Gawad Lifts Swedish Open Crown

World No.9 Karim Abdel Gawad overcame fellow Egyptian and close friend Tarek Momen in a dramatic final in the 2016 UCS Swedish Open in Linköping – capturing his biggest ever PSA title in the process.

The match was finely poised throughout the 80-minute encounter with Momen coming back from a one-game deficit on two separate occasions to set up a climactic fifth game showdown.

Gawad dug into his energy reserves impressively though to come through in five games for the second time in this event, with a 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-4 victory handing the crown to the man from Alexandria.

“It’s a great feeling, I’ve been working so hard for this,” said Gawad.

“It’s my first big title, my biggest title before this was a $35k tournament so, for me, it’s a great step forward and hopefully this is just the beginning. In the fifth game when it was at 4-4 I said to myself that I just needed seven more points. I had to push and put in everything I could.

“Obviously, Tarek was doing the same but I had to focus and remember all the work I have been doing over the last couple of months. I’m very thankful I won the last few points. It’s given me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”

2016 UCS Swedish Open – Final
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [3] Tarek Momen (EGY) 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-4 (80m)