Mostafa Asal and Nouran Gohar emerged as the victors of the 2024 British Squash Open titles, triumphing over their opponents, World No.1s Ali Farag and Nour El-Sherbini, in a riveting all-Egyptian finals day at the esteemed Birmingham Rep Theatre.
World No.4 Asal achieved a historic milestone by clinching the British Open title for the first time. He secured a hard-fought victory over defending champion Farag in a gripping men’s final that lasted 79 minutes. Asal’s win came after a closely contested match, with the final scores ending at 11-5, 2-11, 13-11, 4-11, and 12-10.
According to The Egyptian Gazette website, Farag, who was competing in his fifth consecutive British Open final, was defeated by Asal in the title decider. This marked Asal’s first appearance in the historic event’s championship match, and he secured the 15th title of his career, earning the honor of having his name engraved on the prestigious British Open trophy.
Asal, 23, expressed a deep sense of gratitude and emotion, stating, “It’s unbelievable, I’m almost running out of words, I’m almost crying.” Reflecting on the semi-final victory against Paul Coll and Ali, Asal described it as an excellent achievement. She recounted being in a leading position of 6-2 in the final game, only to face an emotionally charged comeback from Ali, closing the gap to 9-7. Asal acknowledged the tense moments but expressed relief at ultimately securing the win.
“During the initial part of the season, I lacked a structured approach until I began working with James [Willstrop] in Pontefract. The successful brand of squash that I am currently playing is largely attributable to their guidance and support.”
The initial stages of the match highlighted the contrasting game strategies of the two players. Farag aimed to extend the rallies and exert pressure on Asal’s physical endurance, while Asal sought opportunities to secure points with quick winners.
It was Asal whose quality proved too hot to handle though, with ‘The Raging Bull’ stunning the packed house in Birmingham by charging through the first game by an 11-5 scoreline.
