Ali Farag & Nour El Tayeb Crowned PSA Manchester Open Champions

Married couple Ali Farag and Nour El Tayeb were crowned 2023 PSA Manchester Open Champions following impressive wins over Karim Abdel Gawad and Nele Gilis respectively in the finals staged at the National Squash Centre.

In a repeat of last week’s men’s final at the PSA World Championships in Chicago, Ali Farag again triumphed again over fellow Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad to claim his 32nd PSA World Tour title.

Farag, who enjoyed four-game wins over Iker Pajares Bernabeu of Spain, England’s Patrick Rooney & Joel Makin of Wales enroute to the final, showed no signs of fatigue in claiming 57-minute 10-12 13-11 11-2 11-5 victory.

In contrast, Gawad who started the better of the two in the final, faded visibly once Farag drew levels at one game apiece, and was unable to maintain the sharp, explosive movements that were evident in the opening two games which proved decisive in Farag claiming his first Manchester Open title and third successive PSA World Tour event win.

“I hate losing! That is what drives me to keep going.” said Farag after claiming his latest title.

“In the first, I didn’t start off too badly, but Karim was really sharp. It was very similar to the first game in the World Championships where he was 9-4 up and I came back to 10-9 and then he came back to 10-all. This time he ended up winning it and I thought I’d put a bit of work into his legs, but at the beginning of the second, it was so loose from my end and with Karim you just can’t afford to do it. He gave me some very lucky tins, he could have run away with the game, but I hung in there and once I got there, I think I had the upper edge and I feel better physically.

“I’m lucky that I was only away for four months as he’s been away for 10 months. It’s all on your body and all in your head and I’m so glad I have Nour [El Tayeb] by my side and having Farida [his daughter] here as well helps to get your mind off things and you don’t think about the matches as much or how tired you are - you just keep pushing. I’m extremely proud and very grateful.”

Farag’s wife Nour El Tayeb who claimed the Manchester Open title in 2020, overcame first-time finalist Nele Gilis of Belgium 11-9 11-7 5-11 11-9 in 63 minutes to ensure that the married couple repeated their success of the 2017 PSA U.S. Open when they had last both been successful in the same tournament.

“This was a tough match,” said the two-time champion.

“Nele Gilis played so well. I’ve played her three or four times over the last year and a half and I can see her improvements every time. Even though I can see her getting tired, I couldn’t close it out because even though she’s tired she keeps trying every point and keeps changing her game every few points.

“I’m glad I hung in there and trusted my ability and trusted myself, and luckily I managed to win this one as it was getting very close! I think it was the longest match of the week for me, but I’m glad.

“I was trying to focus on what I wanted to do. The game plan was tough against her – I can see her getting tired and I was tired, but I had to trust myself and I know what I’m doing as I’ve been doing it for a while.

“I’m confident in what I do, I’ve changed my coaching over the last four or five months and I’ve been taught how to be confident at every point and to give myself credit even on the points I lose. In a lot of moments when I felt like I was losing points, I was trusting myself and trusting that I was doing everything I can and it came today.”

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Manchester Squash Open
National Squash Centre, Manchester, England
Men’s Final:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 10-12, 13-11, 11-2, 11-5 (57m)

Women’s Final:
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [7] Nele Gilis (BEL) 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9 (63m)

Men’s Semi-Finals Results:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Joel Makin (WAL) 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 (64m)
[8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [2] Tarek Momen (EGY) 13-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 (78m)

Women’s Semi-Finals Results:
[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4 (48m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) 7-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (45m)

Men’s Quarter-Finals Results:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 7-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (42m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4 (81m)
[8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [3] Victor Crouin (FRA) 11-9, 11-8, 11-4 (34m)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [7] Nicolas Müller (SUI) 11-13, 11-7, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5 (60m)

Women’s Quarter-Finals Results:
[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [1] Joelle King (NZL) 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 (40m)
[9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [8] Tesni Evans (WAL) 11-4, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6 (50m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [9/16] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (55m)
[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [9/16] Emily Whitlock (WAL) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (26m)

