Second seeds Nouran Gohar and Mostafa Asal beat their top seeds compatriots Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag in four games to claim the 2024 Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open titles.
[2] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-1 [1] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 6-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (55m)
[2] Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-1 [1] Ali Farag (Egy) 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5 (52m)
Asal makes it two HK titles
[2] Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-1 [1] Ali Farag (Egy) 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5 (52m)
Mostafa Asal collected his second HK title in three years as he beat top sed Ali Farag with an impressive four game win.
Second seed Asal took charge from the opening of the match, controlling the play and taking the lead 11-5. Farag struck back to take the second with some ease and it seemed that the match was well and truly on.
Farag thought so too – in his words at the presentation he said “I thought I was back in it after taking the second, but Mostafa just played so well, unbelievably good squash in those last two games and there was just nothing I could do about it.”
For Farag it’s a fourth disappointment in a HK final, for Asal it’s a third major title of the season – beating Farag in all three finals.
“It’s amazing! It’s a nice tournament, nice environment. I first won the tournament here in 2022 and it was one of my first few events that I won.
“So I’m really loving Hong Kong and would thank everyone who support this tournament.”
Gohar claims HK title and World #1 spot
[2] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-1 [1] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 6-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (55m)
Nouran Gohar came from a game down to beat top seed Nour El Sherbini, winning the HK title for the second time, and as an added bonus the reigning World Champion will become World #1 in next Monday’s rankings !
Gohar started well enough, taking a 6-3 lead, but seven points in a row from Sherbini helped her to a one game lead. Gohar wasn’t to be denied today though, as she took the next two game to lead, then shrugged off a conduct stroke for dissent early in the fourth to delightedly claim both prizes.
“I’m still trying to grasp it!” said Gohar.
“There’s a lot of emotions and last time I won [the Hong Kong Open it was my first Platinum event to win and it was a week after winning my World Junior Championships as well.
“To win it again after eight years is emotional for me right now and to get back to World #1 as well – I’ve worked so hard for it – me and my team – and to have my dad here means the world to me.
“Last time I won it it was in front of my mum and this time it’s in front of my dad so it means a lot to me. It’s always special here in Hong Kong and to play in front of an amazing crowd.”
Preview :
It’s Finals Day on the Glass Court at Edinburgh Place, with the world’s top two women and top two men aiming to become Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2024 Champions.
The women’s final will see a former champion regain the HK title, and be World #1 in next week’s rankings … but will it be top seed and current World #1 Nour El Sherbini, of World Champion and second seed Nouran Gohar ?
Their rivalry rarely takes place outside of a major final, and this is their fifth of this season already. Although Sherbini leads the overall H2H 25-13, the last ten meetings have been split 5-5.
It’s a similar story in the men’s final – top seed Ali Farag is appearing in his fourth HK final and looking for his first title. Second seed Mostafa Asal won here two years ago, and although he trails the overall H2H 18-8, they’ve each won five of the last ten meetings.
