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17-Mar, Qualifying Finals:

Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-1 Jon Kemp (Eng) 
                 11/6, 8/11, 11/9, 12/10 (43m)          plays Barker
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Grégoire Marche (Fra)
                  11/6, 7/11, 11/5, 11/4 (46m)              plays Grant
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) 3-2 Shaun Le Roux (Rsa)
                  11/9, 119, 2/11, 7/11, 11/6 (80m)  plays Richards
Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-0 Joe Lee (Eng)
                  11/6, 12/10, 11/6 (62m)               plays Shorbagy

16-Mar, Qualifying Round One:

Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-0 Joel Hinds (Eng)
                 12/10, 5/4 (conduct game), 11/6 (45m)
Jonathan Kemp (Eng) 3-1 Robbie Temple (Eng)
                    9/11, 11/8, 11/3, 14/12 (45m)
Grégoire Marche (Fra) 3-2 Chris Ryder (Eng)
                     12//10, 5/11, 10/12, 11/8, 11/6 (85m)
Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-0 Tim Garner (Eng)
                     11/6, 11/5, 11/7 (29m)

Shaun Le Roux (Rsa) 3-0 Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy)  
                   11/6, 13/11, 11/5
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) 3-2 Olivier Pett (Eng)
                    11/9, 7/11, 9/11, 11/7, 11/7 (73m)
Joe Lee (Eng) 3-0 Eddie Charlton (Eng)
                      11/7, 11/3, 11/6 (34m
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Kristian Frost (Den)
                      11/3, 11/7, 10/12, 11/7 (58m)

Alan Thatcher reports from Wimbledon

 building the court at Canary Wharf

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Day Two at Wimbledon

After two days of high-qualify action at Wimbledon it was Alan Clyne, Henrik Mustonen, Ali Anwar Reda and Adrian Waller who clinched their places in the main draw, and a match - or more - on the glass court at the spectacular Eastwintergarden venue in Canary Wharf ...

This is my first time in the Canary Wharf Classic and I'm very pleased to get through to the first round.

I have played Jonathan a few times in the past and I know he likes to attack.

I knew I had to punish any loose balls and I was happy with the way it worked today, but it could be a different on the glass court.

Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-1 Jon Kemp (Eng)
                         11/6, 8/11, 11/9, 12/10 (43m)

Clyne books place at Canary Wharf

Alan Clyne booked his place in the first round with a hard-fought victory over Jonathan Kemp in the first of today's qualifying finals.

All four games were close and Clyne stuck to his game plan of playing tight, straight drops to work Kemp into the front corners.

Kemp is an artist with the racket and even his opponent, Robbie Temple, made a comment about his "magic hands" after one amazing volley drop in yesterday's match.

Today, Kemp may regret taunting Clyne with the comment "Nervous?" when he led 8-6 in the fourth game after winning four points in a row.

Clyne responded with the comment "What for" and promptly won the next three points.

As Clyne dug in, Kemp's touch deserted him and the Scottish number one collected three points in a row as he got his nose in front at 9-8.

Kemp twice drew level at 9-9 and 10-10 but Clyne's drive and drop tactics worked perfectly at the conclusion of the match as he clinched a 12-10 victory to take him through to a glass-court debut in the first round at the East Wintergarden.
 

Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Grégoire Marche (Fra)
                  11/6, 7/11, 11/5, 11/4 (46 mins)

Mustonen masters Marche

Henrik Mustonen upset the rankings with another solid performance to see off rising French star Gregoire Marche.

After beating Kristian Frost Olesen yesterday, the 22-year-old Finn produced another display of solid, intelligent, controlled squash to beat a player 31 places above him in the PSA rankings. Mustonen, the world No.53, will rise up the rankings if he can maintain this quality of performance.

His thoughtful ball placement and phenomenal retrieving earned him the first game by an 11-6 margin. Marche hit back to win the second 11-7 and a huge battle seemed ready to follow.

