Women's World Teams

Hot favourites Egypt, whose three-woman team boasts the top three players in the world, beat defending champions England in today’s final of the WSF Women’s World Team Squash Championship in the French capital Paris to reclaim the World Squash Federation title they lost to their opponents in 2014.

But it was second seeds England who took the lead on the all-glass court at Palais Des Sports Robert Charpentier in the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux where Laura Massaro, the world No.4, recovered from a game down to inflict the event’s first defeat on Nour El Sherbini, the world No.1

Former world champion Massaro, who went into the match 5/3 ahead in her career head-to-head battles with the Egyptian, won 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 6-11 in 49 minutes to put England ahead.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Egyptian number two Nouran Gohar, the 19-year-old world No.3 making her debut in the championship, despatched England’s experienced Alison Waters 11-6, 11-4, 12-10 to force a decider. Londoner Waters had a game ball in the third, but three successive balls into the tin handed victory to the Cairo teenager.

Squad number threes lined up for the decider – England’s Sarah-Jane Perry, the world No.11 who had played in all England’s ties in Paris, facing Raneem El Welily, the former world number one now ranked two in the world.

It took 31 minutes for the title to be decided – El Welily keeping on top throughout the match before emerging victorious 12-10, 11-4, 11-6.

“I have never played a decider for Egypt before and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to,” admitted the jubilant El Welily minutes later. “I didn’t know what to expect.

“But I decided to be selfish – I didn’t think of the team, only of myself, to stop the pressure getting to me. This was the tactic I planned – even if everything went wrong. I had to do a lot of running, but it worked out in the end.

“Overall, this is a fantastic team to be a part of!”

Egyptian national coach Amr Shabana anticipated the way the tie started: “Laura came out strong, as expected. She didn’t give away any cheap points. Her fighting spirit won the crucial points.

“Nouran proved why she is number three in the world and Raneem showed her amazing athleticism and her amazing technical prowess.

“I can sum up my feeling in two words: Mission accomplished!”

England national coach David Campion admitted: “Egypt were just too strong. Raneem and Nouran played at their best levels – but they needed to as our girls performed well.

“Gohar was relentless and Raneem played fantastic squash.”

On the day that its top three players took over the top three places in the world rankings, Egypt claimed the first spot in the semi-finals by beating USA, the 7th seeds, 3/0. 

Nouran Gohar put the top seeds in the driving set with a comfortable 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 win over New Yorker Olivia Blatchford.

The top string battle promised to be close encounter with US number one Amanda Sobhy boasting a 5/4 head-to-head lead over her Egyptian opponent Nour El Sherbini, the world No.1. El Sherbini (pictured belowwith Sobhy) took a two-game lead - Sobhy winning five points in a row from 4-8 down in the second. But Sobhy fought back to win the third and reach game-ball in the fourth.

The Egyptian, however, regained the advantage and closed out the match 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 13-11 after 42 minutes to put her country through to the last four for the third time in a row.

After a best-of-three dead rubber - in which Egyptian number three Raneem El Welily, who today leapt to two in the world, beat Reeham Sedky 12-10, 11-5 - Egypt's coach Amr Shabana acknowledged that the top string encounter had been close: "Amanda has developed so much in the last two years - she's a future champion, for sure. I felt confident that Nour would win once she went two-love up - 60% of all sports clashes that reach that score end up successful.

Defending champions England also secured their anticipated semi-final berth in emphatic style, despatching eighth seeds New Zealand 3/0. 

Second string Sarah-Jane Perry set up the win with an 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 11-9 win over Megan Craig - but it was team number one Laura Massaro who had a point to prove as she crushed top Kiwi Joelle King, ranked 10 in the world, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 in just 27 minutes.

It was less than 48 hours earlier that Massaro (pictured below with King) went down to Amanda Sobhy in the American's first ever victory over the world No.4. The England No.1 came out with all guns blazing to put that defeat behind her.

"I was lacking a bit of match practice then - but there's nothing better than a loss like that to get your focus back," said former world champion and world number one Massaro.

"More than anything else, I'm really pleased with how I performed mentally. That's when I play my best.

"I'm really happy to do this for the team."

Massaro's performance was predicted two days ago by team coach David Campion: "She always seems to come back stronger after a defeat like that. She's so self-critical. It's her strength - it's what's driven her throughout her career.

"Her attention to detail is what sets her apart. It's why she's achieved what she has."