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Thu
15th, Day FOUR, Last 16 ...
Fram
reports, Steve Clicks away, and Malcolm rules... |
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Men's Second Round:
[1] Karim Darwish
bt [11] Laurens Jan Anjema
11/9, 8/11, 11/7, 11/7 (53m)
Azlan Iskandar bt [5] David Palmer
6/11, 12/10, 11/7, 7/11, 11/4 (72m)
[3] Amr Shabana bt [14] Mohamed El Shorbagy
12/10, 11/5, 11/9 (55m)
Daryl Selby bt [7] Peter Barker
11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (40m)
[8] James Willstrop bt [13] Stewart Boswell
11/9, 17/15, 11/5 (49m)
[4] Ramy Ashour bt [10] Alister Walker
11/1, 7/11, 11/4, 11/7 (44m)
[6] Thierry Lincou bt [12] Aamir Atlas Khan
11/7, 2/11, 11/2, 11/2 (39m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier bt [9] Adrian Grant
11/5, 16/14, 7/3 rtd (87m)
Women's Second Round:
[1] Nicol David bt [13] Rebecca Chiu
11/3, 11/6, 11/3 (26m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf bt Engy Kheirallah
11/7, 5/11, 11/5, 11/5 (47m)
[4] Alison Waters bt [16] Raneem El Weleily
11/7, 11/7, 11/6 (31m)
[8] Laura Massaro bt [15] Dominique Lloyd-Walter
11/6, 11/6, 14/12 (42m)
[7] Madeline Perry bt [Q] Donna Urquhart
11/7, 11/8, 11/6 (28m)
[3] Rachael Grinham bt [9] Kasey Brown
11/7, 9/11, 11/9, 11/6 (38m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy bt [10] Isabelle Stoehr
10/12, 11/6, 11/7, 11/9 (43m)
[2] Natalie Grinham v [14]
Camille Serme
Grinham w/d ill |
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Photo Galleries
En Bref
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Seeds start to tumble in Hong Kong
If there were no major shocks yesterday, that trend didn't
continue into today's last sixteen rounds.
The afternoon brought news that women's second seed Natalie
Grinham had been forced to pull out after stomach bug that
left her ill all night and too weak to play.
"I'm really disappointed as I have been playing well and was
really prepared for this week," said a disappointed Natalie.
It's a title I haven't won but I have been hit hard by this
overnight so I guess I will have to wait another year to try
again." For Camille Serme it's a trip to the quarters
this year ...
That was the end of the upsets as far as the women were
concerned, although Jenny Duncalf, Rachael Grinham
and Omneya Abdel Kawy were all taken to four games.
The upsets came early in the men's draw, with Azlan Iskandar
recovering from a slow start to oust fifth seed David Palmer in
a five-game thriller, then Daryl Selby played one of his
best matches to beat fellow-Englishman Peter Barker, the seventh
seed, in straight games.
Top seeds Karim Darwish and Gregory Gaultier
didn't have it all their own way, both made to work hard to get
past LJ Anjema and Adrian Grant, respectively.
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[7] Madeline Perry
bt [Q] Donna Urquhart
11/7, 11/8, 11/6 (28m)
Perry in Control
Malcolm reports
Donna Urquhart was the only qualifier in either the men's or
women's event to make the first round. Her recent results have
marked her as an improved player, as Madeline Perry's
magnificent efforts at the British Open have done for her.
Urquhart began with positive intent, but unforced errors
combined with Perry's greater patience and steadiness meant that
Perry took the first game 11/7.
Nothing much changed in the second game, as Perry, confident
from her recent exploits, played with patience and discretion,
as Urquhart continued to play interestingly, but with too high
an error rate. Perry went 2/0 up and fortified by the lead
increased her attack, playing more adventurously in the third.
It was a thoroughly satisfactory performance by Perry and
despite her too high error rate Urquhart showed much promise and
is easy on the eye in all respects.
