[1] Joe Lee bt Karim Ali Fathi
               11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (30m)

It was always going to be a one-sided affair unfortunately.

Joe Lee got through to the final without dropping a game and Karim, well as you can see he didn’t have such an easy road through.

Fathi had nothing left in the tank, but he really did try to make it the best final possible for the crowd and his opponent.

Fathi’s accuracy had gone from his shots, probably due to how fatigued he must have been! Fathi just wasn’t tight enough as Lee kept picking him off and winning rally after rally. Lee was just taking the ball so early, punishing any loose shots from the young Egyptian.

The crowd was subdued as they could see Fathi was struggling from his tough matches over the past three days. Lee didn’t give Fathi anything at all.

In the after-match interview by Phil Whitlock, Lee admitted that he was “surprised that he was able to do so much with the ball and take the pace off considering how tired he must have been from his previous days’ efforts. He must be a pretty fit boy as he managed to do it last week as well in the British Junior Open.”

Despite getting to the final, Fathi was still a little disappointed in the 3-0 defeat. He was hoping he might have been able to pull something out of the bag when the adrenaline kicked in, but it was not to be.

Laura Massaro bt Emily Whitlock
           9/11, 11/6, 11/3, 11/5 (30m)

This was just a warm up match before the final. It gave the Le Sport crowd the opportunity to see a top player from the women’s tour play against me!

The first game was Laura just getting into her stride and I managed to sneak it 11-9. But then she came out all guns blazing and it was difficult to compete with her physical strength and she moved me all over the court, before taking the match 3-1.
  

WHITLOCK ON LEE

Technically, Joe has improved since I saw him last at the club. He’s much more solid and is able to deal with difficult balls.

Physically, his presence is noticeable and he looks as though he had much more available to him. But he didn’t need it in this tournament.

His world ranking suggested that he was the pick of the bunch and he was by far and away the best player. His attitude was exemplary and he was always comfortable.
   

WHITLOCK ON FATHI

For a 17 year old, Karim is technically not quite the finished article. However, with practice and training, his technique will improve and he will become even more devastating around the middle of the court.

Physically, Karim has a long way to go. But this is what you would expect when you step up to the PSA tour.

In 3 years time, I would expect him to be competing at a much higher level.

Like Joe, his temperament is very good and I am sure that if he continues on a similar path of the last 6months he will become a force to be reckoned with.
  

11/6, 11/8, 11/8 (40m)

[Q] Charles Sharpes

11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (30m)

Karim Ali Fathi

12/10, 9/11, 11/9, 6/11, 11/6 (95m)

Chris Fuller

16-Jan, Semis:
Super Sunday at Le Sport sees top seed and home hero make the final ...

Semi finals began at 12pm at Le Sport but after the second semi the glass back court was transformed into a 25ft screen for the Super Soccer Sunday!

[1] Joe Lee bt Charles Sharpes 11/6 11/8 11/8 (40mins)

The first of the Le Sport semi finals saw two friends battle it out in a place in the final. It was noticeable straight away that 18 year old qualifier Charles Sharpes (the only qualifier to make it through to the quarters yesterday AND to today’s semis) was hitting the ball much harder than in his previous matches. Possibly to try and keep up with Lee’s pace. But as a consequent of this tactic Sharpes found himself losing control of the ball a lot, giving Lee the openings he needed to win those long rallies.

Errors from Lee gave Sharpes slight leads in the beginning of the second and third, but Lee was just too strong as he powered through the rallies, getting Sharpes out of position and punishing him for any loose shots. Sharpes looked like he couldn’t find his excellent touch on the forehand today – but a few lovely backhand nicks equaled them out nicely! Although this gave him a slight comeback, it wasn’t enough as Lee took the match and made it through to tomorrows final.

“It was good. It’s been a tough week, having to play Alex (Ingham) who’s my best mate yesterday and then Charles today, who I’ve known since he was about 6 years old! We know each other’s game inside out so it was very difficult to finish the rallies as we both knew where the ball was going!

