ENGLAND’S Marwan ElShorbagy and USA’s Amanda Sobhy have claimed the 2025 Squash on Fire Open titles after overcoming Malaysian duo Eain Yow Ng and Rachel Arnold respectively at the Bronze-level 2025 Squash on Fire Open in Washington D.C.
The Englishman came into the match after overcoming former World No.11 Gregoire Marche in a tough four games.
The first game of the men’s final saw a close affair that spanned 15 minutes. ElShorbagy took an early 6-2 lead, but the Malaysian went on the attack, bring the game back to within one point at 9-10.
The ‘Jackal’ showed his mettle and took the game with two quick-fire points to take the advantage in the match.
Inverse to the first game, it was Yow Ng who took the 6-2 lead, but ElShorbagy fought back to level the game at 7-7 before pushing on to claim the second game 11-9 after a tough 28 minutes.
The Englishman pushed on from there, claiming the third game comfortably inside 7 minutes to claim his third title of the season.
Speaking after the match, ElShorbagy said: “I’m happy to win another title this season. It was a good week here in Washington. It’s a great event here in Washington. To be able to come here and win my third title of this season means a lot.
“Yow has been playing incredibly. He’s got to the top 10 this season which he really does deserve. The way he’s playing is more solid, he’s mentally more strong than before so it’s tougher to break him.
“He played well - I thought - but I’m happy to play the crucial point a little bit better than him.”
The win will also take the former World No.3 ahead of his brother - former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy - in the rankings for the first time in his career.
In the Women’s final, US No.2 Sobhy came out ahead in a close-fought four-game battle.
It looked as though it was going to be a quick win for Sobhy, as after reaching the final without dropping a game, she took a 2-0 lead in less than 10 minutes, but Arnold fought back in the third game.
The players were close throughout the game as the Malaysian used up her energy reserves to earn three game balls, converting the opportunity on the third time of asking to avoid the tie-break.
Game four was equally close, but after a burst of four points from Sobhy to pull away to a 9-7 lead, the American looked comfortable in taking the game and earn her second title of the season.
“I feel really good,“ said Sobhy after the match. “I’m happy to just get another title this season and to have a great week here in D.C.
“I think Rachel [in game three] started to find her targets, step up a gear and hit some incredible winners so it made things a bit more intense.
“It’s tough she has nothing to lose and so I just went in there and tried to keep my composure, take it a few points at a time really and stay present. Trust my game plan. Trust my movement. Trust the work I’ve done and know that whatever she throws at me, I’ll be able to handle it.”
Attention now turns to the 2024-2025 PSA World Championships starting on the 9th May, streamed live on SQUASHTV.
