Mohamed ElShorbagy & Rachel Arnold win 2024 China Open titles

Mohamed ElShorbagy secured a milestone 50th Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour title, while Malaysia’s Rachel Arnold celebrated the biggest tournament win of her career at the 2024 China Squash Open at Shanghai’s impressive Oriental Sports Center, featuring four all-glass show courts.

Top-seed ElShorbagy, who last lifted a title at the 2023 Black Ball Squash Open in Egypt, had shared before the final that a 50th title would be especially meaningful, as he’d previously spent 50 months as World No.1. Heading into the final, the World No.9 had an edge over his unseeded Egyptian opponent, Mohamed Abouelghar, boasting an 8-0 head-to-head record. However, the in-form Abouelghar had had eliminating both No.2 seed Marwan ElShorbagy in the quarterfinals and No.3 seed Eain Yow Ng in the semi-finals.

In a high stakes opening game, ElShorbagy took control early, overpowering Abouelghar 11-6. The second game saw a thrilling exchange, with both players having chances to seize the initiative, but Abouelghar finally clinched the game 14-12 to level the match. ElShorbagy responded decisively in the third game, regaining the lead in the match by taking the game 11-7. Game four appeared to be Abouelghar’s, as he led 9-3, poised to push for a fifth game decider, however in a remarkable comeback, ElShorbagy won eight consecutive points to snatch victory 11-9 and claim his landmark 50th career title.

In the women’s final, Rachel Arnold quickly established dominance over her Egyptian rival Farida Mohamed, winning the first game 11-5. Despite a stronger performance from her opponent in the second and third games, Arnold maintained her momentum to close-out an impressive 28-minute victory 11-5 11-8 11-8.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Men’s Final:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-6, 12-14, 11-7, 11-9 (58m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Women’s Final:
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt [3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (28m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Men’s Semi-Finals:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [7] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3 (59m)
[9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [3] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 (53m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Women’s Semi-Finals:
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt [8] Aira Azman (MAS) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (27m)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [2] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 6-11, 4-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 (66m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Men’s Quarter-Finals:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 8-11, 11-2, 14-12, 11-5 (78m)
[7] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [4] Fares Dessouky (EGY) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 (78m)
[3] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2 (64m)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [2] Marwan Elshorbagy (ENG) 11-3, 11-8, 11-2 (27m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Women’s Quarter-Finals:
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt [1] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 (46m)
[8] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [4] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 2-11, 9-11, 14-12, 11-3, 11-6 (55m)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [5] Tomato Ho (HKG) 12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9 (36m)
[2] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [7] Georgia Adderley (SCO) 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 (54m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Men’s 2nd Round:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 (45m)
[9/16] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt [6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 12-10, 7-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-7 (63m)
[7] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 5-11, 11-7 (50m)
[4] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Jonah Bryant (ENG) 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 (41m)
[3] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [9/16] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 11-4, 7-11, 11-5, 11-2 (51m)
[9/16] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt [5] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (48m)
[9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [8] Curtis Malik (ENG) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (30m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9 (38m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Women’s 2nd Round:
[1] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt [9/16] Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 11-2, 11-1, 11-7 (19m)
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Joelle King (NZL) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (27m)
[8] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [9/16] Salma Eltayeb (EGY) 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (33m)
[4] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bt [9/16] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 (39m)
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [9/16] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-2 (28m)
[5] Tomato Ho (HKG) bt [9/16] Torrie Malik (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (26m)
[7] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt [9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (27m)
[2] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [9/16] Ainaa Amani (MAS) 11-6, 15-13, 11-9 (28m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Men’s 1st Round:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bye
[9/16] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [WC] Zhou Penglin (CHN) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (24m)
[9/16] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) 7-11, 11-3, 11-5, 12-10 (39m)
[6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bye
[7] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bye
Simon Herbert (ENG) bt [9/16] Bernat Jaume (ESP) 7-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7 (56m)
Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt [9/16] Farkas Balazs (HUN) 14-12, 11-3, 12-10 (42m)
[4] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bye
[3] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bye
[9/16] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 7-11, 11-6, 13-11, 3-11, 11-9 (59m)
[9/16] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt Li Hai Zhen (CHN) 11-1, 11-6, 11-6 (21m)
[5] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bye
[8] Curtis Malik (ENG) bye
[9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Matthew Lai (HKG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (25m)
[9/16] Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) bt Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 11-2, 8-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7 (64m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bye