When asked about his foot faulting: I have been trying to sort my foot-faulting out, but to be honest it’s the last thing on my mind when I’m playing.

When asked who he would prefer to play tomorrow: I don’t remember playing either, even though Chris and I have been through juniors together and we’re about the same age. I’ll just let them fight it out and get themselves knackered!”

FATHI DELIGHTS HOME CROWD

Karim Ali Fathi bt Chris Fuller 12/10 9/11 11/9 6/11 11/6 (95m)

From the opening point, the rallies were incredibly long, with both players playing stupidly tight squash, particularly on the backhand. They moved each other all other the court and picked up some unbelievable balls.

It was even up until 8-8 in the first, until Fathi managed to pull away to game ball first. But with two mistakes it was forced to a tie break. This time he made two winners, and won the first game 12/10. The second was the same really, with long tight rallies. It was just about whether who would go for the short shot first? Would it be a winner, or an error? But it was Fuller this time who produced the winners towards the end.

The third was same as the first two. I actually don’t know how Fathi won the third. It looked like Fuller had his chance to lead in games. But Fuller made some surprising basic errors which meant 17 year old Fathi took the lead 2-1. The fourth was even until Fathi just looked like he was too tired to do anything! Tin after tin, loose shot after loose shot…This just gave Fuller the edge to break even, leaving it to one last game.
 
Fathi’s errors in the fourth game dramatically turned into winners in the fifth, seeing him go 7-0 up! After a couple of tough rallies, Fathi found himself 10-2 match ball up! The crowd couldn’t believe the comeback he made, they thought that was it. Fuller wasn’t about to make it easy for him though. Four points he won and at that point the crowd and Fathi found themselves restless again. However, five rallies later and Fathi won that marathon on a straight forehand nick.

This was a phenomenal match of attrition which came to an end with Fathi keeping his composure and putting away his straight drops with precision and accuracy in the fifth game. He needed to do this because he looked very tired and if he had extended the rallies unnecessarily, he would have surely lost to the steady game of Fuller.

The question is will he have anything left in the tank for the final???

“I’m so tired! It’s amazing really, the support I’m getting. The support of the crowd was the only thing that kept me going. Well, that and Phil’s encouragement in between games. I’m really pleased to be in the final tomorrow. It’ll obviously be hard, but hopefully I will be able to play well.”

All about Le Sport

15-Jan, Quarters:
Only one seed left in Rhos as Fathi delights home crowd

Three all-English and one all-Egyptian quarter-finals at Le Sport, and only one of the four seeds left ...
 

[1] Joe Lee bt Alex Ingham 11/8 11/6 13/11 (40m)

The first quarter final of the Le Sport Open began with the Number One seed against an English compatriot.

Both players hit the ball cleanly and move really smoothly around the court. In the first it was even until 8-8 where three errors on the trot from Ingham gave Lee the opening game. The second was even again – but only until 4-4, where Lee broke away to game ball. It did take him two rallies to win the game as Ingham gave it everything he could to try and get back in the game, but Lee was too far ahead.

The ball was being moved around the court incredibly well, by both players. And with the two of them picking up almost everything it was difficult to know when the rallies were going to end! It was even-stevens all the way in the third with Ingham beginning to play more like he did in the first, using his flicks to try and outmanoeuvre Lee. At 10-8 down it looked like it was all over for Ingham, but with another two brilliant flick shots it gave him an opportunity to get a game as it went to a tie break.

But it wasn’t to be, as Lee played tighter, and took the match to go into the semi finals.

Charles Sharpes bt Anthony Graham 11/7 11/8 1/11 11/5 (50m)

I asked Sharpes how his matches with Graham usually go, and he said the last time they played Graham won 14/12 in the fifth in a 99minute match. Great…

It was pretty much equal in the first until about 7-7, when Graham received a disliked decision and Sharpes ran away with the game 11/7. The rallies were long. Oh my days they were long.

