Ali Farag wins 2023 VITAGEN Singapore Squash Open after beating Elias in close-fought clash

Ali Farag is the 2023 VITAGEN Singapore Squash Open champion after defeating Peru’s Diego Elias in a close-fought 72-minute clash.

The final was the third final the pair have met in this season, after the Paris Squash and the Qatar Classic in which Egypt’s Ali Farag took both titles.

Of the 23 occasions that the two have played each other, Peru’s Diego Elias has won just three, with two coming in 2016 and 2017, and the most recent time being a retirement from the World No.1 in last year’s U.S. Open.

Elias had a testing semi final against Mostafa Asal, but came away the 3-1 victor. Farag faced No.6 seed Marwan ElShorbagy, who had knocked out defending champion Mohamed ElShorbagy in the round prior. The No.1 seed dispatched the Englishman in straight games to progress to his third final of the season.

Elias started quickly, building a 7-1 lead over the top seed and looking settled in the early rallies. Farag grew into the game, but was still on the back foot and the slow start was the Egyptian’s undoing as he gave Elias four game balls. The ‘Peruvian Puma’ only needed one opportunity to convert his lead as he took the first game 11-6.

The World Champion looked more consistent in the second game, trading points with the World No.2 before creating a two-point gap with a pin-point forehand drop to make it 5-3. The Egyptian marched on, collecting consecutive points to 9-3. The momentum was heavily on the side of Farag as he pushed on to an 11-4 game to level the match.

In a crucial third game that involved several brutally long rally, Farag looked to have the advantage at 5-3, but the No.2 seed brought the game back level with two hard-earned points.

The pair traded points to 9-9. The Egyptian kept on top from there, earning four match balls. Elias was pushed physically to keep up with the World No.1, but Farag finally found his breakthrough with a backhand drop to took the momentous 30-minute third game.

The Egyptian and the Peruvian exchanged points to 3-3, but the end of the third game seemed to have taken a toll on Elias, as Farag took control of the match, establishing a five-point lead over his South American counterpart.

Farag maintained his lead to give himself four championship balls. The World No.1 put two balls into the tin, but it was Elias’ shot that sealed the title for Farag as he hit the tin himself to make it three titles so far season for the Egyptian.

“When I started my career I would never of thought that I would have 36 titles to my name,” Farag said afterwards.

“Nicol David [Malaysian squash legend] said once that you should cherish these moments whilst they’re happening so I’m trying to enjoy every minute of it whilst improving at the same time. I’m very proud and happy and looking forward to Hong Kong already.

“The third was very crucial. Diego started the match better, he was hitting his marks and I had to change a few things. We had some brutal rallies at the start of the second and in the third we had a really long rally followed by a review and I felt a drop in energy. Thankfully, I managed to recover and then got a good lead in the fourth and managed to close it out.”