Elias to face Asal in Qatar Classic final

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October 4, 2024
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4-October-2024

Elias to face Asal in Qatar Classic final

Doha: World Champion Diego Elias has reached the final of the QTerminals Qatar Classic for the third time after a sensational performance from the Peruvian saw him upset World No.1 Ali Farag at Doha’s Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. 
 
Elias has often come unstuck against Farag and had only won five of their previous 29 matches, with Farag getting the better of him at the CIB Egyptian Open and Paris Squash already this season. 

 That match in Paris was an epic battle totalling 95 minutes, but Elias was sublime in today’s clash at the Platinum-level tournament as he stormed to an 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 victory after just 40 minutes of action. Elias’s opponent in the final will be World No.2 Mostafa Asal in a repeat of last season’s PSA Men’s World Championship final. They will meet for the 14th time on the PSA Squash Tour, with Asal winning nine of their previous matches. 

 Asal came from behind to beat Welshman Joel Makin, triumphing by a 5-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 scoreline to extend his winning run to 14 matches. The Egyptian is looking to win three PSA Squash Tour titles in a row for the first time in his career. 

 A new name will be etched on the women’s trophy tomorrow evening after World No.1 Nour El Sherbini and World No.2 Nouran Gohar booked their spots in the title decider. It will be the ninth major final the pair have contested in 2024, with four wins apiece so far. 
 
El Sherbini booked her spot in the final of this tournament for the third time after she ended World No.3 Hania El Hammamy’s title defence. El Sherbini lost out to El Hammamy in five games in the 2023 title decider, but she avenged that defeat today with a 10-12, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9 victory after 83 enthralling minutes. She has now become just the second woman after Malaysian legend Nicol David to reach three successive Qatar Classic finals. 


World No.2 Gohar has reached the Qatar Classic final for the first time after she overcame USA’s No.1 Olivia Weaver, coming back from 8-2 down in the third game in the process. Weaver looked on the verge of leading by two games to one, but her rhythm was halted after she caught Gohar on the bridge of the nose with her racket, meaning the Egyptian left the court to get some treatment. 

 Upon her return to court, the World No.2 promptly won nine of the next 10 points to stop Weaver’s comeback in its tracks. From there, Gohar was never relinquishing her lead again and she pressed on in the fourth game to seal the win. 

 Gohar will play El Sherbini for the 37th time on the PSA Squash Tour. El Sherbini currently has the better of their head-to-head record, with 24 wins to Gohar’s 12