Motor City Semis: Hesham dusts Dessouky, Elias outlasts Momen to set up finals clash

Motor City Semis: Hesham dusts Dessouky, Elias outlasts Momen to set up finals clash

By Andrew Graham
The Motor City Open

Birmingham, Michigan — Reigning-champion and #2-seed Diego Elias will go for a hat trick – three straight finals victories – Sunday against four-seed Mazen Hesham in the Motor City Open Presented by Sturbridge Capital. Both advanced Saturday evening with straight-set semifinal wins, but their matches couldn’t have been more different.

Elias took on hot-handed Tarek Momen of Egypt, the #3-seed. A former PSA men’s world champion and 2022 Motor City Open semifinalist, this was Momen’s chance to topple the in-form Elias and reach his first MCO final.

In the first set, Momen took it to the defending champion, playing in front and forcing Elias into a reactive game plan.

“I think in the first one he was up most of the game and I was just coming from behind so I couldn’t make many risky shots and I just had to play more defensive,” Elias said.

In particular Momen favored a backhand shot down the wall forcing Elias on his back foot. After a number of let calls, Elias became visibly frustrated with the official. At 8-8 in the first game — Momen had a moment to seize early momentum.

But despite saving a game ball point at 10-9 and pushing the set to a tiebreak, Momen was done in by a called stroke, giving Elias an 11-10 lead. On the next rally, Elias buried a shot into the back right corner – just out of reach of Momen – to take the first set.

All of the initiative Momen took in the first stanza evaporated in the second as Elias took an early 5-1 lead. Playing from the lead and serving, Elias dictated play. Using his easy power and lanky frame, Elias covered the court deftly and often had Momen on a string. As the game wore on, Momen began favoring his right ankle, trying to shake it loose between points.

After losing game two, Momen was tardy getting to the court for the third set as he worked on his right ankle. Elias closed him out in the third, 11-7.

“I was I was able to attack a bit more. . . play more offensive,” Elias said. “And, of course, I was up after winning the first. That made a huge difference.”

With a return to the final, Elias is on the precipice of Motor City open history.

“I try to not think about it,” said Elias afterwards. “Every year it’s different players, I’m playing with different motivations. Right now I’m just thinking about improving my game, getting to the World #1 spot.”

In Sunday’s final Elias will face Hesham. Facing worn-out #5-seed Fares Dessouky – who was coming off a five-set marathon upset over top-seed Paul Coll in the quarterfinals – Hesham made quick, clinical work of his fellow Egyptian. He won, 3-0, in about 30 minutes, with Dessouky visibly out of gas in the third set.

Hesham seized the match from the opening points and never surrendered his death grip.

Between the physical exertion and mental taxation of his win over Coll, Dessouky did not look a worthy challenger on Saturday. Unforced errors into the tin were an early indicator that Dessouky was hurting.

“To be honest, you could see in the beginning, Fares was not sure of his movement,” said Hesham after the match. “But I had to keep my head down and try to keep going in the match because he can come back at any time. I hope he’s not injured. I asked him after the match — it seems like he’s sore and hopefully everything will be good.”

By the third game, with Hesham up, 6-1, it was clear that Dessouky — last year’s MCO runner-up — didn’t have anything left in the tank. And it might not have mattered, anyway. Hesham continued the consistent play that carried him all week to the final. It’s another in a growing list of finals the Hesham has made recently.

The flick and drop shots that Dessouky successfully played against Coll didn’t phase Hesham. The four-seed seemed to have an early bead on shots and found the right position to hit returns.

“I feel good, but I think in my mind I can do much better than that,” Hesham said. “I’m happy to be in the final. I will try my best tomorrow to have one more go and hopefully get the title.”

Standing between him and a first-ever Motor City Open title are sore shins and the imposing, 6’2” figure of Diego Elias.

Semifinal results and final match:

Hesham (4) def. Dessouky (5), 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-3)

Elias (2) def. Momen (3), 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-7)

Final:

Elias (2) vs. Hesham (4) — Sunday, 5 PM