nd) and the World Junior Team Championship for Egypt.
► Did not play for 7-months after the 2018 British Open, then made his return in January of 2019. In that abbreviated season, he reached the Semi’s of the Motor City Open, the Quarterfinals of the World Championship, the Semifinals in Toronto, then captured his 10th PSA title at the Wimbledon Club Open. After 7-months away, he dropped out of the PSA’s top-20 for a single month, before jumping right back up to World #11.
▲ R3 — def [7] Mohamed Abouelghar -08- (EGY) | Score: 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
▲ R2 — def Nicolas Müller -27- (SUI) | Score: 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (40m)
▲ R1 — def Arturo Salazar -41- (MEX) | Score: 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)
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[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy -02- (EGY)
Very few in the history of the PSA World Tour have been as dominant as “The Beast of Alexandria.” A 2-time World Championship Finalist on this court here in Doha – In 2017, he captured the sport’s biggest title for the first time – defeating Ramy Ashour, Nick Matthew, and Gregory Gaultier, before facing Marwan in the championship match. And no other active player owns more PSA Platinum titles — He is an 18-time Platinum champion, owns 39 PSA titles in all, and has held the World #1 ranking for 3-years and 4-months combined. 12-years-ago, he made his Doha debut at just 16-years-old. Since then, he’s captured 3 Qatar Classic titles on this court, and 2-years-ago broke Jansher Khan’s long-standing record by appearing in his 6th successive Doha Final. From Egypt – He is the Beast of Alexandria, Mohamed Elshorbagy.
▲ R3 — def [10] Saurav Ghosal -11- (IND) | Score: 11-6, 11-8, 14-12 (50m)
▲ R2 — def Adrian Waller -17- (ENG) | Score: 13-11, 11-9, 11-9 (48m)
▲ R1 — def Victor Crouin -55- (FRA) | Score: 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (33m)
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