On current form Perry will trouble the best and for Urquhart
there is much more to come.
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[1] Nicol David
bt [13] Rebecca Chiu
11/3, 11/6, 11/3 (26m)
David still on top
Before today the WISPA head to
heads between Nicol David & Rebecca Chiu stood at 10 - 0 to the
Malaysian; and despite the insistent urgings of the crowd the
home girl couldn't come close to notching her first.
David's weight of shot was greater. Her placement too precise.
Her ability to keep reaching and return the ball too
demoralising. Much like a fly that no amount of swatting could
get rid of, David kept on buzzing round her opponent.
It wasn't as if Chiu didn't try to go toe to toe with the world
number one, it was just that too many winners were banged in
against her, too many errors induced.
The straightforward scoreline didn't flatter David, but nor did
it reflect the effort made by Chiu for her meagre points total.
David 11, Chiu 0.
 "I
knew I'd have to play well today, against Rebecca on her home
court with her home crowd supporting her.
"I was moving well, hitting my shots well from the start, and
maybe she didn't play her best but once I got on top I was
trying not to allow her to get back into it.
"It's good to get through to the quarters 3/0, and I felt my
game move up a level from yesterday, so hopefully I can go up
again tomorrow."
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[8] Laura Massaro
bt [15] Dominique Lloyd-Walter
11/6, 11/6,
14/12 (42m)
Laura denies Dominique
Aisling Blake reports
When you lose there's always one shot or moment that keeps you
awake til the small hours, particularly in a close match. For
Dominique I think this may be her forehand volley kill that just
clipped the tin which would have given her the third game
against Laura Massaro.
 Although
Laura looked the more dominant player in the first two games
Dominique certainly made her work point for point especially in
the early stages of both games. They followed a similar pattern
- Laura's tight length favouring the backhand side combined with
some deft boasts to ensure Dominique was constantly moving up
and down the court allowed her to establish an early lead in
both games.
Then the momentum would shift in Dominique's favour as she
settled in and starting pushing the ball into the back corners
herself. However, the lead Laura had at that point allowed her
to take the first two games 11-6, 11-6.
Third game. New game, new start.
Dominique started with a lot more confidence in taking the ball
early combined with good deep cross courts forcing Massaro to
continuously dig the ball out of the backhand corner. For the
first time in the match she took the lead 6-4 turned into 8-5
and 9-7.
At this point Massaro seemed to settle down a bit and cut out
the errors she was making earlier in the game but it was
Lloyd-Walter who reached game ball first with yet another deep
cross court that was irretrievable.
However, Massaro was down
but not out, having saved three game balls (one of which the
aforementioned volley kill error) she took the match on her
first match point. |
"I was relaxed in the first two games, I felt my body and
muscles feel relaxed and had the feeling I was flowing easier.
"Dom made less errors in the third and I think I made five
errors at the start of the third, I tensed up somewhat on my
short shots. When that happens, even if they're up they're not
going to be as good.
"She played well I thought, I was lucky to get that third game."
"Not too consistent today with my play, I think I played well in
patches but today she was more "on"."
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[4] Alison
Waters bt [16] Raneem El Weleily
11/7, 11/7, 11/6 (31m)
Waters stops Raneem again
Camille Serme reports
This was a remake of the their match in the Worlds in
Amsterdam, and it seemed like Raneem was up for revenge as the
match started.
From the first game, she was feisty, and both players set up a
good length squash, to try and find some openings. But at 4/4,
the Egyptian started to become impatient, and went for a shot,
or for a ball that ends up too high, which allowed Alison to hit
it to the back. Raneem is fighting, but the length is far too
good each time. 11/7 to Alison.
In the second, Raneem keeps up the physical pressure, but is
still too impatient, and her length is poor. Alison makes more
errors than she did in the first game, the score is close. But
it’s now the Egyptian's turn to make errors, and the game turns
in favour of the English girl, same score as previously, 11/7.
