Marwan Elshorbagy Withdraws From World Series Finals to Hand Nick Matthew Dubai Swansong

Dubai, UAE, May 31, 2018:  Egypt’s World No.3 Marwan ElShorbagy has withdrawn from next week’s ATCO PSA Dubai World Series Finals due to a hamstring injury - meaning three-time World Champion England’s Nick Matthew will make the final appearances of his career at the season-ending tournament held at Emirates Golf Club between June 5-9.

Defeat to German qualifier Raphael Kandra at the Allam British Open earlier this month saw Matthew finish ninth on the PSA World Series Standings, which meant he missed out on a top eight place which would have seen him qualify for Dubai.

That match against Kandra looked set to be the 37-year-old’s last ever match on the PSA World Tour as he entered retirement but ElShorbagy’s withdrawal has handed the Englishman one last chance to bow out in a blaze of glory.

Matthew replaces the Egyptian in Group A of the men’s tournament, which also contains Marwan’s older brother, World No.1 Mohamed and British Open champion Miguel Angel Rodriguez, while World No.4 Tarek Momen moves into Group A.

Momen switches places with three-time winner Gregory Gaultier, who moves into Group B to sit alongside World No.2 Ali Farag, Tournament of Champions winner Simon Rösner and former World No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad.

The World Series Finals features a round robin, best-of-three games group stage format and Matthew will get his tournament under way against Momen at 22:15 local time (GMT+4) on the first day of the tournament.

Group stage matches will take place at 3:00pm, 3:45pm, 4:30pm and 5:15pm (Group B) and 8:00pm, 8:45pm, 9:30pm and 10:15pm (Group A) between June 5-7 with the semi-finals due to take place from 8:00pm on June 8. The finals will commence at 8:00pm local time on June 9.