[2] Tarek Momen -03- (EGY) def Abdulla Al Tamimi -47- (QAT)
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Round-of-16 Score: 11-5, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4 (76m)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the 2019 PSA Mens World Championship.
In all honesty, Abdulla Al Tamimi was the better player tonight.
Over the past 8-seasons, Qatar’s top talent simply couldn’t win when the sport’s biggest tournaments arrived on home soil. That all changed Friday when Tamimi defeated World #14 Gregoire Marche. The next day, he took-out Mathieu Castagnet and found himself in the Round of 16 of the World Championship for a second time — this time, at home in Doha.
It was huge. The prodigal son finally delivered for a hungry fan base.
Tamimi’s momentum = An even more impressive Momen victory…
With that reality as the backdrop, one can fully appreciate how difficult a victory this was for Tarek Momen. He wasn’t simply facing a tough opponent who’d taken him to a deciding game last month at the US Open. No, Tarek was up against a surging local hero along with a legion of supporters determined to lift one of their own to victory.
But champions find a way. Down 1-2, Momen mustered the will, kept his focus, and maintained his tactical game-plan to earn the win. Starting in the fourth, Momen’s precision kept Tamimi on the run. And by the middle of the fifth, Abdulla had little left.
Oddly enough, because of his authentic character and inherant modesty, Tarek never truly felt like the villain. He reached his first Platinum Final on this court 2-years-ago. In 2011, he earned Arab Games Gold in Doha. Qatar’s squash fans appreciate who he is beyond the game, making him a perennial favorite. Tremendously thankful for the fan appreciation, even after defeating the local favorite in a critical World Championship match, Tarek hung-around signing autographs and taking photos until every fan felt his gratitude. Role model of the highest order.
Tarek Momen remains undefeated against Absulla Al Tamimi
► Nov 2019 | Momen def Tamimi | R3 World Championship – Score: 11-5, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4 (76m)
► Oct 2019 | Momen def Tamimi | R2 US Open – Score: 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6 (65m)
► Dec 2011 | Momen def Tamimi | QF Arab Games – Score: 13-11, 11-5, 11-6
Announcer Corner | Player Introductions
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[2] Tarek Momen -03- (EGY)
The Finalist at last season’s PSA World Championship – in Chicago, he took-out the defending champion Mohamed Elshorbagy in 5-games to reach the title match. He was also a Semifinalist at the World Championship in 2015, where he defeated 3-time World Champ Nick Matthew to reach the Final-4. Over the past 2-seasons, he’s reached 2 Platinum Finals – including his first right here at the 2017 Qatar Classic – and over the past 12-months, has reached the Semifinals in 6 of the last 7 Platinum events. He started the new season by reaching his 24th career Final at the NetSuite Open, and is back in Doha with a career-high ranking of World #3. From Egypt, this is 2011 Arab Games Doha Gold Medalist – Tarek “The Viper” Momen.
▲ R2 — def Mazen Hesham -19- (EGY) | Score: 11-9, 12-10, 11-5 (35m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — def Raphael Kandra -25- (GER) | Score: 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4 (52m) | RECAP
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Abdulla Al Tamimi -47- (QAT)
Since he was 15-years-old, when he made his PSA Tour debut at the 2010 Qatar Classic, he has captivated fans here in Doha, and captured the heart of a nation. With focused and determined victories this week over World #14 Gregoire Marche and Mathieu Castagnet – he earned his first two Major wins on his home court – and tonight, is back in the Round of 16 at the PSA World Championship for a second time. 2-years-ago at the World Championship in Manchester – he upset Simon Rösner, then Mathieu Castenget to make his 3rd-Round debut. Now an 11-time Finalist on Tour, he owns 5 PSA Tour titles and has been ranked as high as World #23. From Doha – He is Qatar’s #1 Player – Abdullah Al Tamimi.
► On Friday, a huge weight was lifted from Abdulla’s shoulders. Before his upset of Marche, he had lost 8 consecutive matches at Major events hosted in his home country, dating back to the 2010 Qatar Classic
► Then on Saturday, he backed it up with a focused and determined 3-game win over Matheiu Castagnet, becoming the first player from Qatar to reach the Round of 16 at the World Championship
► This season: After reached the Semifinals of the HKFC International in Hong Kong, last month he won his first career Platinum match over Leo Au, then took Tarek Momen to 5-games in his Round-2 loss at the US Open
▲ R2 — def Mathieu Castagnet -28- (FRA) | Score: 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 (43m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — def [15] Gregoire Marche -14- (FRA) | Score: 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (50m) | RECAP