Professional Squash Association (PSA) China Squash Open 2024, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China
Women’s 1st Round:
[1] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bye
[9/16] Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) bt Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (28m)
Joelle King (NZL) bt [9/16] Aifa Azman (MAS) 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 15-13 (54m)
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bye
[8] Aira Azman (MAS) bye
[9/16] Salma Eltayeb (EGY) bt Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (22m)
[9/16] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt Alex Haydon (AUS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (26m)
[4] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bye
[3] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bye
[9/16] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 12-10, 13-15, 11-5, 12-10 (49m)
[9/16] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [WC] Linglu Cheng (CHN) 11-1, 11-1, 11-4 (13m)
[5] Tomato Ho (HKG) bye
[7] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bye
[9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt [WC] Ziyi Liu (CHN) 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (19m)
[9/16] Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt Amina El Rihany (EGY) 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (35m)
[2] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bye

The China Squash Open makes its return to the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Squash Tour after a four-year hiatus and will be staged at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Centre from 30th October to 3rd November.

In the men’s championship, World No.8 Mohamed ElShorbagy has been confirmed as the top seed. The England No.1 and two-time China Squash Open Champion, most recently winning the title in 2019, aims to add a 50th PSA World Tour career title. His path to the final could see him facing No.4 seed Fares Dessouky, No.6 seed Nicolas Mueller or No.7 seed Iker Pajares Bernabeu, all of whom are in his half of the draw.

Marwan ElShorbagy, ranked World No.10, is the second men’s seed, and the 13-time PSA World Tour titleholder is placed in the same quarter as No.8 seed Ramit Tandon of India. The bottom half of the men’s draw also includes third seed Eain Yow Ng of Hong Kong and fifth seed Dimitri Steinmann of Switzerland.

World No.8 Rowan Elaraby is the top seed in the women’s draw. Fresh from reaching the semi-finals of the Paris Squash event, her third career PSA Platinum semi-final, the Egyptian star is seeded to face compatriot Salma Hany in the semi-finals.

Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, the No.2 seed and winner of two PSA World Tour titles in 2023, is also a contender for the title with her half of the draw featuring potential threats from No.4 seed Farida Mohamed, No.6 seed Tomato Ho and No.8 seed Georgia Adderley.

Wildcard entries Zhou Penglin and Ziyi Liu will be looking to make an impact on home soil. Zhou Penglin faces the experienced Omar Mosaad in the first round, while Ziyi Liu takes on Egypt’s Nadine Shahin. The final wildcard slots for both the men’s and women’s draws will be decided by local playoffs, with winners announced on 25th October.

Men’s Draw:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye]
[WC] Zhou Penglin (CHI) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Curtis Malik (ENG) v Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) [bye]
[7] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) [bye]
Simon Herbert (ENG) v Bernat Jaume (ESP)
Farkas Balazs (HUN) v Jonah Bryant (ENG)
[4] Fares Dessouky (EGY) [bye]
[3] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) [bye]
Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) v Yahya Elnawasany (EGY)
Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) v Wildcard
[5] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) [bye]
[8] Ramit Tandon (IND) [bye]
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Henry Leung (HKG) v Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye]

Women’s Draw:
[1] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) [bye]
Ainaa Amani (MAS) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)
Aifa Azman (MAS) v Joelle King (NZL)
[7] Rachel Arnold (MAS) [bye]
[5] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) [bye]
Nga Ching Cheng (HKG) v Salma Eltayeb (EGY)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) v Torrie Malik (ENG)
[3] Salma Hany (EGY)
[4] Farida Mohamed (EGY) [bye]
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) v Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG)
Hana Moataz (EGY) v Wildcard
[6] Tomato Ho (HKG) [bye]
[8] Georgia Adderley (SCO) [bye]
[WC] Ziyi Liu (CHI) v Nadine Shahin (EGY)
Aira Azman (MAS) v Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
[2] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) [bye]