Last Night I Saw the Most Amazing Squash Game Ever in New York City

There are a few classic squash matches that any New York squash fanatic has watched on YouTube. The 2014 World Championship final between Ramy Ashour and Mohamed ElShorbagy is one. ElShorbagy lost the fifth game 12-14, later describing Ashour as his best opponent. It's unbelievable to watch, full of real drama. I couldn't recommend it more. 

But. It also happened in El Gouna in Egypt, more than a decade ago. I wasn't even playing squash back then. Meanwhile last night, a cold Monday in New York, I got to watch the best squash match I've ever seen. In person. Myself. Sat in Grand Central Terminal at the Tournament of Champions. It was epic. 

If you're doubting whether squash has earned its status as an Olympic sport ready for prime time? Watch. I've not known a heart-pumping drama like it since the Euro 1996 soccer championships. I couldn't believe it. I don't know if I'll ever see another squash match so good, and I'm okay with that. I'm just so grateful to have witnessed it. I got home exhausted from the adrenaline. It was that gripping. 

World number one Ali Farag, 32, came into the tournament with a lot on the line. He needs to protect his world ranking by winning the event, to fend off his young rival, Mostafa Asal. Meanwhile, Mohamed ElShorbagy, who is 34, has hinted at possible retirement this week. On Saturday night he told the crowd he needs to get used to losing more matches in this phase of his career. I watched him beat Mohamed ElSherbini that night, 3-1, and felt he still had the old "Beast" in him. It's a nickname he earned for being able to find another gear when his opponents start to fade. 

The Quarter Final match between Farag and ElShorbagy should have been an easy win for Farag. And indeed, it was a win for Farag. But not before he went down 2-0 against ElShorbagy, and then, down 8-3 in the fifth. I love Ali Farag. He's an ambassador for Open Squash and I've met him a few times. His signed picture is on my office wall. He's a gentleman, a great ambassador for the sport. I almost always root for him. But I also love an underdog. And ElShorbagy, at this later stage of his career, is still one heck of an underdog. I watched him beat Paul Coll to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open back in 2022, and it stuck in my mind. The man is an entertainer and yes, quite right, a beast of the sport. I found myself cheering for him after he won the first two games against Farag. I felt guilty about it but I couldn't help myself. He had earned my support and I wanted to see him drag the match over the line. 

There's also something amazing about watching squash in this setting. ElShorbagy's coach, Nick Matthew, was sitting right in front of me. Farag somehow gritted out two more games to take it to a fifth. Then Joel Makin, the Welsh player, came and sat to my left for the fifth game. I was sitting in the crowd thanks to a generous donor at Open Squash who had given me his ticket. I'd brought a friend whom I've met through the squash community. Neither of us could believe what we were seeing. We were listening to Makin talk to Mathew about the game. I was making little jokes with him. It was like being in the center of the squash universe. I was freaking out with how much fun it was. 

"This is like the 12th round between two punch-drunk boxers," said a PSA commentator, in the fifth. "They're leaving everything out there."

"This is ridiculous," he added. And I couldn't have agreed more. Ridiculous!

ElShorbagy went up 9-6 in the fifth after a two-minute rally. He hit a thunderous forehand down the line. It felt like the match should have been his. He was going to sneak it. And yet Farag's web-weaving grit and determination won out. He was so focused and cautious through the next four points, denying the Beast a single chance. Then, like that, it was over. Farag had overcome the Beast and also some beasts of his own. He had overcome himself. He had even overcome my support for his opponent, in spite of myself. I was grateful he had done it. He showed me that sometimes your worst opponent is yourself, even your own fickle fans. It was a remarkable, transcendent victory. I had to give it to him. I had to hand it to both of them. They had really shown me something. 

I leapt to my feet along with the rest of the entire crowd. We gave them a standing ovation for at least two minutes. 

"I hate playing Mohamed," Ali said. "But I also love playing Mohamed. Because he brings out the very best in me."

Huzzah!

Wednesday, Farag will play Paul Coll in the semi-final while their rivals duke it out in the other half of the draw. I don't know if any of the later matches could rival the drama that unfolded last night, if I'm honest. And that's okay. Sometimes a Monday night is a Monday night. Sometimes it's something altogether better. 

I almost forgot, all the Farag-ElShorbagy drama followed another electric match. Nouran Gohar, the women's number 1, beat 17-year-old Amina Orfi, three-love. But the match felt a lot closer than the scoreline, and a changing-of-the-guard feels like it might be due.

"Mohamed was telling me there aren't a lot of us older guys left in the game," Farag said, to the crowd. "He told me he wanted to see me win the next matches and hold onto it for our generation."

Let's hope he does. Or perhaps, that he doesn't? I’m not sure I even know myself, any more. Either way, squash is the real winner and we, too, are the grateful crowd. What a sport.