Colombia’s Juan Vargas recovered from 2-0 down to defeat former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy for the first time on the PSA Squash Tour and progress to round three of the Quilter Cheviot British Open 2026 at the Rep Theatre in Birmingham.
Vargas, who had never taken a game off of the three-time British Open champion, overturned the two-game deficit to reach the third round of the Diamond-level event for a second year running.
ElShorbagy, who holds the record for the most appearances on the PSA Squash Tour, looked to have marked his 800th match with a victory after going 2-0 up. However Vargas surged back to restore parity and, after a conduct stroke went against the Englishman in the decider, Vargas pressed on to close out the fifth 11-1.
“It’s hard to find the words right now, emotionally and for Mohamed [ElShorbagy], who I have so much respect for,” he said afterwards.
“I told him that he was one of the greatest of all time. Emotionally it hits differently, I used to see him when he was No.1 in the World and I couldn’t believe how much he plays this game. This is a dream come true.
“I have played him a few times and I have been doing okay in these big events. Last year, I managed to get to the third round, but I was really hoping to get an upset like this soon, so I am just really happy that it happened today against such a legend. I am speechless to be honest.”
Egyptian teenager Adam Hawal produced a shock result of his own at the Solihull Arden Club, with the World No.80 ousting World No.17 Gregoire Marche 3-1.
Hawal, who stunned World No.2 Paul Coll earlier this season at the CIB Egyptian Open, prevailed in qualifying of this event to earn his spot in the main draw and dispatched Spain’s Bernat Jaume in round one before triumphing 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 against Marche.
“I’m over the moon, it was a tough battle. It was a very tough battle both physically and mentally, so I am glad that I’ve gone through it,” he said.
“I knew that as I was tired that he’s tired too, so I just tried to push further and until the end. Some of us drop and he dropped first but that doesn’t mean he is not a great player. He’s a tremendous player but I am glad that I played better today.
“I feel like I am actually dreaming. Playing at the Rep Theatre is something I have been watching since I was a kid, so playing there that’s a huge honour for me and I will give it my all there.”
In the women’s event, Melissa Alves saved three match balls to down England No.2 Jasmine Hutton in a five-game thriller.
Alves, who hadn’t beaten Hutton on Tour since 2019, was 2-1 up before the Englishwoman roared back to force a fifth game.
Hutton, who recently defeated Alves at the Grasshopper Cup, fought back from 7-4 down in the fifth and had three match balls for a place in the third round, only for Alves to save all three and convert herself in the tiebreak to end a streak of seven years without a win on Tour against Hutton.
“These are the matches you want to win, want to play and be a part of, especially for the crowd, for the sport and for myself as I train for these moments,” she said.
“Three match balls down and I had an opportunity so I knew I had to take these ones right, so I am very, very happy.
“Playing Jasmine [Hutton] is very, very exciting, it’s free-flowing and good squash. I am just very happy.”
Elsewhere, Salma Hany battled back from 2-1 down to overcome England’s Torrie Malik 3-2.
It wasn’t a promising start for the Egyptian, who lost the first 11-0, but the World No.14 bounced back to prevail with a 0-11, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7 victory in under an hour against Malik.
“Today, I am very, very proud of myself. Obviously she played very well and I had a terrible start and she was also playing very well, but yes I am very glad that I got the win,” Hany said post-match.
“I am looking forward to the next round. If I want to be one of the top players I have got to find ways to get through those days and I’m very proud to have got the win in the end.”
Amanda Sobhy will join them in round three after the U.S. No.2 crowned her 500th match on Tour with a 3-1 success against Georgia Adderley.
Round two of the Quilter Cheviot British Open 2026 continues tomorrow (Monday June 1) with the bottom half of the draw. Play begins at 12:00 (GMT+1) with all the action available to watch live on SQUASHTV.
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Results – Men’s Round Two (top half): Quilter Cheviot British Open 2026
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt. Alex Lau (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (29m)
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt. Curtis Malik (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (47m)
Adam Hawal (EGY) bt. Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1: 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 (65m)
[6] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt. Kareem El Torkey (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 11-4, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9 (81m)
[7] Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) bt. Abhay Singh (IND) 3-1: 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10 (76m)
Juan Vargas (COL) bt. Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-1 (75m)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt. Simon Herbert (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (41m)
[3] Diego Elias (PER) bt. Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-1 (32m)
Results – Women’s Round Two (top half): Quilter Cheviot British Open 2026
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt. Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-1: 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 (41m)
Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt. Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 13-11 (30m)
Salma Hany (EGY) bt. Torrie Malik (ENG) 3-2: 0-11, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7 (52m)
[7] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt. Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-8, 11-0 (27m)
[8] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt. Nardine Garas (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3 (54m)
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt. Georgia Adderley (SCO) 3-1: 11-8, 2-11, 11-8, 11-6 (45m)
Melissa Alves (FRA) bt. [14] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 12-10 (69m)
Draw – Men’s Round Two (bottom half): To Be Played June 1
[4] Karim Gawad (EGY) v Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI)
Timothy Brownell (USA) v Leonel Cardenas (MEX)
Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) v Yahya Elnawasany (EGY)
Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) v [8] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG)
[5] Joel Makin (WAL) v Veer Chotrani (IND)
Auguste Dussourd (FRA) v Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v Declan James (ENG)
Sam Todd (ENG) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)
Draw – Women’s Round Two (bottom half): To Be Played June 1
[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) v Aira Azman (MAS)
Nour Heikal (EGY) v Nele Gilis (BEL)
Marina Stefanoni (USA) v Sana Ibrahim (EGY)
Nadien Elhammamy (EGY) v [6] Satomi Watanabe (JPN)
[5] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v Lucy Turmel (ENG)
Malak Khafagy (EGY) v Georgina Kennedy (ENG)
Nada Abbas (EGY) v Sin Yuk Chan (HKG)
Hana Moataz (EGY) v [2] Nour ElSherbini (EGY)
