With intense games and heated crowds, the seventh edition of El Gouna International Squash Open has come to an end, leaving world’s number two Raneem El Welily and world’s number four Marwan El Shorbagy winners of the tournament. The final took place on Friday, April 27th, with the attendance of H.E. Minister of Youth and Sports, Khaled Abdel Aziz and H.E. Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat, General Ahmed Abdallah, Governor of Red Sea, Mr. Samih and Naguib Sawiris as well as celebrities and public figures, followed by a closing ceremony awarding the champions.
Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Egyptian Promotion Authority, the finals of the seventh edition of the tournament witnessed heated games and tough battles. El Welily, nicknamed “The Butterfly”, came out strong against world’s number squash player Nour El Sherbini for a solid win of 3-1, while El Shorbagy owned the night with a fantastic victory of 3-0 against world’s number two, Ali Farag.
H.E. Minister of Youth and Sports, Khaled Abdel Aziz, stated: “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the winners of tonight’s games, but more importantly, I couldn’t be prouder than having all finalists, men and women, be from Egypt, proving to the world, once again, that they stand amongst the world’s best squash players, showcasing consistency and determination to be the best. These Egyptian champions ignited a nation and brought immense pride to their country. They taught us that aspirations are indeed possible, and that we can do more than merely dream. A tournament like El Gouna International Squash Open in its seventh edition, is the perfect example showcasing Egypt’s capability and adequacy in organizing world class events, giving Egypt the great exposure it deserves.”
During the closing ceremony, H.E. Khaled Abdel Aziz, H.E. Rania Al-Mashat, Governor Ahmed Abdallah alongside Mr. Samih and Naguib Sawiris, and Amr Mansi alongside Hassan Abdallah, CEO of the Arab African International Bank and Hazem Badran, CEO of CI Capital, gave out the prizes to the winners and runner ups of the tournament in the iconic glass court.
H.E. Minister of Tourism, Rania Al Mashat, stated: “I cannot express how proud I am of what our champions have accomplished. To have an all-Egyptian final in one of the most prestigious squash tournaments in the world, gives us so much pride. I believe that sports and tourism complete each other; sports events such as El Gouna International Squash Open have the potential to attract hundreds of tourists and enhance Egypt’s image globally. The Ministry of Tourism shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to continue organizing such events that have the potential to general incremental business and exposure, highlighting the beauty of Egypt and its abilities to host international events. El Gouna is the perfect model, combining cultural, entertainment, sports and many more activates while shedding the light on Egypt’s natural beauty. I wish we could do the same in Egypt’s many hidden gems, and give the country the exposure needed.”
Throughout the tournament, which took place from April 20th to April 27th, witnessed an unbelievable crowd that built up to the semi-finals and the finals during which no seats were left empty.
Amr Mansi, founder of El Gouna International Squash Open and CEO of I-Events stated: “I cannot express how happy and proud I am that the finals were dominated by Egyptians. This is the seventh edition of the tournament and as always, there are new challenges as there are achievements; however, I am very satisfied with the outcome thanks to my partners and sponsors who gave me their support and are a huge part of the tournament’s success.”
The night was ignited with a performance by renowned Egyptians
