Battle for World No.1: Elias, ElShorbagy & Asal

Along with the PSA World Championships being on the line this week, we have another three-way battle for the men’s World No.1 spot as well.

Peru’s Diego Elias is currently the man at the summit of the world rankings, but the returning Mostafa Asal, and England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy, could both usurp the Peruvian at the top.

Elias became the first South American player to become World No.1 following the British Open, and by the end of the World Championships he will have spent four weeks at the summit. Depending on results in Chicago, though, that could all change come the rankings update on Monday, May 15.

England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy, the current World No.2, is aiming to reach the top spot in the rankings for the record-equalling sixth time. He would join Peter Nicol and Gregory Gaultier, now ElShorbagy’s coach, as the men to have been World No.1 six times.

Elias took the World No.1 spot away from Egypt’s Mostafa Asal. The ‘Raging Bull’ makes his return to the Tour after a six-month suspension, and he will be aiming to return to the top spot after his first event back.

The odds are still in the Peruvian’s favour to remain as the World No.1, even if he does not become the sport’s first South American World Champion. Both ElShorbagy and Asal would have to win in Chicago, and hope Elias fails to reach certain points in the tournament if they are to climb back to the summit.

Here is what each man requires to be World No.1 on Monday, May 15.

For ElShorbagy to become World No.1 again:
– ElShorbagy wins the World Championships AND Elias fails to reach the semi-finals

For Asal to become World No.1 again:
– Asal wins the World Championships AND Elias fails to reach the final

For Elias to remain as the World No.1:
– Elias wins or reaches the final of the World Championships
OR
– Elias reaches the semi-finals AND Asal fails to win the World Championships
OR
– ElShorbagy AND Asal fail to win the World Championships

Elias currently stands atop the world rankings on 1,687 points. He has four wins this season, and they have all come on American soil, which could be a good omen heading into the PSA World Championships in Chicago.

The Peruvian has taken two major titles, winning the U.S. Open and the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, along with wining the Silver level Sturbridge Capital Motor City Open and the Pittsburgh Open. Elias also has the Necker Mauritius Open title in his twelve-month ranking score as well, an event where he beat ElShorbagy in the final.

The Englishman started the season strongly, with four wins in the opening three months of the campaign. He was victorious at the QTerminals Qatar Classic, Oracle NetSuite Open, Robertson Lodges New Zealand Open and the MARIGOLD Singapore Squash Open.

ElShorbagy has since also won at the Black Ball Squash Open, along with finishing runner-up at the Houston Open in the first event of the calendar year. The former World No.1 needs to win the World Championships for a second time, and hope the Peruvian fails to reach the last four in Chicago if he is to go back to the summit.

Former World No.1 Mostafa Asal will be returning to the Tour with a vengeance. He missed the Optasia Championships and British Open after serving a six-week suspension, and the PSA World Championships in Chicago will be his first event back on his return.

The ‘Raging Bull’ lost his World No.1 spot at the British Open, with Elias and ElShorbagy both moving above the Egyptian in the world rankings. Asal has won five titles in the last twelve months, including three majors. He was victorious at the El Gouna International and Everbright Securities International Hong Kong Squash Open, along with winning the season-ending CIB PSA World Tour Finals in June 2022.

The Egyptian has also taken victories at two Gold level tournaments as well. He was the victor at the Grasshopper Cup in Switzerland, before winning the Houston Open, the event which saw him move to the summit of the world rankings for the first time.

The PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family will take place May 3-11 with play split between Union Station and the University Club of Chicago. Live action from round one will be shown on the tournament website while RD2 onwards will be shown live on SQUASHTV.

Tickets for the event are available to purchase here.

For more information on the PSA World Championships, follow the event on Twitter and Facebook.