Disheartened at the start of the third, the Egyptian doesn’t
seem to believe in her victory. She still fights a lot, but
attacks too soon, with shorts rallies until 5/5. But then, the
heavy battle starts again, and Alison flies ahead 8/5 then 9/6.
Raneem has lost hope, and it’s Alison who takes the third, 11/6.
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[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy bt [10] Isabelle Stoehr
10/12, 11/6, 11/7, 11/9 (43m)
Omneya seals Isa's fate
Camille Serme reports
Those two players, who know each other’s game rather well, had a
bit of a difficult start, with Isabelle getting more and more
physically engaged, and controlling the T better. At 9/10 and
11/10, Isabelle gets in two great shots, and takes a very tight
first game, thanks to a good mix pace in her game who seemed to
unsettle the Egyptian.
 But
soon in the second, the French girl finds herself 5/0 down,
giving far too many balls away as she lost her length, offering
an open court to Omneya, only too happy to find great shots. The
Egyptian gets the game 11/6, with Isa never able to come back
close enough after a terrible start.
In the third, same difference as in the previous game, Isa can’t
find her length, and Omneya offers us her stunning panel of
nicks and winners, to lead 10/3. Although the French girl will
come back to 7/10, a glued to the wall backhand drive closes the
game down, 11/7.
The fourth is tight indeed. The players find themselves at
5-all, and Isa is more in control of the rallies, but still a
bit hesitant, not going for her shots too much. The Egyptian
finds a good lead, 9/6, Isa crawls back to 8/9, finding at last
some good length. Omneya gets her first match ball, saved by a
still fighting French girl. But a lovely volley backhand
crosscourt from the Egyptian seals the fate of the French, 11/9.
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"After my match yesterday, I wanted
to produce a better squash. We know each other quite well and
with Omneya, I knew what to expect, her weaknesses and her
strengths.
"I started well in the first game, and ended on a nice backhand
drop shot nick. But I took a terrible start in the second,
losing my length completely. I fought hard to come back, by
lengthening the rallies, but she got her shots in quite well,
and I lost that game easily 11/6.
"The third game is the copycat of the second, I shouldn’t have
let her get away score wise, every time, she gets on court fresh
for the rest, takes a super start, and I find myself struggling
to find length, whereas I can feel her struggling a bit in the
end of the games, trying to finish the points as quickly as
possible, which of course, gives me the will to make the rallies
last longer! But I don’t put enough danger in my shots, and she
is able to keep her energy till the end…
"In the fourth, I take a much better start than the previous
games, but I forget to make the rallies last, and I was so
afraid of her counter attacking that I forgot to attack at the
front!! I didn’t mix my shots enough. I kept on telling myself
to go and force a decider, but on a bad crosscourt from me, she
finds a good drop shot.
"I’m disappointed, although I played much better than yesterday,
but the outcome of those past months is rather disappointed…
Still, I still have Qatar before starting 2010, and make that
this year ends better than it started…"
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Men's
Second Round |
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[3] Amr Shabana
bt [14] Mohamed El Shorbagy
12/10, 11/5, 11/9 (55m)
WHO'S THE BOSS ????
What happened squash wise today between Shabana, three times
world Champion, and Mohamed Shorbagy, two times Junior World
Champion was nothing less than a battle for Supremacy.
 Shorbagy’s
talent has nothing to prove really. It’s there, it’s exists,
it’s real and tangible. And that talent, Shorbagy wanted Shabana
to bow to today. And strangely enough, the Prince of Egypt would
have none of it…
The tone was set from the start, Shorbagy hit the ball hard,
deep in the back corners, mixed it extremely well at the front,
found some great lobs, a perfect mix between attack and grinding
work, and was quickly up 7/3, with no fault of Shabana.