Men’s 2nd Round Results:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) 5-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (50m)
[9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt [5] Youssef Soliman (EGY) 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-9 (73m)
[6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt [9/16] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-7, 12-10, 11-3 (36m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [9/16] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) 11-3, 11-2, 11-9 (47m)
[3] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [9/16] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-4, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5 (43m)
[8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (35m)
[7] Nicolas Müller (SUI) bt [9/16] Greg Lobban (SCO) 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 (34m)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [9/16] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (29m)

Women’s 2nd Round Results:
[1] Joelle King (NZL) bt [9/16] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-2 (51m)
[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Yathreb Adel (EGY) 8-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-8 (44m)
[8] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [9/16] Nada Abbas (EGY) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 (29m)
[9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [4] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (60m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [9/16] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 11-6, 11-7, 11-2 (21m)
[9/16] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [5] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9 (42m)
[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 (20m)
[9/16] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt [2] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 11-2, 1-0 ret.

Men’s 1st Round Results:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bye
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [9/16] Grégoire Marche (FRA) 3-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 (59m)
[9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt George Parker (ENG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3 (46m)
[5] Youssef Soliman (EGY) bye
[6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bye
[9/16] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [WC] Finnlay Withington (ENG) 11-4, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 (44m)
[9/16] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-1, 11-5, 5-11, 11-3 (44m)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bye
[3] Victor Crouin (FRA) bye
[9/16] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (52m)
Todd Harrity (USA) bt [9/16] Ramit Tandon (IND) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (28m)
[8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bye
[7] Nicolas Müller (SUI) bye
[9/16] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (40m)
[9/16] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-7 (69m)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) bye

Women’s 1st Round Results:
[1] Joelle King (NZL) bye
[9/16] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Emilia Soini (FIN) 11-2, 11-2, 11-2 (17m)
[9/16] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [WC] Saran Nghiem (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (25m)
[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) bye
[8] Tesni Evans (WAL) bye
[9/16] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt Katie Malliff (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 (57m)
[9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt Hana Moataz (EGY) 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (30m)
[4] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bye
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bye
[9/16] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt Lucy Turmel (ENG) 11-8, 12-14, 14-12, 11-9 (58m)
[9/16] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6 (40m)
[5] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bye
[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bye
[9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Énora Villard (FRA) 11-7, 14-12, 11-2 (25m)
[9/16] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Cindy Merlo (SUI) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (29m)
[2] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bye

The 2023 PSA Manchester Squash Open will be staged at the National Squash Centre in Manchester, England between the 17th and 21st May.

2023 PSA Manchester Squash Open Men's Draw:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) Bye
Ramit Tandon (IND) v [9/16] Gregoire Marche (FRA)
[9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) v George Parker (ENG)
[5] Youssef Soliman (EGY) Bye
[6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) Bye
[WC] Finnlay Withington (ENG) v [9/16] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[9/16] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
[4] Joel Makin (WAL) Bye
[3] Victor Crouin (FRA) Bye
Adrian Waller (ENG) v [9/16] Saurav Ghosal (IND)
[9/16] Shahjahan Khan (USA) v Todd Harrity (USA)
[8] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) Bye
[7] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) Bye
Lucas Serme (FRA) v [9/16] Greg Lobban (SCO)
[9/16] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) v Yahya Elnawasany (EGY)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) Bye

2023 PSA Manchester Squash Open Women's Draw:
[1] Joelle King (NZL) Bye
Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v [9/16] Jasmine Hutton (ENG)
[9/16] Yathreb Adel (EGY) V [WC] Saran Nghiem (ENG)
[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) Bye
[8] Tesni Evans (WAL) Bye
Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v [9/16] Nada Abbas (EGY)
[9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JAP) v Hana Moataz (EGY)
[4] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) Bye
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) Bye
Lucy Turmel (ENG) v 9/16] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
[9/16] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v Alexandra Fuller (RSA)
[5] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) Bye
[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) Bye
Enora Villard (FRA) v [9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY)
[9/16] Emily Whitlock (WAL) v Cindy Merlo (SUI)
[2] Amanda Sobhy (USA) Bye