"I know I was a bit fortunate with a couple of matches - playing my opponents who had gruelling monster matches the day before - but I still had to seize my opportunities”, the Amr Shabana said (pic: Helen Ree). Amr Shabana (le) outlasted young compatriot Tarek Momen (ri) in 5 games in the all-Egyptian final of the Grasshopper Cup in the Swiss city of Zurich.
The 34-year-old 3rd seed from Cairo went into the match, his 47th Tour final, after a straight games semi-final victory over 2nd-seeded Spaniard Borja Golan – whilst Momen, the No.6 seed, defeating favourite James Willstrop in a 93-minute marathon.
But four-time World Champion Shabana showed his class in the final when, after squandering a two-game lead, he fought back in the decider to win 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 8-11, 11-8 after 79 minutes.
The triumph marks Shabana’s second title of the year and the 33rd of his career. “It’s been a great week, everything fell in place together,” admitted ‘The Maestro’ later.
Final:
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [6] Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 8-11, 11-8 (79m)
Semi-finals:
[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [1] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-6, 1-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (93m)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [2] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-3, 13-11, 12-10 (43m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [5] Simon Rösner (GER) 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (61m)
[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [4] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-3, 11-4, 12-14, 11-5 (61m)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 14-12, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)
[2] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [7] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 12-14, 11-8, 12-10, 12-10 (112m)
1st round:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (32m)
[5] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 9-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7, 11-7 (82m)
[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 (30m)
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [WC] Reiko Peter (SUI) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (36m)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (36m)
[Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [8] Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 (62m)
[7] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [Q] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-4, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3 (49m)
[2] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (35m)
