World No.2 Nouran Gohar has claimed her first-ever CIB PSA World Championships title after defeating defending champion Nour El Sherbini 3-1.
Gohar’s maiden success denied El Sherbini the opportunity to equal Nicol David’s record of eight World Crowns, and the World No.2 ended a run of three successive defeats to the World No.1 in the World Championships final.
The pair had met very recently in the final of the El Gouna International where Gohar came out on top, and it was Gohar who made an excellent start with a 6-2 lead before a blood injury sustained by the World No.2 halted play.
When both players returned, El Sherbini drew level when she notched four points without reply. As Gohar got herself back into the game, play was paused again due to a blood injury from her hand.
The World No.2 got herself into position to have two game balls, converting at the first attempt to draw first blood. https://twitter.com/PSAWorldTour/status/1791883858390012372
However El Sherbini restored parity as she began finding success with drop shots in both corners, while also looking more accurate at the back of the court.
Gohar was given a conduct stroke against her at the beginning of the third due to returning to court late. However ‘the Terminator’ was back in control, getting everything back El Sherbini threw at her to regain her lead.
Mistakes from El Sherbini’s racket and Gohar’s accuracy gave the World No.2 a great opportunity to seal the match, sealing the fourth game 11-5 to earn her first-ever World title.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been emotional like this before,” she said.
“Usually I show very little emotion but this means so much. I kept on saying that I don’t want stop until I’m World Champion and I can’t really believe it. [Nour El] Sherbini reached the final 10 times and that’s an unbelievable achievement for her. Beating her in the final of the World Championships is an amazing thing.
“I’m so speechless right now. All respect to her but I can’t really believe it.
“People around me, I’ve given them a hard time because I always want everything to be perfect. Two people that I miss the most today are my husband and my mum, two important people besides my father, and it’s because of him I’m playing this game and thank you for everything!”
Result [3] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 (81m)
