Marwan ElShorbagy Wins 2026 Motor City Open

Marwan ElShorbagy claimed the 2026 DR21 Motor City Squash Open title in emphatic fashion, bringing Diego Elias’s long-standing dominance in Detroit to an abrupt end with a commanding 13-11 11-5 11-8 victory at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

The World No.7 delivered a performance of authority and precision to deny Elias a fifth crown at the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Squash Tour Silver-level event, prevailing in straight games to secure his first title of the 2025-26 squash season. In doing so, ElShorbagy halted an extraordinary 19-match winning streak for the Peruvian at the venue, a run that stretched back to February 2019.

From the opening exchanges, ElShorbagy set the tone with fast starts and relentless pressure, repeatedly forcing Elias onto the defensive. The Englishman surged into early leads in all three games and, despite Elias showing flashes of resilience by saving two game balls in the opening game, ElShorbagy held his nerve to clinch a pivotal 18-minute first game in a tie-break.

That moment proved decisive. With Elias still working his way back to full sharpness following the knee injury he sustained in the Egyptian Squash Open final last September, ElShorbagy seized control of the contest. The second and third games were completed in little over 13 minutes combined, as the England No.1 dictated play with accurate length and sharp finishing to close out the match in just 35 minutes.

The victory marks ElShorbagy’s second Motor City Squash Open title and the 16th PSA World Squash Tour crown of his career, signalling a timely return to winning form and underlining his status as a major threat as the season gathers momentum.

2026 PSA DR21 Motor City Squash Open, Birmingham Athletic Club, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, USA
Final:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) v [2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) 13-11, 11-5, 11-8 (35m)

Top seeds Diego Elias and Marwan ElShorbagy will contest the final of the 2026 DR21 Motor City Squash Open after delivering commanding semi-final performances at the Birmingham Athletic Club in Bloomfield Hills, Detroit.

Four-time champion Elias continued his impressive return from injury with a polished straight-games victory over No.8 seed Yahya Elnawasany. The Peruvian, appearing in his first tournament since last autumn’s Egyptian Squash Open, dictated proceedings from the outset, combining crisp attacking play with relentless pressure to secure an 11-7 11-2 11-7 win in just 36 minutes. Elnawasany, who had reached his first PSA World Squash Tour Silver-level semi-final, struggled to find any sustained momentum as Elias demonstrated why he remains one of the most formidable performers on the international professional circuit.

Awaiting Elias in the final is second seed Marwan ElShorbagy, who produced an equally assured display to dismantle Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann. The Englishman was in complete control throughout, neutralising Steinmann’s physical threat with accurate length and sharp finishing to record a 11-7 11-7 11-7 victory in 42 minutes. ElShorbagy’s performance underlined his growing confidence as he closes in on a first title of the 2025-26 squash season.

The final sets up a compelling clash between two former champions, with Elias chasing yet another Motor City Squash Open crown and ElShorbagy aiming to add a prestigious Silver-level title to his season’s résumé. With both players showing imperious form in the semi-finals, the stage is set for a high-quality conclusion in Detroit.

Semi-Finals:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) bt [8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 (36m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (42m)

UNSQUASHABLE player Miguel Rodriguez rolled back the years to deliver another breathtaking performance at the 2026 PSA DR21 Motor City Squash Open in Detroit, before eventually being denied a semi-final place by top seed Diego Elias in a compelling five-game encounter.

Elias, the Peruvian World No.2 and tournament top seed eventually prevailed 11-8 11-7 9-11 2-11 11-5 after 64 minutes at the Birmingham Athletic Club, yet the scoreline only tells part of the story. The former World Champion and World No.1 looked firmly in control after taking a two-game lead with his trademark accuracy and ability to dictate the tempo through the middle of the court. Miguel, however, refused to fade quietly and instead produced a stirring response that shifted the momentum of the match.

The UNSQUASHABLE star raised both his intensity and shot selection in the third game, taking the ball in earlier and attacking with far greater conviction. His reward was a deserved third game win, before delivering a devastating fourth-game performance that left the crowd buzzing. Miguel was relentless in his pressure, hitting his targets with confidence and exploiting any loose replies to race through the fourth game 11-2, exposing rare vulnerability in the Elias armoury.

With both players locked at two games apiece, the deciding fifth was always likely to come down to composure under pressure. Elias rediscovered his control at the crucial moment, using his experience to slow the rallies and regain the initiative. Miguel continued to fight, but the Peruvian’s consistency proved decisive as he closed out the match 11-5 to book his place in the semi-finals.

Despite the narrow defeat, Miguel again emerged with considerable credit. The Colombian’s resilience, attacking intent and physical conditioning were on full display, reinforcing his status as one of the tour’s most dangerous competitors when allowed to impose his rhythm. For UNSQUASHABLE, it was another strong showcase of a player capable of pushing the very best to their limits on the sport’s biggest stages.

Quarter-Finals:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) bt. [5] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 2-11, 11-5 (64m)
[8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt. Ramit Tandon (IND) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (31m)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt. [7] Timothy Brownell (USA) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (38m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt. Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 11-5, 11-13, 11-7, 11-6 (66m)

UNSQUASHABLE player Miguel Rodriguez booked his place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Motor City Squash Open with an assured victory over Mohamed ElSherbini at the Birmingham Athletic Club in Bloomfield Hills, Detroit.

