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Qualifying Begins ...
With all matches to be played
on the glass court at the ewz-Unterwerk Selnau venue,
today was the longest day of all, with eight
qualifying round one matches.
It was a good day for the English, with three players through to
the qualifying finals, not so good for the hosts as all three
Swiss players fell in the evening session.
  
Qualifying Round One:
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Mohamed Abouelghar (Egy) 3-1 Declan James (Eng)
11/9, 11/5,
10/12, 11/7
Muhd Asyraf Azan (Mas) 3-1 Andre Haschker (Ger)
11/8,
12/14, 11/5, 11/2
Kristian Frost (Den) 3-1 Jens Schoor (Ger)
11/8, 4/11,
11/2, 11/6
Eddie Charlton (Eng) 3-1 Patrick Miescher (Sui)
11/7,
11/1, 7/11, 11/2
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) 3-1 Rex Hedrick (Aus)
7/11,
12/10, 11/8, 11/5
Jaymie Haycocks (Eng) 3-0 Benjamin Fischer (Sui)
14/12,
11/8, 11/9
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-2 Aqeel Rehman (Aut)
11/5,
11/7, 10/12, 5/11, 11/8
Charles Sharpes (Eng) 3-0 Jonas Daehler (Sui)
11/8, 11/7, 11/8
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Fram reports from Zurich
action photos: Michael Baer
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 "The
court is a bit tricky, I was struggling to see the ball, and
when I thought I was doing a good lob, it would go off court!
"My backhand drop shot was not good enough today, he was able to
volley it easily and he does it very well.
"I just hope I’ll play better tomorrow."
"It was tough today. I played a long final yesterday against Ben
Coleman in the North of Scotland Open, arrived here late. So I
knew I was bound to be tired today, but I tried to keep it
off my mind.
"I was trying to keep up with him, instead of containing him,
and against somebody with his skills, it’s a mistake. At the end
of the 4th, I started to relax and scored a few points. And I
wish I had been able to do that from the start instead of
putting it in the tin…"
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Mohamed
Abouelghar (Egy) 3-1 Declan James (Eng)
11/9, 11/5,
10/12, 11/7
ABOU NEEDS A BRAIN
IMPLANT…
Bless his heart, I had the impression to be back in Junior days!
Abouelghar made so many errors today, and he was truly truly
lucky that in front of him was a player who was in a final
yesterday in the UK!
 First
game, the Egyptian was up 5/2, 9/6, 10/7 to take the game 11/9.
Very quick rallies, so many errors from Abou. And in the second,
same fast rallies, but it’s Declan this time who makes the
errors, 11/5 for the Egyptian.
Third is weird, Declan is up 8/2, while Mr Abouelghar’s brain is
somewhere back in El Gouna. Suddenly the Egyptian thinks playing
squash could be a good idea, so back he comes and wins 5 points
in a row within seconds; 7/8. A nice few rallies, good squash
construction, 10/8 Declan, Abou forces extra points, but a tin
at 11/10 and Declan, against all odds, takes a game.
In the fourth, excellent start from the Egyptian, who takes an
impressive advantage, 8/0, match ball 10/2, then letting his
opponent back in the match, only taking it 11/7.
Excellent effort from Declan, but a not so impressive one from
Abouelghar, who I’m sure will play a much more "brain on" match
tomorrow. IsA. Hopefully!!! |
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Kristian Frost
(Den) 3-1 Jens Schoor (Ger)
11/8, 4/11,
11/2, 11/6
KRISTIAN IN
CONTROL
 What
a pleasure to see the young Danish on the court today.
If his game on a traditional court can be a bit attritional and
a bit too much of up and down, on this glass court, he used his
patient and accurate game (in particular on the right side) to
frustrate and tire his German opponent, and found some lovely
drop shots.
Jens played a solid game, although he got a little tired at the
end it seemed. And as ever, some superb long drop shots and
volley drop shots, unfortunately mixing with a few errors.
In short, a truly pleasant and solid match, with good long
rallies, never boring, and both players giving everything they
had. |
 "I’m
not going to talk about me too much, but I’ve been working
extremely hard on the mental side of my game. I had some
concentration issues, which meant that I was losing my temper.
