[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-1 [11] Victor Crouin (FRA) 7-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-1 (36m)
Next Opponent: Ali Farag
Former World Champion Tarek Momen stormed back from a one-game deficit at Palms Hill to send Frenchman Victor Crouin out.
Crouin settled well initially and took the opening game after hitting his targets at the front of the court to go a game ahead.
However, that lead was quickly whittled away by Momen as the 36-year-old came back with a flourish. He cut out the errors he exhibited in the first game and forced Crouin into some tough movements as whatever physicality was left in the Frenchman’s legs was sapped.
The Egyptian wasted no time in taking three games on the bounce to avenge his defeat to Crouin during February’s Windy City Open. Next up for Momen is a quarter-final meeting with reigning World Champion Ali Farag.
Momen has only won four of his 24 matches with Farag, but did take the World No.1 to five games when they met in October’s U.S. Open.
Tarek : “I’m pleased to win in four, thankfully it wasn’t too taxing, which is good for my recovery for the next match. I’m obviously very pleased to be in another quarter-final at the World Champs. I’ve been improving in the last period and I’ve been playing much better. In the first game I wasn’t finding my range at all and I needed to give myself a push and take the ball earlier.
“I did that towards the end of the first game and from then on when I applied a bit of pressure his movement began to get exposed a little bit.
“I need to keep at it against Farag, I think I get the game plan right but sometimes I don’t execute it very well. If I execute it well I think can sneak a win.”