However, Mustonen managed to put a stranglehold on proceedings as he nullified Marche's attack and the Frenchman clearly grew frustrated.
As he lost the third game 11-5, Marche received a conduct warning for racket abuse, banging it on the glass as he left the court.

Mustonen kept up the pressure in the fourth and continued to dominate play to win it 11-4. As well as his excellent physical condition, his play at the front of the court is clearly improving.

"I used to play Greg a lot in juniors and I don't think I ever beat him in those days. But in PSA I have a good record against him. I don't think he likes playing me. Maybe it's because I keep getting the ball back and he doesn't like that.

"Hopefully I will be a lot more comfortable on the glass court than I was last time I played at Canary Wharf against Stewart Boswell a few years ago. I was hoping to forget that one, but I have a lot more experience on the glass court these days and played pretty well against Cam Pilley in the Swedish Open.

"My fitness coach back in Finland had a good laugh when he read that you said I was looking physically stronger, but, seriously, I am feeling a lot stronger and am happy to put the work in to contain players like Greg.

"In the fourth game it was quite a mental battle because I could see he was tiring and I wanted to finish the match as quickly as possible, but I didn't want to open up the court and let him back in."


 

"I am very happy to be in the first round again. I played Nick Matthew in the first round last year and won a game so I am hoping to do better this time.

"It has been a busy few weeks with the North American Open in Richmond, then flying to Kuwait, then flying to London, so physically I am a bit tired.

"I had a tough match yesterday against Ollie Pett and I was feeling that a bit today.

"I tried to win it quickly today but after the first two games I lost my way a bit in the third. Shaun stepped up his game in the third and in the fourth I made him work hard from the middle of the game. I didn't want to make it easy for him and that seemed to pay off in the fifth when he was a little bit tired.

"I thought the referee did well on most decisions and it was a shame there were some incidents.
The crowd come here to watch the squash, not to listen to players arguing with the referee.

"Sometimes it can be funny, and that's OK, but if there is too much talking it gets in the way of the squash.

"If we are serious about squash being in the Olympics then the PSA need to tell the players not to argue. It just doesn't look good.  Whether the referee is good or bad should not make any difference, players need to be professional and concentrate on their game."

Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) 3-2 Shaun Le Roux (Eng)
                       11/9, 11/9, 2/11, 7/11, 11/6 (80m)

Reda rocks Le Roux in marathon

Egyptian Ali Anwar Reda overcame Shaun Le Roux in a massive battle lasting 80 minutes. Unfortunately, the match was punctuated all too frequently as players argued with the referee.

The first two games were very even with Reda producing runs of points at the important closing phases to win each one 11-9. He won the first with a spectacular flat-nick kill on game ball.

Le Roux received a conduct warning late in the second game but came out on the attack in the third. He moved 8-0 ahead before Reda claimed his first point and the world No.56 from Cape Town closed it out 11-2.

Le Roux began the the fourth in a similar fashion but from 7-3 up he allowed his frustration to boil over after several heated exchanges. Reda grabbed the opportunity to draw level as Le Roux became embroiled in arguments but he regained his composure to win the next four points to win the fourth and level the match.

Le Roux was docked a conduct stroke early in the fifth for abusive remarks to the referee as Reda moved 4-1 ahead. Le Roux brought it back to 4-4 but the Cairo-based Egyptian stayed in front for the rest of the match to book his place in the first round.

Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-0 Joe Lee (Eng)    11/6, 12/10, 11/6 (62m)

Waller adds to English interest

Adrian Waller clinched the final place in the main draw by beating Joe Lee in an all-England tussle. With two tall players (Lee is 6ft 2in tall and Waller 6ft 3in) there was plenty of volleying and some deft drops from both 23-year-olds.

The subtle difference in a 62-minute encounter was the frequency of mistakes and loose shots. Waller was generally the tighter of the two. Waller was ahead all the way through the opening game and although Lee pulled back to 7-6, Waller won the final four points. Lee led 5-3 in the second game but Waller collected four points in a row to lead 7-5.

The Surrey player claimed an injury break and returned to the court to take the game to a tiebreak, but Waller finished strongly with the two decisive points.

