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Grasshopper Cup: Gawad Tops No.1 Seed ElShorbagy in Classic
Karim Abdel Gawad knocked out No.1 seed Mohamed ElShorbagy in a late-night classic at the Grasshopper Cup quarter-finals.
Playing each other for the 25th time on the PSA Tour, the experienced pair put on a show for the packed-out crowd, dueling back-and-forth across three games and 58 breathtaking minutes.
The Egyptian saved a game ball at 10-9 in a 29-minute first and took it 12-10 moments later when ElShorbagy hit the tin.
He then found himself 8-6 up the second – the first time in the game there was a two-point gap – but the top seed hit back, winning four of the next five points before claiming the game after a video review.
The third game was equally nip-and-tuck early on, but Gawad found himself on the brink victory at 10-6.
Back came ElShorbagy once more, though, saving the first of three match points, before Gawad finally closed out a dramatic victory, deep into the Zurich night.
“I’m glad that I kept my focus, and I pushed mentally to the end” Gawad said after his win.
“Mohamed is the toughest mental player on tour, this is always his strongest point. If you lose focus or lose concentration, even for a minute, you can lose five or six points in a row and that’s what happened [on match balls].
“It’s great to be here, playing in front of such a great crowd and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a weekend so hopefully another full house.”
Result: [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) 2-1: 12-10, 9-11, 11-9 (58m)