The second was a similar story but Sharpes just had the edge as he played much straighter and tighter. The third….I think in the third Graham knew it was his last chance to do anything, as he came out completely fired up and slot in some lovely shots, rally after rally.

Sharpes described that game “as a ‘mare”.

But Sharpes then came out in the fourth with sheer determination to just, win! It was pretty even, but Sharpes sneaked it to 11 first today.

“I’m really happy with my match today,"

Karim Ali Fathi bt Marwan El Shorbagy 12/10 3/11 11/8 11/7 (60m)

This was the match the crowd had been waiting all night for, as “home boy” Fathi was up against El Shorbagy junior, who came 3rd in the World Junior Championships in Ecuador in July. The atmosphere was TENSE.

Fathi found himself 10-5 down in the first after errors seemed to take over his game, but somehow found something to pull himself together and get that first crucial game by winning 7 rallies in a row. That really pleased the crowd. But the second didn’t. I don’t know what happened.

Shorbagy did play well obviously, but Fathi just looked like he was deteriorating completely! I had to ask him afterwards and he just said “I just fell asleep”. Hmmmmmm…

In the third both boys played well. Really well. It was hard to know who would make the mistake first. Shorbagy was taking the pace of the ball and chipping it down the line, giving Fathi nothing to work with. It was mental torture, but Fathi maintained his discipline and waiting for the opportunity to come before attacking.

Then off they both went, all guns blazing! Then Shorbagy would start chipping again. Mental torture resumed, until an opening occurred.

This was the pattern for the rest of the third and fourth. But, after a long, grueling hour, Fathi just about came out on top, winning the match on a stroke, pleasing the crowd with that well deserved win.

"That was a great win for me! I’m in my first PSA semi final now," said a delighted Fathi. "I really am so happy to win in my “home club” in front of everyone. It was a hard match but I have to thank Phil for being there all the way through and giving the best advice – as always! Now I have to play Chris (Fuller)…..can’t wait!”

Chris Fuller bt [2] Eddie Charlton w/o

All about Le Sport

15-Jan, Round One:
Round One in
Rhos-on Sea

Round one saw the #3 and #4 seeds fall setting up three all-English and one all-Egyptian quarter-final set up at Le Sport ...
 

[1] Joe Lee bt Steven London 11/5, 11/7, 11/7 (33m)

I haven’t seen Joe Lee since he was in junior tournaments so it was nice to see how much he’s improved. Lee displayed a good basic game, getting good length, moving around the court really well, and his swing is much more solid now! London, considering he has had two tough qualifying matches, showed now signs of fatigue in the first game, chasing every ball down.

It was only in the last two games when signs of fatigue started to appear and, unfortunately, may have caused him to make more mistakes then Lee. But Lee’s ability to dink the ball in at the front then crunch a nice dying length definitely didn’t help!

The crowd thought it was a great match to start the night off, but it’s only the beginning!

Alex Ingham bt Mark Fuller 12/10, 11/5, 11/5 (30m)

Over on Court 1 we had Fuller Senior and another former England junior I know. The first was close! Fuller got a lead of 9-5 but Ingham pushed himself further to get to 9-9. Fuller scraped the next rally to get game ball but it was Ingham who dug in and found himself 1-0 up after going into a tie break. Both of them retrieved A LOT, but Ingham steadied ahead in the second and third.

Fuller seemed pumped up all the way through as he did really try to get back in the game. But I guess it wasn’t quite his day when mistakes began to creep in his game which gave Ingham the win to go through to the quarter finals.

Anthony Graham bt Andrew Birks
          8/11, 11/7, 7/11, 11/9, 11/8 (70m)

The longest match of the night saw 2009 European Champion Anthony Graham make it through to the quarters of the Le Sport Open. Generally it was a very close match between the two. In the first Birks came up with some good shots and dying lengths to start with, and Graham made more mistakes.

