ElShorbagy And Momen Set Up All-Egyptian Finale In Qatar
by Nathan Clarke
photos PSA
November 2, 2017
- World No.3 Mohamed ElShorbagy will appear in the final of the Qatar
Classic for a fourth consecutive year - where he will be aiming to win
the title for a third time - after he defeated World No.1 Gregory
Gaultier in the semi-finals of the 2017 iteration of the event to set
up an all-Egyptian clash with Tarek Momen, who will appear in the first
World Series final of his career.
ElShorbagy, who lost to Karim Abdel Gawad twelve months ago, and
Gaultier were meeting for the 21st time in what is one of the fiercest
rivalries of the modern era but, after coming through a spell-binding
opening game, it was the 26-year-old from Alexandria who prevailed at
the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex to end the
Frenchman’s 30-match unbeaten run over a best-of-five games format.
Buoyed on by a partizan crowd ElShorbagy - who showed little tiredness
after a brutal five-game clash with Ali Farag the day before – attacked
with intensity from the off to avenge his defeat to Gaultier at the
Tournament of Champions in New York in January.
“I’m really happy to be back in the final here, it’s where I won my
first ever World Series and to be back in my fourth consecutive final
is an honour,” said ElShorbagy.
"He made a fool of me in that match in New York and I thought about it
all summer - it motivated me to get back to my best in the off season
and I really wanted to go out there today and beat him 3-0.
“Without the way that he beat me at the ToC that day, I wouldn't be as
hungry as I am now. I had a bad season by my standard last year but I
feel like I'm better every tournament and every match this season so
far and I'm really pleased to be competing for the title here once
again."
Meanwhile Momen, three years ElShorbagy's elder at 29, secured a long
awaited debut in a major PSA World Series tournament final courtesy of
a dominant and controlling straight-games victory over Germany's Simon
Rösner - who was himself competing in just his first ever World Series
semi-final.
It what was the sixth meeting between the pair it was Momen who kept
his nerve on the big stage, coming out firing in the early stages to
pile the pressure on the big German, profiting from a series of
unforced errors to take the opening game and set up the foundations for
an 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 victory.
“I’m really happy, I can’t believe I’m in my first World Series final – it’s amazing," he said afterwards.
"I really wanted to win. It's been long over due for me. I've been
waiting to get to the finals of a major event for a long time. I saw
the opportunity today and wanted to make the most of it.
"I think I had a physiological edge - with the crowd supporting me and
having been in a semi-final before - and I took advantage of it.
Earlier this season I wasn't in the zone mentally but I knew I wasn't
far off and finally it materialised this week and I'm so happy.
"I've had some huge matches against Mohamed before and I have won
against him as well so I know nothing is off the table. I'm in the
final and I'll give it my all and continue to believe in myself."