"I have been working with a mental coach for 8 months now, and I
can feel it’s paying off. Instead of arguing with the ref, now I
concentrate on the way I should play my opponent, and I realise
that when I want to argue, it’s probably because I need a rest!
So I really get more focused now, which helps my game. And as I
am 25, it’s about time I learnt to control my emotions.
"The left side was very good for me today, even if in the second
game he really played too well. The ball had softened up a bit,
and against somebody that plays such great drop shots, it’s
really difficult.
"But in the 3rd, I started to open up a bit more and played some
attacking shots of my own, which is a bit unusual for me! Plus I
finish 4 games in an hour!!! So, very happy with my game today."
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 In
the first game it was the first time I ever saw him play, and he
really surprised me, the pace he could play. At 7/3, I just
didn’t know what to do anymore, he was volleying everything, and
really putting me out of position. I thought, well, if you can
play at that pace for three games, you are going to beat me
anyway, so I decided to lengthen the rallies and vary the height
at the end of the 1st, I could see it was working.
I kept making it harder for him in the second, and by the third,
I think he got a bit tired, I was controlling the rallies
better, moving him around in particular with my high cross
court. But it was truly a tough one, and like I said in El Gouna,
now, it’s a question of consistency, and I’m hungry for victory.
I just want to play good squash.
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Ali Anwar Reda
(Egy) 3-1 Rex Hedrick (Aus)
7/11,
12/10, 11/8, 11/5
REX SURPRISES TAKASHI
A very high quality match, that could have been a first round of
a major really. Rex, looking more and more like Stewart Boswell,
even the hair now, as fit as a violin cord! Mohamed Ali, AKA
Takashi was totally overwhelmed in the first game. I arrived
back at my seat from writing the previous report at 7/3,
thinking whoaaaaaa, Rex is really giving the Egyptian some hard
time…
 I
think experience paid off today. Takashi never lost his nerves,
and kept sending the ball in the four corners, accepting to lose
some but moving the Australian around enough at the end of the
first and in the crucial second to really tire him.
The second like I just said was truly crucial, and truly close
the whole way. 2/2, 3/3, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, 9/9, Takashi
getting a game ball, saved by a tin, 10/10. A backhand drop shot
will set up another game ball for the Egyptian, and a tin under
pressure will give him the second, 12/10.
The third was again pretty close up to 5/5, but the hard work
Takashi forced Rex to do paid dividends from that point on, 9/6,
10/7, 11/8. And the momentum continued in the 4th, even if the
score doesn’t tell the story, 6/1 for the Egyptian, 10/2, the
Australian letting the arm go, some lovely shots/rallies but
still, 111/5…
A truly enjoyable game that was, very fit Rex that shows more
and more promises of a bright future while Mohamed Ali makes
sure the world of squash knows he is still here to stay… |
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Henrik Mustonen
(Fin) 3-2 Aqeel Rehman (Aut)
11/5,
11/7, 10/12, 5/11, 11/8
WHAT THE HECK !!!??
To be honest, I have not a clue. Basically, it was about 3 to 5
seconds rallies, for most of the match. In the first two, Henrik
managed to win the most of them, Aqeel made a few errors. Then
the next two, that looked like lasted about 5 minutes each,
Aqeel seem to be Egyptian, attacking every shot and scoring
nicks Ramy like!
The fith is even more strange, with Aqeel up 4/0, then Henrik
scoring 7 points in a row, 7/4! Then 9/5, and Aqeel back on the
war path again, 8/9. Eventually, Henrik wins the next 2 points.
Again, I have no idea what that was all about!! Win quick lose
quick like Basma Shorbagy would say… |
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"Yes, when you
play home, you would like to show what you are capable of, but
mostly, I play for myself and for my coach. And from that point
of view, it’s disappointing because I had game balls in the 1st
and it was very close in the next two.
"I think today it came down to the lack of experience on the
glass court –I haven’t been on it for quite a while – and also
of that type of venue.
