Home Hero Brownell Brings Down ElShorbagy In ToC Opener

USA's world No.26 Timothy Brownell battled back from a game down to stun world No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy on the opening day of the Sprott Tournament of Champions presented by Crowd Street at Grand Central Terminal in New York.

The US No.1 went behind after ElShorbagy held his nerve in a close opening game, winning 11-9, but Brownell roared back in stunning fashion in the second to restore parity with a dominant 11-1 triumph.

The Englishman, who was runner-up in 2023 to Diego Elias, squandered four game balls in the third as he looked to reclaim his lead, but Brownell kept his cool in the tiebreak to nudge 2/1 in front.

England No.1 ElShorbagy had an opportunity to force a decider with two game balls in the fourth game but Brownell, backed by a partisan crowd, saved both opportunities before two strokes in his favour earned him the victory on home turf by a 9-11, 11-1, 13-11, 13-11 scoreline.

"I'm thrilled," said Brownell. "I've got a lot of work to do with recovery to get ready for the next round, but I'm really happy with the way I fought and my team and everything was to the nines. We got everything done and I think we deserved it today.

"We were within striking distance the whole way. I really felt the way the points were played on the day that he was a bit slower off the 'T'.

"I decided to keep fighting the whole way and I didn't think it was ever that far to reach - maybe in the third game when I was a few points back. I looked back at my corner and kept fighting and you've got to make them earn it at this level."

Elsewhere, Youssef Ibrahim avenged his China Open final defeat to Mohamed Abouelghar by coming from behind to see off his Egyptian compatriot 3/1 in the final match of the day on the glass court, while former champion Karim Gawad recovered from 1/0 down to overcome Aly Abou Eleinen in four games.

In the women's draw, reigning champion Hania El Hammamy kicked off her title defence with a 3/0 success against Tomato Ho.

World No.1 El Hammamy, who toppled Nouran Gohar in last year's final, was tested throughout by the Hong Kong No.2, but the Egyptian was able to pull clear at the business end of each game to claim a 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 victory.

Kenzy Ayman held off a resurgence from her fellow Egyptian Nour Aboulmakarim to win 3/2 in just under an hour at New York Athletic Club, with Sana Ibrahim also prevailing in an all-Egyptian clash with Mariam Metwally.