In the second Graham steadied and extended the rallies more, pushing Birks through his paces. The third was full of great shots winning the rallies, for both players, and the points were being shared out all the way through.

Maybe it was the referee’s decision that annoyed Graham as he lost that game from 7-7 to 11-7 in no time at all!

But, like the second, Graham steadied, and extended the rallies. Birks displayed really good touch at the front to win some crucial rallies. However, it wasn’t enough as Graham seemed to push through and win the marathon match of the tournament so far.

Charles Sharpes bt [3] Adil Maqbool 11/7, 11/3, 12/10 (31m)

I saw Maqbool practicing this morning and thought, looking at his insane racket work, qualifier Charles Sharpes had some serious work to do tonight. Sharpes was more controlled throughout the whole match, putting the ball in all four corners, working his opponent around the court. It didn’t help Maqbool that he made quite a few errors either…

After a restless first game Sharpes looked far more confident as he strolled away with the second with ease. But Maqbool wasn’t ready to make it any easier for the Englishman, making the rallies longer, not as many mistakes in the middle of the third.

But three vital tins saw Sharpes go 10-7 match ball up! But it wasn’t quite over yet, as Maqbool’s shots started to go up and took Sharpes, and the crowd, to a tie break. After a brutal rally, Sharpes managed to sneak to match ball again.

The last rally wasn’t such a good one – especially to finish the match on. After another long rally, Maqbool hit a really wide cross court and Sharpes – accidently - slammed the ball onto Maqbool’s racket, seeing it fly to the opposite end of the court! Seeing as the ball was going towards the front wall the ref had to give a stroke to Sharpes, which gave him a pass through.

“I’m really pleased to get to the quarter finals. I’m looking forward to my match with Ant tomorrow,” said Sharpes.

Marwan El Shorbagy bt  [4] Aqeel Rehman
         5/11, 6/11, 11/6, 11/3, 11/9 (51m)

Shorbagy played within himself in the beginning, making mistakes and looking nervous! It also didn’t help that Rehman looked really controlled and was incredibly clinical, taking the first two games with ease.

The turning point came in the third game when Shorbagy seemed to relax and go for his shots, and it also saw Rehman make the errors. The roles had reversed! It was a similar pattern in the  fourth game, with Shorbagy storming through 11/3. The fifth was a different kettle of fish.

Both players realising that this was their last chance and it was nip and tuck all the way, but Shorbagy came out on top, winning the match on a wide cross court that Rehman just couldn’t quite reach.

Karim Ali Fathi bt Michael Harris 11/6, 11/5, 11/5 (30m)

Fathi looked nervous to start with. Well no wonder, it’s his first PSA match in a main draw and he was in front of a “home crowd”. He just looked edgy, playing with real care as he was desperately trying to keep the ball tight so Harris couldn’t go for any random nicks!

As soon as the first was sent through, Fathi produced some shots of his own (well, he is Egyptian!). After many many long rallies errors from Harris began to creep into his game. It was a funny match to watch, as Fathi tried to keep the ball away from his opponent but also tried to show he could slot in a nick or two!

Basically, Harris was just outplayed by the young Egyptian.

“I’m happy to get my first PSA win, especially in front of a 'home-crowd', said Karim. He was quite good to play, good with his racket. I’m glad the tournament is here as I can have my coach Phil helping me, the advice he gives me between games makes a massive difference compared to when I’m on my own. I can’t wait to play in my first PSA quarter final tomorrow!”

Chris Fuller bt Declan James 11/8, 11/7, 11/3 (40m)

It’s always hard when you have to go through two rounds of qualification, and James’ 3-2 and 3-1 matches took their toll on him today.

It was a good game, a fairly well contested match. Mistakes from James cost him the first two, but in the third Fuller upped the pace more, forcing James out of his comfort zone.

