The Canary Wharf Classic was down to two, Mohamed Elshorbagy took on countrymen Ali Farag, ranked number 1 and 2 in the world respectively.
It was the 20th matchup between the two players – Elshorbagy taking the advantage over the meetings but it was Farag who came out with the trophy in Philadelphia in their last encounter.
Thriller
Prior to the game starting it was understood that the PSA tour would be suspended after the conclusion of the tour in London.
The thrilling four set game displayed the experience both competitors had coming into the tournament and was evident in their progressions through the rounds.
World number Elshorbagy pulled ahead early in the game winning the first set.
The Comeback
Farag quickly crawled back with impressive shots to catch Elshorbagy out.
With the game entering the fourth set it looked like Farag was in the driving seat winning four of the next five points, but it was Elshorbagy who dug deep to recover and win the tiebreaker 15-13.
It was Elshorbagy’s second title in London and he only had kind words for his competitor: “The longer you play on Tour, you realise you spend more time with your rival than your family. Ali is not just a rival for me, he is someone who really inspires me and he makes me want to be a better squash player every day.”
The joy and conclusion of the tournament was met with uncertainty of its future.
With the season suspended this could be the last game we see for however long it takes the world to battle against the coronavirus.