"I was not seeing the ball as I would have liked, so you are
always a bit late, timing is a bit off. I guess I should have
been a bit more patient at the end of each game…"
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Jaymie Haycocks
(Eng) 3-0 Benjamin Fischer (Sui)
14/12,
11/8, 11/9
TOO CLOSE FOR
COMFORT
 If Jaymie won 3/0, it was not an easy match at all! Both tall
and taking the ball early, both volleying well, it was nip and
tuck the whole way. The Swiss showed some excellent attacks, but
made just a few too many errors at crucial times – like he said,
a bit of a lack of experience.
As for the English, it was a bit of a scrappy game as well, not
as in control he was on the traditional court of Egypt last
week… Very close indeed, the first game was close all the way,
with Ben having 2 game balls and Jaymie transforming the 3rd
one.
The second, excellent start from the Swiss, 4/0, but the
English clawing it back to 7/7 8/8, to take a crucial advantage
11/8 to lead 2/0. The third, again, not a walk in the park, with
the Swiss ahead 7/4 8/6, getting caught back at 9/9, and two
tins that give the match to the Englishman…
"I was never
comfortable on there, nor in control. Not accurate enough. And
I’ve trained with him, so I didn’t take him lightly.
"I was playing in England this week, on a very cold and
traditional court and I finished on Friday, but that’s no
excuse. I was not focused enough.
"He was pretty relaxed, and I think I was not positive enough I
have the feeling I was always stuck at the back. But hey, a 3/0
is a 3/0."
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Charles Sharpes (Eng)
3-0 Jonas Daehler (Sui)
11/8,
11/7, 11/8
CHARLES IN CONTROL
 A
trimmed English Bulldog, now more of a Pitbull he says himself….
No offence to Jonas, but there was always going to be one winner
today. The Swiss lacked a bit of experience on the glass
probably, and made a few too many unforced errors at the crucial
times.
Charles found his length very well today, and even if the Swiss
really showed his strength in the 3rd, playing a lovely
attacking squash from 6/0 down as he relaxed, having nothing to
lose anymore, Charles kept his tactic pretty well. Still the
third game was probably the most interesting, with the Swiss
crowd getting behind his man rather nicely….
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Always good to start the tournament
with a 3/0.
I was a bit tense, always in the first round of a event, you
want to feel your way into the court, and at the same time, you
want to play good squash.
Jonas played at a very high pace, and with a quick ball, it was
hard for me to do what I like, as in controlling the rallies.
But I knew that if I stuck to my game, and I would get the
breakthrough I wanted…
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Muhd Asyraf Azan
(Mas) 3-1 Andre Haschker (Ger)
11/8,
12/14, 11/5, 11/2
ANDRE, DOG WITH A
BONE
 If
Asyraf has got some good hands and finds the front corners
beautifully, André has got the legs and determination, plus
speed and fitness.
So that gave us a good squash match, lots of attacking for the
Malaysian and a heck of a lot of running for the German, who I
always enjoy the game of – shame I only get to see him for the
Team Events. I like his attitude, never giving up and working
very hard on each and every rally.
But Asyraf was just too lethal in the front corners, and André
finally bows, not without taking a superb and disputed game
14/12, on his 2nd game ball. As for the Malaysian, his racquet
skills are as superb as ever… |
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Eddie Charlton (Eng)
3-1 Patrick Miescher (Sui)
11/7,
11/1, 7/11, 11/2
EDDIE SURPRISED A BIT
 A
good performance from the 23rd Swiss Patrick Miescher tonight
who kept putting the pressure on the accelerator although it
looked all lost.
After finding himself down 2/0, losing the 2nd quite drastically
11/2, Patrick just took his chances at the front, speeded up the
rhythm, and truly played a beautiful attacking game, stealing a
well deserved game out of favourite Eddie Charlton.
The fourth was a quick affair, Eddie finding excellent length to
lead 10/0 and taking match and game 11/2… |
 In the 3rd, he
really took me by surprise, I took the second quite easy and I
thought I was playing well, but in the third, he took the game
to me, and upped the pace. And that’s alright, the pressure is
on me to beat him, so why wouldn’t take the game to me?
That’s absolutely fine, I don’t mind losing a game, I had a good
court time on there, and I thought I was hitting my target….
And the 4th, well, it’s the carbon copy of the 2nd one.
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