Lee led 4-2 in the third but Waller produced a dominant spell to win six points in a row to move within touching distance of a place in the main draw.

Only two more points went to Lee as Waller closed out the match. In a final indignity, Lee was punished with a conduct stroke after the match had finished for racket abuse.

Day One at Wimbledon

There were some dramatic matches  as qualifying for the 2013 Canary Wharf Classic got under way at Wimbledon Rackets & Fitness Club - five-game wins for Greg Marche and Ali Anwar Reda, a rare conduct game penalty for replacing your shoelace too slowly, and some domestic derbies to finish. Read on for the details ...

In the first game, I was up 9/3, and lost a bit of concentration, saw myself having won the game.

I tried to switch on again, but I couldn’t, as Joel took full advantage of it. It was particularly difficult as he’s hitting a heavy ball, in particular on the forehand, difficult to control.

It was a bit of a strange situation in that second, I was actually thinking of what I would do in the next game while Joel was changing his shoe lace, without realising that it was actually WAS going to be a new game!

It is difficult mentally, of course, for him more than I as he was penalised a game, and I was awarded one, but still, I was making sure I was not losing my focus…

Alan Clyne (Sco) bt Joel Hinds (Eng)
             12-10, 5-4 (conduct game), 11-6 (45m)

Hinds on the back foot

Alan Clyne was helped on his way to the Canary Wharf qualifying finals after being awarded the second game because his opponent, Joel Hinds, took too long to change a broken shoelace.

After Clyne had won a tough opening game 12-10, the Scottish number one led 5-4 in the second when he left the court at Wimbledon to change a broken shoelace. However, when he returned to the court, the referee awarded the game to Clyne because Hinds had taken more than five minutes to carry out the repairs, and was still not ready to resume play.

As Hinds protested, the Ref explained that he was only following WSF rules. It was a harsh call, certainly, but one that was difficult to argue with.

Hinds had started the contest looking up for the task ahead, matching Clyne in some brutally long early rallies. Hinds led 4-3 but Clyne strung together a sequence of points to lead 9-3, at which point Hinds turned the tables and launched a massive comeback.

He won seven points in a row to hold game ball at 10-9 but failed to close out the match as Clyne responded with two crucial points to win the game.

It was neck and neck at the time of the shoelace incident and the third game continued in a similar vein. Clyne led 5-3 but after Hinds had hit back to 5-5 the Scotsman took control, dropping just one more point as he advanced to the qualifying finals.

Jonathan Kemp (Eng) bt Robbie Temple (Eng) 
             9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 14-12 (65m)

Kemp profits from Temple errors

These two closely-matched English players produced a match of high-quality squash, decorated with some outstanding winners but ultimately decided by errors from Robbie Temple at crucial moments.

Kemp began the opening game strongly and built a 7-3 lead before Temple worked his way into the match with a run of points to draw level. Kemp led 9-8 before Temple grabbed three points in a row to win it 11-9.

The second game was close but Kemp moved ahead from the middle stages to win it 11-8.

He dominated the third to win it 11-3, and led 5-2 in the third before Temple launched a significant response. He won seven points in a row to lead 9-6 but a familiar failing let him down as he allowed Kemp back into the match.

The left-hander held match ball at 10-9 and although Temple took the game to a tiebreak it was Kemp who triumphed 14-12.

Promoter Tim Garner enjoyed his spell of refereeing, and numerous conversations with Robbie, before taking to the court to play Adrian Waller. He was forced to fill in after Australian Ryan Cuskelly withdrew this morning because of illness..

He played well in the first game and I made far too many errors, probably not concentrated as well as I should have.

I stepped up for the next couple of game, but in the 4th, it could have been anybody’s. It was 10/10, 11/11, 12/12 ...

I was trying to be patient, but it doesn’t work for me, so I went for a couple of shots, and they came off!

Not the best performance probably, but a win is a win

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I stepped in at a very short notice, because I don't feel that tournaments should have byes, and it was my decision to play.

