Karim Darwish wins the El Gouna International Open
In an all-Egyptian squash final at the inaugural El Gouna International Open, a PSA Super Series event, the only thing the local fans knew for sure was that an Egyptian player would take
the title.
The $142,500 Super Series event, the seventh of the season, was being contested at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of El Gouna.
The final pitted number-one ranked player in the world Ramy Ashour, going for his third consecutive Super Series title, against number-five Karim Darwish. But the anticipated drama of
the match never came to fruition when Ashour was forced to withdraw in the third game after sustaining an injury in the second game, giving Darwish his first PSA Super Series’ title of 2010.
"It's a real pity it had to finish like that, I feel sorry for Ramy," said the 29-year-old from Cairo, who moved up to the fourth spot in the rankings thanks to the win. "I hope he recovers
in time for the other tournaments coming up.”
With Darwish down 10-7 in the first game, he fought his way back to win the opening game 16-14. He held a precarious lead of 4-3 in the second game when Ashour chased a ball and slipped.
After taking a three-minute injury break, which lasted longer as the court had to be thoroughly swept, Ashour would return to the game as a hampered player. With Ashour’s mobility significantly reduced, Darwish took advantage of the situation, reeling off
seven unanswered points to take the second game 11-3.
Ashour tried his hardest to make it a game in the third but all he could muster were token efforts in going after the ball, going down 5-1 in the game. With Ashour crouched over in pain,
Darwish got tired of waiting and served, the ball sailing past his defenceless opponent. Ashour had had enough and quickly approached his fellow countryman with his arm outstretched to concede the match, which lasted 52 minutes.
"I was really focusing in the first and second games," said Darwish afterwards. "I had a feeling I was going to make it tonight, all my shots were sharp and I was feeling confident."
"I'm really happy to win this tournament - it's an important one for me,” added Darwish, who has now won 18 PSA World Tour titles.
Up next for the PSA Super Series is the HH Sheikh Saad Abdullah Al-Sabah Trophy, The Patriarch Amir, Kuwait Open, a $172,500 event beginning next Thursday in Kuwait.
Tags: