Winning Elshorbagy revels in anger at losing top spot
Mohamed Elshorbagy revealed his anger at the likely loss of the world number one ranking with a blazing performance which brought timely revenge and a place in the quarter-finals of the British Open on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Egyptian roared, lunged and contorted his body violently in the moment he earned a 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 win over Daryl Selby, a former British national champion who beat him in a London tournament three months ago. But Elshorbagy’s fierce emotions were really about delivering a more committed performance than those which have failed to land him any titles in 2017, and which make winning the world’s oldest tournament for a third successive time this week even more important. "I told my mother that this is my last day after being world number one for the last 28 months," Elshorbagy said rather dramatically. "It’s the first time since I came up that I am going back in the rankings. It’s a new time for me. "It’s a completely different challenge. For the first time someone younger overtakes me. In a way I feel free, but at the same time it makes me feel the hunger again. "I put more emotion into the way I am playing. I’m not angry with other people, I’m angry with myself. That’s the way I got to number one." Elshorbagy certainly played a higher-quality match against Selby than for some time. Saving two game points from 10-8 down in the first game gave him a rush of adrenaline which helped him attack the ball with an aggression no other player can currently match. It is not however true that today is his last day as world number one. Tomorrow may be, provided that world champion and fellow Egyptian Karim Gawad overcomes Mohamed Abouelghar, another Egyptian, in their second-round meeting tomorrow. Women's world number one Nour El Sherbini -- another Egyptian -- had a far calmer path into the last eight, ousting Annie Au, the world number 10 from Hong Kong 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 and earning a meeting with Emily Whitlock, a surprise quarter-finalist from England. Egypt’s immense influence upon squash included one very eye-catching coaching combination. Tarek Momen and Raneem El Welily, husband and wife, both won and reached the quarter-finals -- coaching each other while achieving it. "He gets me fired up when I need that and he calms me when that’s needed,” said El Welily, the in-form former world number one who overcame Joshna Chinappa of India 11-8, 11-7, 11-7. The eighth-seeded Momen saw off the Kiwi Paul Coll, the world number 16, winning a superb encounter between two of the fastest men on the circuit 11-6, 11-8, 20-18. The couple now play former British Open champions from England -- El Welily taking on the fifth-seeded Laura Massaro and Momen the fourth-seeded Nick Matthew.
