TTI Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2023: Mohamed ElShorbagy Battles Through Injury To Claim Extraordinary Win Over Brother Marwan

Mohamed ElShorbagy battled through the pain barrier to claim an extraordinary five-game victory over younger brother Marwan and progress to the TTI Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open semi-finals.

Despite pulling up with a hip injury in the fourth game, Mohamed incredibly returned to the court to clinch the decisive game and set up a last-four clash with Paul Coll. 

At the beginning of the match, Mohamed raced out of the blocks, intent on taking an aggressive ’T’ position and pushing his younger brother into the back two corners. And despite a couple of errors coming off his racket in the latter stages of the game to fall 9-8 down, the England No.1 nicked the last two points to claim the opener 11-9.

Marwan managed to negate the threats of Mohamed in the second, taking an aggressive position in the middle of the court and finding his backhand volley with precision, levelling the match. 

The match started to lose its flow as the third progressed, with traffic in the middle of the court resulting in a number of refereeing decisions and stoppages. A pair of strokes in Mohamed’s favour at 9-8 up ensured the World No.5 retook the lead in the match. 

At 7-6 to Marwan in the fourth, Mohamed pulled up in agony after stretching for a forehand shot and causing damage to his hip. After a medical timeout, Mohamed remarkably returned to the court, but from point one it was evident his movement was severely limited on the forehand side. 

Despite Marwan drawing proceedings level, ‘The Beast’ more than lived up to his nickname at the start of the fifth, clearly playing through severe pain to power into a 5-2 lead. A conduct stroke against Marwan for trying to influence the referee at 9-7 down offered Mohamed match balls, and the Englishman took the opportunity at the first time of asking, limping off court after 76 minutes of incredible action.

“I’m really happy to win,’ ElShorbagy said after the match. “It’s always tough to play against your brother [Marwan ElShorbagy], it was very tense out there today. I think he played better today than he did in Singapore, but I was very much up for it at the same time. It was a good match, happy to win and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“I was thinking I’ve been through stuff like that before in my career [the injury]. I thought I have to man up and find a way. I don’t know what it is yet [the injury], but I’ve been through stuff like that before in my career and I didn’t see why I couldn’t find a way in the fifth game. I’m happy to win, it definitely wasn’t intentional – it was just an accident.

“He actually told the referee to give me more time. We give everything against each other just like if we were playing against anyone else.”