Defending men’s WSF World Squash Team champions Egypt emulated the achievement of their women’s team yesterday by reaching the final of the championship, thanks to a hard-fought win over France.

Although Egypt and France have not played against each other since 2011 – a 2-1 win for Egypt in the semi-finals of the competition – first strings Ali Farag and Victor Crouin went into the first match knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses well, having played each other three times in the last two years.

Farag went into the match with a 3-0 record against Crouin, but it was the Frenchman who dominated early on against a laboured-looking Farag.

In a scarcely believable first game, World No.1 Farag was off the pace and World No.12 Crouin reading his opponent easily to dominate 11-1 in seven minutes, becoming just the fourth player to beat Farag by such a scoreline.

Farag improved in the second game, but still came up short against an inspired Crouin, who moved well and was accurate against his frustrated opponent to double his lead 11-6.

The Frenchman continued to play fantastic squash in game three and built a narrow lead as he looked to down Farag for the first time in his career.

The Egyptian, however, clung on, growing into the game and – despite not playing his best squash – gaining a foothold in the match with a gutsy 12-10 win.

That victory buoyed Farag, and he looked much more like himself in game four as he quickly levelled the match with an 11-4 victory.

Both men put everything into the fifth game, which ebbed and flowed as they competed to inch ahead.

Eventually, it was Farag who was able to make the decisive contribution, pulling away after an even start to ease the Egypt bench’s tension as he clinched the fifth game 11-6.

Afterwards, Farag said: “It means so much to me, I haven’t felt so much ecstasy for a long while. Playing for Egypt is something else. It comes with the nerves but it comes with the extra ecstasy when you win it for your team. You saw all of them were out here cheering me on today. Victor [Crouin] was so clinical out there today, and I had to nullify him and I wasn’t at the beginning.

“I’m just so happy to pull through to the win for my team.”

The second match was a more comfortable affair for the favourites, as World No.2 Mostafa Asal overcame Baptiste Masotti in straight games.

Asal looked confident early on against the World No.24, keeping ahead of the French No.2 throughout as he took the opener 11-8.

The Egyptian was in total control during game two, doubling his lead with an 11-4 win.

Masotti battled hard in game three, forcing Asal into lung-busting court coverage that drew gasps and applause in equal measure.

The Frenchman could not break his opponent’s defences, though, with Asal wrapping up the victory with an 11-9 win.

“It’s an amazing feeling to play for your country. You know Ali [Farag] made us all a bit edgy, but thankfully his experience helped him finish the match. It was really tricky, we were all really worried and I couldn’t even warm up! But thankfully he got through the last three games and we’re now through to the final,” Asal said.

“We’re going to switch our focus to the final now tomorrow, see the team we are playing. It’s only one more now to bring it [the title] back home.”

Egypt and France opted to play the dead rubber between Mazen Hesham and Sebastien Bonmalais, with Bonmalais triumphing 2-1.

The second semi-final, between England and Switzerland, will begin shortly.

Watch the action live and free on WORLDSQUASH.TV and partner channels, including the Olympic Channel and HOY TV.

Click here to view results for the 2024 WSF World Squash Team Championships.

Result: WSF World Squash Team Championship Men’s Semi-Final

[1] Egypt 2-1 [3] France
Ali Farag (EGY) bt Victor Crouin (FRA)3-2: 1-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 (58m)
Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Baptiste Masotti (FRA)3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (35m)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) lost to Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) 1-2: 9-11, 11-7, 5-11

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