Mind, as it's the 10th anniversary of the event, the fact it's the first time I play is quite fitting, and a good preparation for the 7 continent Challenge where I'm about to take down Mr Nicol...



It was tough, the draw only got changed this morning, and it's difficult because you are getting prepared for one opponent, and you get another. And Tim has been a top player, he's got a few tricky shots that sent me the wrong way several times in the first game, thank God he got tired at the end.

I'm quite happy with the way I relaxed during the match, I think I played well, no massive drama, and by the way, he's got a tournament to run, so it was probably a good idea I beat him today...

Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-0 Tim Garner (Eng)
                     11/6, 11/5, 11/7 (29m)

Garner's delayed Debut

Promoter Tim Garner finally got to play in his own tournament, after waiting ten long years for the chance to do so. The opportunity arose after Australian Ryan Cuskelly withdrew because of illness this morning, necessitating a reshuffle in the qualifying draw.

Tim warmed up for his Seven Continents Challenge extravaganza with Peter Nicol by playing another left-hander, Adrian Waller.

Tim more than held his own up to the mid-point of each game, and even held a healthy lead in the third, before Adrian stepped up the pace and the accuracy.

Waller, who was due to face Denmark's Kristian Frost Olesen in the original draw, meets the winner of the last match on court between Joe Lee and Eddie Charlton.

Grégoire Marche (Fra) bt Chris Ryder (Eng)
                12-10, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6 (85m)

Marche outlasts Ryder

England versus France is always a sporting drama, whatever game you are playing, and this was no exception. Grégoire Marche fought back from 2-1 down to win a match that highlighted national stereotypes.

Ryder, playing intelligent, measured squash, came close to beating a passionate, volatile opponent who lived up to his nickname as The Acrobat.

At one point, Marche responded to a No Let call by burying his next shot into the opposite nick. Soon afterwards he dived full-length to retrieve a shot from Ryder but then hit the tin with a volley-drop when a winning opening appeared.

Two of the games went to tiebreaks but it was Marche who finished the stronger player in the fifth. He hit back from 3-2 down to build a 7-3 lead and although Ryder responded with two extravagant winners when facing match ball, Marche closed out the match after 85 minutes.

He faces the winner of the Baltic Battle between Henrik Mustonen of Finland and Denmark's Kristian Frost Olesen.

"I'm happy as I'm now pain free, had a little niggle now for a while, so now it's just a question of getting fit again.

All credit to Shaun, he played very well.


It's good to win, especially against somebody who plays as well as Marwan, he's been playing really well recently.

I was quite happy with my game, I thought I played very well, very disciplined, limiting the angles and keeping it as straight as possible.

As all the Egyptians like to kill the ball, and play fast pace, I tried and contain him, as much as I could.

Shaun Le Roux (Rsa) 3-0 Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy)
                         11/6, 13/11, 11/5

Shaun stuns Shorbagy (jnr)

Shaun Le Roux produced a phenomenal performance to beat Marwan El Shorbagy in straight games. Every rally was a battle and Le Roux, who needs more victories like this to push up the rankings, delivered some quality finishing at important moments.

Le Roux began strongly, and he was able to protect a 5-2 lead through to the conclusion of the game. He led 7-4 in the second but this time El Shorbagy produced a run of five points to lead 9-7.

However, supported by his brother Mohamed, the number three seed, El Shorbagy was unable to make the advantage count as Le Roux refused to allow the game to slip away. From 9-9, world junior champion El Shorbagy moved to game ball, and again at 11-10, but Le Roux finished strongly to take the tiebreak 13-11.

The South African again built a solid lead in the third. El Shorbagy won two points to draw close at 3-4, but Le Roux won four points in a row to lead 8-3.

El Shorbagy collected two more points but could find no way back as Le Roux completed a victory that results in another Egyptian opponent, Ali Anwar Reda,in tomorrow's qualifying finals.

Marwan raced away from Wimbledon to catch a flight. Big brother Mohamed stayed to referee the next match between Joe Lee and Eddie Charlton.

Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Olivier Pett (Eng)
                    11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 (73m)

Reda punishes Pett

Qualifying successes can have a crucial bearing on career pathways and Ollie Pett will be kicking himself after allowing a 5-2 lead to slip from his grasp in the fifth game against Egyptian Mohamed Ali Anwar Reda.

As the Egyptian fought back into the game, a series of errors flowed from Pett's racket.  From 5-5, he hit the tin three times as Reda roared ahead to 9-5. Pett fought hard to collect two more points, but the Egyptian now had the ascendancy and won through to face Shaun Le Roux.
The match lasted 73 minutes and maybe Pett was feeling the pace at the end.

If so, the watching England coach Paul Carter is the man to do something about it. Pett is an intelligent, creative player whose game would sit comfortably at a much higher level. Adding those missing ingredients is the next challenge.
 

I've watched Ollie play since the juniors, we are the same age, but I never actually played him, and I was ready for a big match tonight.

In the first game, he played extremely well, I was maybe not completely focused, but he went on building his confidence in the second and third.

After that, I tried and keep basic squash, be patient and wait for the opportunity to play my shots.

In the 5th, he was very tired, I could see it, so I kept pushing and pushing, but all credit to him, he played amazing today....

It's been pretty tough, although I won pretty comfortably, because it's very difficult to play against somebody who is below you ranking wise, and who wants to be where you are! Plus, the added pressure of playing an Englishman.

So I never took it lightly or for granted, because this is the typical type of match I could have lost previously, and I'm happy I approached the right way.

Tomorrow, Adrian Waller, we haven't played for a while, we are due one...

Joe wins Battle of the Brits

Joe Lee looked a class act as he overpowered Eddie Charlton to set up an all-England final against Adrian Waller. I saw Lee play Gregory Gaultier in the first round fo the North American Open and he didn't look out of place on the glass court against one of the world's leading players.

He must be finally believing that himself because he was always one step ahead of Charlton today. From 4-6 down in the first game he tightened up his game and won it comfortably by an 11-7 margin.

Hard as Charlton tried, he was out-thought and outmaneouvred in the second game as Lee won 11-3. Charlton hit back from 4-2 down in the third to draw level at 5-5 but Lee again produced the better-quality squash and tactical nous to close out the match.

It was a bad day at the office for Charlton. 

Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Kristian Frost (Den)
               11/3, 11/7, 10/12, 11/7 (58m)

Mustonen wins Battle of the Baltic

Henrik Mustonen produced a dominant display to wear down the anticipated physical onslaught from Kristian Frost.

The Finnish number two played confident, controlled squash as he worked Frost from corner to corner for long periods of the match.

Mustonen is looking much fitter these days and some of the retrieving from both players was simply superhuman.

Mustonen looked much stronger as he finished the first two games with a degree of comfort. However, he blew a big chance to win it in straight games as he surrendered a 10-7 lead in the third game. Frost dug in and chased down every ball to win five points in a row.

He won the first three points of the fourth game but the effort clearly took its toll as Mustonen regained control.
The Finn soon moved to 8-4 and although Frost claimed three more points it was Mustonen who stayed in front to win 11-7 to clinch a qualifying final berth against Gregoire Marche.
 

Today, we had a really pleasant match, very few decisions, and not many controversial, which can happen sometimes with Kristian, so a very nice match.

A bit disapointed to lose the 3rd, I had a few match balls, and I guess I relaxed a bit, went for a winner, made an unforced error, and he gave it a big push! It's funny how easy it is to lose points, and hard to win them!

One thing I'm very proud of, is that I managed to win a few points at the back, not going for short short short, and finding great length. That is really good for me.



I'm not happy, because I really didn't play well. I was playing well recently, but today - although I'm happy with my general fitness, I just felt very tired after the first game.

I was pretty ill between November and mid January, two different viruses, but now I'm fine, training well, even if my preparation for this one has been a been altered to a 16 hours journey to Kuwait last week...

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