[14] Zahed Salem -16- (EGY) def [8] Miguel Rodriguez -09- (COL)
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Round-of-16 Score: 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (74m)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the 2019 PSA Mens World Championship.
In individual sport, winning big matches quickly becomes an insatiable hunger. The difficult part is harnessing the belief to earn that first big victory — to get the taste on the tongue.
That said, Zahed Salem is starving.
Last season, the Egyptian Hulk earned career-best runs at the Majors and leapt to a career-high ranking of World #14. This season, for the first time, he conquered mountains James Willstrop (Nantes) and Marwan Elshorbagy (US Open). Zahed has claimed the confidence and tactics required to outlast the toughest opponents. Internally, he’s no longer the foil — a hurdle champions leap in pursuit of the trophy. He is the hurdler.
Today, for only the second time in nine attempts, Salem defeated the Colombian Cannonball, Miguel Rodriquez. For the first time, he’s a World Championship Quarterfinalist. And his stomach growls for more…
► Nov 2019 | Salem def Rodriguez | R3 World Championship – Score: 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (74m)
► Mar 2019 | Rodriguez def Salem | R2 Grasshopper Cup – Score: 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12, 11-5 (102m)
► Feb 2019 | Salem def Rodriguez | QF Motor City Open – Score: 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5
► Nov 2018 | Rodriguez def Salem | R3 Hong Kong Open – Score: 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (41m)
► May 2018 | Rodriguez def Salem | QF Internacional Sporta Open – Score: 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (41m)
► Jan 2017 | Rodriguez def Salem | R1 Motor City Open – Score: 11-13, 11-9, 13-11, 8-9 ret. (94m)
► Aug 2015 | Rodriguez def Salem | QF Colombian Open – Score: 12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8 (42m)
► Mar 2015 | Rodriguez def Salem | R1 Windy City Open – Score: 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4 (61m)
► Nov 2014 | Rodriguez def Salem | R2 World Championship (Doha) – Score: 11-2, 12-10, 11-7 (40m)
Announcer Corner | Player Introductions
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[14] Zahed Salem -16- (EGY)
The 14-seed at this year’s PSA World Championship – 5-years-ago, he won his first career World Championship match right here in Doha. Today, he’s into the Round of 16 for the first time. Overall, he owns 5 PSA titles and is an 18-time Finalist on Tour…reaching 3 of those Finals last season alone. He also made career-best runs at the Majors last season, playing through to the 3rd-Round at 4 of the PSA World Tour’s 7 Platinums – and by season’s end, climbed to a career-high ranking of World #14. This year, he’s at it again. In Nantes, he earned his first win over James Willstrop — and at the US Open, he defeated Marwan Elshorbagy for the first time to earn a spot in the Final 16 of the US Open. Back in Doha for his 7th PSA World Championship – from Egypt, he is Zahed Salem.
► This was Zahed’s first Round of 16 appearance at the World Championship.
► Started last season as the World #31. Ended his 2018-19 campaign as the World #14.
► This season, he’s 6-3 – Semifinalist in Nantes. Round of 16 at the US Open. After a 1st-Round Bye, fell in Round-2 of the Egyptian Open in Giza. He’s won 3 in-a-row here in Doha at the World Championship.
▲ R2 — def Mostafa Asal -23- (EGY) | Score: 11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-7 (58m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — def Tsz Fung Yip -33- (HKG) | Score: 11-7, 3-11, 11-3, 11-6 (33m) | RECAP
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[8] Miguel Rodriguez -09- (COL)
Ranked as high as World #4, he is the highest-ranked South American player in the history of the game – and has been formally recognized by his country as the greatest Colombian Squash Player of all time. In 2018, he made history again by winning his debut Platinum title, becoming the first South American ever to capture the British Open. He owns 3 Pan American Games Gold Medals – including his first Mixed Doubles Gold last Summer at the Pan Am Games in Peru. A 39-time Finalist on Tour, last year he capped the season by winning his 300th career match, defeating Diego Elias in Guatemala to win his 29th career title. Competing in his 7th consecutive Round of 16 at the World Championship, he is a 3-time Quarterfinalist. Fire in the hole! This is the Colombian Cannonball – Miguel Rodriguez.
► This was Miguel’s 7th consecutive Round of 16 World Championship appearance.
► Rodriguez has had it rough on this court over the past 4-years. Before his two wins at this year’s World Championship, Miguel hadn’t won a match in Doha since his 1st-Round Qatar Classic victory in 2015. Over the past three seasons, he lost 3 very tight matches — to Cuskelly, Mossad, and Makin last year.
► Made his World Championship debut in Giza back in 2006. As a 20-year-old, ranked outside the top-50, he was up 2-0 against World #29 Joey Barrington in Round-1 of Qualifying, but lost the match in 5-games.
▲ R2 — def Alan Clyne -39- (SCO) | Score: 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (29m) | RECAP
▲ R1 — def Youssef Soliman -40- (EGY) | Score: 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (73m) | RECAP
