Home Quartet Through to CIB Egyptian Open Finals after Superb Night of Squash in Cairo

Egyptian rivals Nour El Sherbini and Nouran Gohar, Mostafa Asal and Ali Farag will fight it out for the first ever Diamond-level titles on the PSA Squash Tour after an exciting semi-finals night at the 2024 CIB Egyptian Open.

On a balmy evening at Cairo’s Club O West, World No.1 El Sherbini came from behind in a classic against Hania El Hammamy, Gohar recorded a 29th successive win to beat tournament surprise package Nada Abbas, Farag avenged his world championship defeat to Diego Elias, and Asal eased past Marwan ElShorbagy.

In the match of the tournament, throughout which momentum swung one way and the next, El Sherbini came through an epic 86-minute encounter against her fellow Egyptian.

The seven-time world champion made a slow and passive start against El Hammamy and lost the first game 6-11, but fired back to lead with 11-5 and 12-10 wins.

The World No.3 then forced a fifth game with an 11-9 win, but fell to a devastating attacking barrage from the Alexandrian in game five as El Sherbini closed out 11-7.

“It’s an achievement for me to reach the final and I’m happy to win this, it was more [of a mental battle] for me. I’m happy I kept my focus to win at the end,” El Sherbini said.

Facing El Sherbini in tomorrow’s final is old rival for the game’s  top ranking Nouran Gohar, with the pair set to square off for the 35th-time, and 22nd in a final.

Gohar, went up against World No.17 and tournament surprise package Abbas, who was playing in her first major semi-final, and made short work of the 24-year-old as she secured an 11-3, 11-6, 11-2 win.

Afterwards, Gohar said: “It’s just a treat to be able to share this era with [Nour El Sherbini], playing these big finals with her and having historical moments.”

In the men’s event, both Farag and Asal progressed in straight games.

Four–time world champion Farag found himself up against former World No.1 and reigning world champion Elias, who ended Farag’s bid for a fourth consecutive world championship title with a 3-0 win in the semi-finals earlier this year in Cairo.

Today, though, Farag looked a cut above, with the 32-year-old’s defence impregnable and attacks frequently finding their marks as he took down Elias 11-9, 11-3, 11-9.

“I can’t be more grateful to be playing the sport I love in front of amazing people and against such great players, who are so skilful with the racket and move so smoothly on court,” Farag said.

Asal, meanwhile, took on Marwan ElShorbagy, the younger brother of his quarter-final opponent, Mohamed ElShorbagy.

Unlike that bad-tempered encounter, tonight’s match was a straightforward affair for Asal, with the World No.3 winning 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 as ElShorbagy struggled to overcome an injury suffered in game two.

“He’s done such an amazing job this tournament and he’s back to the same level he was when at World No.3. So I hope it’s nothing serious and he has a speedy recovery,” Asal said.

The finals of the 2024 CIB Egyptian Open take place tomorrow, Friday 06 September, from 19:00 (GMT+3) at Club O West, Cairo.

Watch the 2024 CIB Egyptian Open live on SQUASHTV and on the channels of the PSA Squash Tour’s broadcast partners. For more information on the CIB Egyptian Open 2024, follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Results: 2024 CIB Egyptian Open Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 11-5, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7 (86m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-2 (38m)

Results: 2024 CIB Egyptian Open Men’s Semi-Finals
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Diego Elias (PER) 3-0: 11-9, 11-3, 11-9 (49m)
[3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Marwan Elshorbagy (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (40m)

Draw: 2024 CIB Egyptian Open Women’s Final
[1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)

Draw: 2024 CIB Egyptian Open Men’s Final
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [3] Mostafa Asal (EGY)