Fuller just seemed too steady for his opponent tonight, although James fought like mad, displaying some dives (two in one rally!!) but it were those annoying mistakes that made the difference between winner and loser.

[2] Eddie Charlton bt Rory Pennell 11/6, 9/11, 11/9, 11/6 (35m)

Pennell stepped up to the plate as he rallied hard with the Number 2 seed from Nottingham. However, Charlton gave the impression that he didn’t think he was playing well.

But I thought he demonstrated to the Le Sport crowd what good, simple squash is…with the odd nick as a winner! It was quite a hard hitting match throughout, both players sharing points through all the games until one of them ran away with the game.

Charlton moves well, cruising round the court freely. Pennell dug in deep and gave it everything he could, but Charlton steadied himself after losing the second and clinched the win he needed to get to the quarters.
  

All about Le Sport

13-Jan, Qualifying Finals:
Qualifying complete in
Rhos-on Sea

Mike Harris bt Nathan Lake
     11/5, 6/11, 6/11, 11/8, 11/7 (44m

Generally this was a hard-hitting match throughout, with Harris going for some, shall we say, outrageous nicks! Harris’ shots seemed to stun Lake at first, as he just didn’t know where to look to begin with. He tried to regain good length and structure but it wasn’t quite enough as Harris had a lead too big to come back on.

Lake came out more controlled for the next two games, slotting in some shots of his own. Both players showed they were keen to chase every ball down, giving the crowd something to aaaahhh about!

Harris’ shots also didn’t seem to go too well for in the second and third, but suddenly the fourth was a different story! They were going incredibly well again. Maybe experience was the key..?

I have to mention that some of Harris’ comments to himself were rather amusing, but after more close rallies Harris’ managed to sneak the fifth on another ridiculous nick to see himself through to the main draw.

Charles Sharpes bt Richard Birks
        11/6, 11/5, 11/5 (35m)

Another hard hitting match here, Sharpes’ incredible precision kicking in right from the start, as always. Birks produced some good, wide cross courts but too many mistakes may have cost him the match.

The match consisted of many steady rallies, with plenty of running but even a rally which included Birks dropping his racket, picking it up and going for a full-length dive didn’t make much difference sadly.

Sharpes’ “amazing” straight backhand lob may have made contributed to his win, after the referee gave a “no-let” as Birks questioned whether it stayed in, but he might have been looking for the shot to be declared “out” as he made error after error so Sharpes stormed ahead to win the match.

Steven London bt James Simpson
          12/10, 11/9, 12/10 (45m)

As you can clearly see this could have easily gone to five. Both players produced great lengths and showed some solid retrieving, meaning long rallies took place. Simpson seems to like his boasts!

As he did manage to catch London out a few times, but Simpson’s opponent read them from the first few rallies onward which made things very interesting. After a 20minute first game, everyone could expect a marathon either way.

At one point I didn’t know what to write as the rallies were going on and on. The majority ended on lets – Simpson being a big guy, getting slightly in the way of the more petit London. There was sympathy for Simpson, as it could have been 3-0 to him, or it could have been a five set either way!

However the steadier London stayed more in control and managed to come back from 10-8 down in the third to take the game and match from Simpson. Credit to both players, it was a truly well-contested match.

Declan James bt Neil Cordell
      11/7, 11/6, 8/11, 11/7 (46m)

The last match of the evening was also a 40-something minute match, and an entertaining one at that! Mistakes from the more clinical Cordell definitely cost him the first two games, whilst James executed some pretty tight shots and, as always, picking up as much as he possibly could from the word go!

It seemed to be like this: the longer the rallies, the more decisions - including one let not quite good enough to be a stroke….if that makes any sense! More errors began to creep into Cordell’s game and James gained more confidence and just went for everything!

After scrambling for the third, Cordell was denied a place in the main draw as James came out all-guns blazing and picked up EVERYTHING to secure a win.
  

All about Le Sport