Throwback Thursday: Story of the 2018-19 Men’s World Championship

The PSA Men’s World Championship begins in Doha, Qatar this week as the best male players in the world battle it out for the chance to be named World Champion.

To get you in the mood, we’re taking a look back at the story of the 2018-19 PSA Men’s World Championship, where a new name etched their name onto the famous trophy and into the squash history books.

Round One
[14] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (40m)
Leo Au (HKG) bt [15] Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-1: 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3 (55m)
[7] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-3 (44m)
Ben Coleman (ENG) bt [12] Max Lee (HKG) 3-2: 12-10, 6-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-9 (91m)
[L] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-1: 12-14, 12-10, 12-10, 11-5 (48m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (49m)
Joel Makin (WAL) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-2: 11-6, 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9 (78m)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Zahed Salem (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (78m)
[9] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Declan James (ENG) 3-2: 7-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-7, 11-5 (58m)
[8] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 15-13, 11-3 (44m)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt [5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-2: 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (87m)
[10] Diego Elias (PER) v Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [10] Diego Elias (PER) 3-1: 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10 (53m)
[L] Shahjahan Khan (USA) v Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 13-11 (56m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-1: 19-17, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7 (84m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Christopher Binnie (JAM) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (32m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 3-2: 9-11, 11-13, 11-4, 12-10, 11-3 (87m)
[6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (34m)
[16] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (37m)
[13] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 12-10 (38m)
[11] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [L] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (33m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Edmon Lopez (ESP) 3-0: 11-7, 11-0, 11-6 (30m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9 (41m)
Peter Creed (WAL) v Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 3-2: 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (80m)
Vikram Malhotra (IND) v Richie Fallows (ENG) bt Vikram Malhotra (IND) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-4 (28m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [L] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 3-1: 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2 (52m)
Tayyab Aslam (PAK) v [L] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 3-1: 9-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (41m)
Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 3-1: 9-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-6 (66m)
Karim El Hammamy (EGY) v Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-1, 11-5 (41m)
Todd Harrity (USA) v [4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 (34m)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Joshua Masters (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5 (45m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Daryl Selby 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 (30m)
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 (41m)

An astonishing comeback from 2-0 down saw Youssef Soliman send 2016 World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad crashing out of the men’s World Championship at the first stage as he claimed a shock victory.

Gawad was one of the front runners for the men’s trophy but his exit saw the draw blown wide open after an incredible fightback from Soliman saw him claim a 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 win.

While, reigning men’s champion Mohamed ElShorbagy got his campaign up and running with a win as he overcome England’s Joshua Masters in four games.

Round Two
[14] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-2: 13-15, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (84m)
Leo Au (HKG) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 3-0: 12-10, 12-10, 11-2 (45m)
[7] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (48m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Ben Coleman (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 11-6, 4-11, 11-7 (53m)
[9] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 3-2: 11-13, 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 (71m)
[8] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1: 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (56m)
Joel Makin (WAL) bt Youssef Soliman (EGY) 3-2: 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 (82m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (49m)
[6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (47m)
[16] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [L] Victor Crouin (FRA) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3 (52m)
Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [13] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Mohamed Reda (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (44m)
[11] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 3-0: 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 (48m)
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-9 (42m)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 (55m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Mostafa Asal (EGY) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-2 (26m)
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Richie Fallows (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (38m)

All of the top seeds remaining in the competition safely guided their way through to the third round in Chicago.

Defending champion and then-World No.1 ElShorbagy came from a game down against Mexico’s Cesar Salazar, while No.2 seed Ali Farag – who was to overtake ElShorbagy in the World Rankings the month after – eased past World Junior Champion Mostafa Asal to advance at the tournament.

Round Three
[6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt [16] James Willstrop (ENG) 3-2: 12-14, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8 (105m)
[8] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [14] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7 (58m)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Leo Au (HKG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (31m)
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [9] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 11-4, 8-11, 13-11, 11-3 (67m)
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-2: 9-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-5 (93m)
[7] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [13] Fares Dessouky (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 (71m)
[11] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Joel Makin (WAL) 3-1: 11-13, 11-7, 11-7, 14-12 (80m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (36m)

Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez was pushed all the way to five-games as he overcame England’s former World No.1 James Willstrop in a 105 minute round three clash, which saw both players display supreme athleticism and skill at times.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Simon Rosner also faced a huge challenge and he was pushed to 93 minutes in a five-game thriller against experienced Spaniard Borja Golan.

Quarter Finals
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [8] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (33m)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 3-1: 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (61m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [7] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-1: 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-1 (58m)
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) bt [11] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (50m)

All top four seeds booked their places in the semi-finals of the sport’s biggest competition last season with ElShorbagy and Farag overcoming Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez and New Zealand’s Paul Coll respectively.

Germany’s Rosner made sure that he wrote his name into the history books after he powered past India’s Saurav Ghosal in straight games to become the first German ever to reach the last four of the tournament.

Egypt’s Tarek Momen occupied the other semi-final spot after he eased past compatriot Marwan ElShorbagy 3-0.

Semi-Finals
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-2: 8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8 (97m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [3] Simon Rosner (GER) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-4 (46m)

A thrilling night of semi-final action at Chicago’s Union Station saw World No.3 Momen end the run of reigning World Champion ElShorbagy.

Momen had suffered nine straight defeats to ElShorbagy going into the encounter and hadn’t beaten the experienced Egyptian since 2013 but Momen dug into his mental reserves and showed his superb skill to cause an upset and book his place in the final of the sport’s biggest event.

His opponent would be newly crowned World No.1 Farag after he comfortably saw off Germany’s Rosner to reach the final of the tournament for the first time.

Final
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-13, 13-11, 11-3 (79m)

A thrilling night of semi-final action at Chicago’s Union Station saw World No.3 Momen end the run of reigning World Champion ElShorbagy.

Momen had suffered nine straight defeats to ElShorbagy going into the encounter and hadn’t beaten the experienced Egyptian since 2013 but Momen dug into his mental reserves and showed his superb skill to cause an upset and book his place in the final of the sport’s biggest event.

His opponent would be newly crowned World No.1 Farag after he comfortably saw off Germany’s Rosner to reach the final of the tournament for the first time.

Final
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-13, 13-11, 11-3 (79m)