British Open Squash 2023: Mohamed ElShorbagy beaten in Birmingham thriller

April 11, 2023 - 2:20pm

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Resurgent Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad turned from an evening entertainer to matinee villain as home hope Mohamed ElShorbagy was ousted in a thriller at the 2023 British Open on Tuesday.

Is there a better setting than a theatre stage for the sport when the squash is as good as the one served up here?

In front of an engrossed first day crowd at the superb Birmingham Rep venue, Gawad put in a second five-game performance to savour in just 18 hours as England were left with just one player in the third round.

READ MORE: Our British Open coverage

Nathan Lake will now come up against Diego Elias on Wednesday, with the Peruvian set to be installed as South America’s first World No.1 male on Monday, after ElShorbagy fell agonisingly short of a quarter-final place in a high-octane contest. He went down 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9 to a player rejuvenated after 10 months out of the game, four of those spent in a wheelchair.

https://i0.wp.com/squashmad.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DSCF9068.jpg?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1 — Karim Gawad celebrates his pulsating victory PIC: British Open

The drama on Tuesday started when ElShorbagy went missing back stage with referee Jason Foster having announced time and play set to begin. The Englishman came back moments later before Foster briefly turned pantomime villain to laughs from the Rep crowd when he mistook ElShorbagy ‘from Egypt’, his former country.

Little matter for ElShorbagy who carved out 5-2 and 8-6 leads to take the opener. It was edgy squash and that continued in the second; three tins to start, a stroke and unforced error underlining the nerves on show.

BRUTAL rally!

British Open Squash 2023: Mohamed ElShorbagy beaten in Birmingham thriller

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