The Colombian fifth seed was in complete control from the outset, imposing his trademark pace and accuracy to take the opening game convincingly. Miguel continued to dictate proceedings in the second, absorbing ElSherbini’s resistance before edging a tighter finish to move two games clear. The match was effectively settled early in the third, with Miguel racing into a commanding lead before ElSherbini was forced to retire due to injury after 43 minutes of play.

The performance underlined Miguel’s sharp form and growing confidence as he combined relentless pressure with intelligent shot selection to keep his opponent constantly on the defensive. His movement and composure through the front of the court proved decisive as he controlled the tempo throughout.

Miguel now faces a stern test in the quarter-finals, where he is set to meet top seed Diego Elias in a mouth-watering clash between two of the most experienced campaigners on the PSA World Squash Tour.

2nd Round:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) bt [9/16] Balazs Farkas (HUN) 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 (23m)
[5] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt [9/16] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) 11-3, 11-9, 7-2 ret. (43m)
[8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt [9/16] Moustafa Elsirty (EGY) 11-5, 15-13, 11-7 (42m)
[9/16] Ramit Tandon (IND) bt [3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-8, 10-12, 11-2, 13-11 (46m)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Salman Khalil (EGY) 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5 (70m)
[7] Timothy Brownell (USA) bt [9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 11-3, 11-13, 11-9, 11-4 (61m)
[9/16] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt [6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 8-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-3 (45m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Sam Todd (ENG) 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8 (43m)

UNSQUASHABLE player Miguel Rodriguez will today face Mohamed ElSherbini of Egypt in the 2nd round of the 2026 DR21 Motor City Squash Open after the Egyptian defeated Shahjahan Khan of the USA in the 1st round.

1st Round:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) bye
[9/16] Balazs Farkas (HUN) bt David Bernet (SUI) 12-10, 11-6, 11-4 (32m)
[9/16] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 11-7, 11-4, 11-5 (45m)
[5] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bye
[8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bye
[9/16] Moustafa Elsirty (EGY) bt Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (42m)
[9/16] Ramit Tandon (IND) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4 (51m)
[3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bye
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bye
Salman Khalil (EGY) bt [9/16] Adrian Waller (ENG) 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8 (56m)
[9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) bt Sam Osborne-Wylde (ENG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 (34m)
[7] Timothy Brownell (USA) bye
[6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bye
[9/16] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7 (86m)
[9/16] Sam Todd (ENG) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 2-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (40m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bye

The Motor City Squash Open remains one of the PSA Tour’s most established and respected tournaments, with a history stretching back to 1999, when it first welcomed professional competition. Over the years, the Detroit-based event has crowned some of the sport’s greatest names, including Mohamed ElShorbagy, Gregory Gaultier, Jonathan Power and Amr Shabana. Now preparing to stage its 26th edition, the tournament returns once again to the Birmingham Athletic Club, where it will run from the 13th to 17th January.

All eyes will be on top seed Diego Elias, who makes a highly anticipated return after being forced to withdraw before striking a ball at last year’s event due to injury. In his absence, Paul Coll went on to lift the title, but the ‘Peruvian Puma’ is back and eager to reassert his dominance on one of his favourite stops on tour. Elias boasts an extraordinary record at the Birmingham Athletic Club, having won the tournament in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and arrives in Detroit riding a 16-match winning streak at the venue. The World No.2 has not competed since sustaining a knee injury in the Egyptian Squash Open final against Mostafa Asal, but he will be determined to make an emphatic comeback.

Second seed Marwan ElShorbagy adds further intrigue to the draw. The Englishman claimed the title in 2018, defeating Coll in a gruelling 96-minute, five-game final, and will be hoping the traditional court conditions in Detroit help him rediscover his best form. Although results have been mixed of late, ElShorbagy’s experience and physical resilience make him a dangerous proposition.

Sharing his half of the draw is one of the joint 3/4 seeds, Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann. Known for his exceptional fitness and physicality, Steinmann could thrive on the demanding traditional court, where endurance and work rate often prove decisive.

The other 3/4 seed is former champion Mohamed Abouelghar, who lifted the Motor City Squash Open trophy in 2019. After several seasons disrupted by injury, the Egyptian has shown strong signs of a resurgence, highlighted by his PSA World Squash Tour Gold-level triumph at the China Open in November 2025. Should he continue that momentum, a potential semi-final clash with Elias looms large, and Abouelghar may well have the weapons required to threaten the top seed’s formidable winning run in Detroit.

The 2026 DR21 Motor City Squash Open is one of the most established and respected tournaments on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Squash Tour and will be staged at Birmingham Athletic Club, Bloomfield Hills in Detroit, USA from the 13th to 17th January.

For the latest match updates as they happen and details of how to watch live, visit: psasquashtour.com

UNSQUASHABLE will be represented at the 2026 PSA DR21 Motor City Squash Open by Miguel Rodriguez.

2025 Motor City Squash Open Results: InternationalSquashMagazine.com