Elshorbagy & Massaro Claim Qatar Classic Crowns

Egypt's world No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy and England's world No.3 Laura Massaro prevailed in their respective finals at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha to become the 2015 Qatar Classic champions - Massaro claiming the PSA World Series title for the first time and Elshorbagy winning the trophy for the second time since 2013 in his fourth successive Doha final.

After triumphing at the first PSA World Series tournament of the season - the Delaware Investments US Open, just two weeks ago in Philadelphia - 32-year-old Preston-based Massaro continued to enjoy the form of her life as she came through a breath-taking five-game 73 minute battle with Egypt's Nour El Sherbini.

With the pair sharing the first four games to force a title-decider, it was the 20-year-old world No.8 who raced into an early lead before a succession of lets and strokes halted her rhythm and allowed Massaro to find her way back into the match. Massaro hit a delightful volley drop at championship ball to wrap up an enthralling 11-8, 12-14, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 victory - a win that sees her strengthen her lead at the top of the PSA Road to Dubai Standings and cut down the gap between herself and world No.1 Raneem El Welily and No.2 Nicol David.

"There's a lot of great names on that trophy so it's a great feeling to know that my name will go alongside them now," said Massaro, who now has 17 PSA World Tour titles to her name.

"It's amazing to win another major trophy - I'm over the moon. Physically and mentally I feel in a really good place at the moment.

"I think that there was a little bit of a change in tactical plan in the end and then a bit of a momentum shift and it was enough to carry me over the line in that fifth game. There was only three or four points left at that point and I don't think that there was enough time for her to adjust to that."

24-year-old Elshorbagy claimed a second consecutive Qatar Classic title with an assured 3/1 triumph over world No.3 Gregory Gaultier, to avenge his defeat against the Frenchman at the semi-final stage of the US Open - a tournament Gaultier went on to win.

Elshorbagy reached the final without dropping a single game throughout the tournament and capitalised on his freshness to pounce on a tired-looking Gaultier, who had flirted with elimination against Karim Abdel Gawad in the quarter-finals, recovering from a 2-0 deficit, and against Mazen Hesham in the semi-finals.

The victory now sees Elshorbagy go into the biggest tournament of the year, the PSA Men's World Championship which begins on November 15 in Bellevue, Washington, approaching peak form.

"This is my fourth year in a row to make it to the final in Qatar [2012 & 2014 World Championship, 2013 Qatar Classic]," said Elshorbagy.

"I'm just glad I was able to play the whole week here and I'm glad I could win the title just one week before the World Championship. It's an important win and for sure it's a confidence boost for me for that tournament."