Asal Conquers Gawad In Five Games To Reach Black Ball Open Final

World No.4 Mostafa Asal progressed to the Black Ball Open final after edging out Egyptian compatriot Karim Abdel Gawad in a thrilling five-game encounter in Cairo.

‘The Raging Bull’ started in destructive style, moving effortlessly across the T and cutting off a number of Gawad’s cross-court shots to move one game up.

World No.5 Gawad came battling back into the contest in the second and third games though, with Asal beginning to open up the front of the court too early and ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ taking full advantage. 

Interference in the middle of the court dominated the latter stages of the match, but it was Asal who managed to turn the match back in his favour, first forcing a deciding game and then took a crucial early lead in the fifth.

The 22-year-old took an early lead and never let Gawad gain parity, taking the final game 11-8 and walking off court victorious after 73 minutes of action.

After the match, Asal said: “Karim [Abdel Gawad] is a mentor to me. To play a battle against him, I don’t know how to play it. He’s a friend, a big brother for me. I’ve played with him since I was 11-years-old. He was the first PSA player I played a game with.

“When I saw him [my father] for the first time in a while in the crowd, I just smiled. Great memories together and for sure the fans boost me up. To be in the finals is a credit to all of my family and all of my loyal fans.”

Asal will take on Ali Farag at the PSA World Tour Gold event after the World No.1 took down Mazen Hesham in a seesaw five-game encounter.

The women’s final will be contested by top seeds Nouran Gohar of Egypt and Olivia Weaver of USA.

World No.9 Weaver progressed to her maiden PSA World Tour Gold-level final after defeating Belgium’s Tinne Gilis in a clinical display on the all-glass court in Cairo.

The No.2 seed played a near-perfect match against Gilis, making just two errors throughout the straight games victory which she sealed after 26 minutes of action. 

After the match, Weaver said: “I definitely played the game I wanted to today, and I had to against a player like Tinne. I’m very pleased with that performance and I’m very pleased how I got myself back into the match after falling 5-2 behind in the first.

“In college I would watch the Black Ball event when I was procrastinating and doing my work and now to be here and playing in the final is pretty crazy. It’s an incredible atmosphere to be playing in and a brilliant place to play, so I’m really excited to be in the final and to give myself another shot at a title this season.”

World No.3 Gohar, meanwhile, ended the run of Nour El Tayeb in four games, sealing victory by a 12-10, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6 scoreline.

The finals take place at the Black Ball Sporting Club on 16 April with action getting underway at 19:00 (GMT+2). For more updates on the Black Ball Squash Open 2024, follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok  and YouTube.

Results: Black Ball Squash Open 2024 Men’s Semi-Finals

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-2 (59m)

[2] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-2: 11-6, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 (73m)

Results: Black Ball Squash Open 2024 Women’s Semi-Finals

[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6 (55m)

[2] Olivia Weaver (USA) bt [4] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 3-0 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (26m)

Draw – Black Ball Squash Open 2024 Men’s Final

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY)

Draw – Black Ball Squash Open 2024 Women’s Final

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [2] Mostafa Asal