Eight matches were played on Monday in the first round of the El-Gouna International Squash Open. Six Egyptian players—Fares Dessouki, Ali Farag, Omar Abdel Meguid, Tarek Momen, Karim Abdel Gawad, and Marwan El-Shorbagy—will go on to the tournament’s second round.
Dessouki beat English player Daryl Selby, with scores of 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 5-11, 11-8 and a final score of 3-2.
Farag defeated Swiss Nicolas Mueller, with scores of 11-7, 11-6, 11-7, and a final score of 3-0.
Meguid won against Hong Kong’s Max Lee, with scores of 2-11, 12-10, 4-11, 16-4, 11-6 and a final score of 3-2.
Momen achieved a victory over French player Gregoire Marche, with scores of 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6, and a final score of 3-1.
Gawad beat Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly, with scores of 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5, and a final score of 3-1.
Egyptians Marwan El-Shorbagy and Ramy Ashour played against each other, the result of the first round was 12-10 for El-Shorbagy. Unfortunately, in the match’s second round, Ashour had to leave the court due to an injury. Ashour did perform excellent but it is El-Shorbagy who has qualified for the next round of the tournament.
Egypt was not the only Arab country competing in the open. Qatari player Abdulla Al-Tamimi lost to South African Stephen Coppinger, with scores of 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 3-11, 11-3, and a final score of 3-2.
The eighth and final match was between French player Gregory Gaultier and English player Tom Richards. Although Gaultier controlled the match from the beginning, he told Daily News Egypt that it was not an easy victory due to the high levels of humidity. He won with scores of 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 and a final score of 3-0.
The next round of the tournament is taking place on Tuesday.