But as Shabana complained to the ref about Mohamed’s elbow in
his throat, the match seemed to turn, as if the Prince had
decided that he had to do something to stop the storm. And he
clawed back to 7/7. 8/8. A few too many lets, as Shabana was
complaining that he was not given access to the ball – to be
fair, he was taking the ball very early, which didn’t give
Mohamed much time to get out of the way.
All that was like a power battle, a mental game. You owe me
respect, seemed to say 30 years old Shaabz. The heck I do, I
want to win this, retorted 18 years old Shorbagy. Honestly, it
was fascinating. And they offered us some great rallies, they
both worked very hard, and on his 3rd game ball, Shabana takes
what will become the crucial game.
In the second, it was logical that the heavy work the young man
had produced, coupled with the disappointment of losing the
first game would takes its toll, and rather comfortable, Shabana
took the second.
And it seemed that the reigning champion would take the third
easily, but Mohamed found the same length, energy, weight in the
ball and power he displayed in the 1st game, and what a
beautiful game that was, Shorbagy finding some stunning shots,
and Shabana counter attacking beautifully.
I’m pretty confident that soon, Shorbagy will beat Shabana. But
not yet, seemed to smile the Prince, not today…
 "It
was a three love defeat, but it was the best I ever played
against him.
"At 7/3 up in the first, I lost my concentration. I had a
tactical plan, which I wasn’t able to apply for the whole match,
only in patches. And now, I know that I’ve got to train harder
to be able to apply that tactic throughout the match.
"The second, my head was just centred on the refs, and that’s
bad. There were so many weird decisions, but it was the same for
the both of us, and Shabana again showed how more experienced
than me he is, how great he is, he didn’t lose his focus at all,
whereas I let go of the second game.
"I’m now going to go and prepare for the World Open, I’m hoping
to do at least as well as I did last year – I lost in the
quarters against Karim, and I’m wishing all the best to Shabana
for the rest of the tournament."
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 "I
played yesterday on the glass court, where the light is soft,
colours quite dark, a dead court, with a heavy ball, to come
today on the bouncy court, with a flying ball, and a very bright
light. Two completely type of squash in 24h…. that was not easy.
"He was hitting the ball hard and low, to try and prevent me to
have the time to see my shots. I remember when I was coming up,
I used to do exactly the same…. He was closing my angles, and
played very well…
"My aim today was to counter him, and see what he was up to. I
just couldn’t go for it, because he would start to shoot, and it
would become dangerous!!!! Because he was going for it, as he
should…"
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"I played pretty well I thought,
I’m working a lot with my coach Lucas Built, and I see that I’m
improving. So, although I’m disappointed with my loss, I guess I
shouldn’t be too much, as I can see the silver lining, it’s
quite positive…
"I was playing well up to one all, 6/6, and I started to play
silly shots, and it was downhill from there, even if I started
to play a bit better again in the 4th…
"But every time I play against a top player, I learn so much.
When I played against Shabana in Cairo, I got hammered 3/0, but
that was the best squash lesson I ever had. Without telling a
word, the great players teach you a lot…"
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[1] Karim Darwish
bt [11] Laurens Jan Anjema
11/9, 8/11, 11/7, 11/7
(53m)
 "Today
was very hot on the glass court, and against somebody like LJ,
it’s very difficult conditions indeed, especially as he played
really well, he was very solid. I was expecting/hoping to would
crack up a bit in the 3rd and 4th, but he didn’t at all… I think
that only experience made the difference today.
"Also, I just didn’t want to lose in the second round, pride I
guess. But had I lost a bit of concentration at any time, he
would have won, he was pretty up for it too…Thank God I won, it
was not too bad in the end…"
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Daryl Selby
bt [7] Peter Barker
11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (40m)
 "I
played very well, it was some of the best squash I ever played.
From the word go, I was comfortable with my length, I was in a
zone, mentally and technically, I was hitting the right length
and width really, I seemed to be attacking and hitting the ball
at the right time, and I tried to make him do movements he is
not comfortable with.
"Just before my game, I watched Shabana for one game, the way he
controls the rallies, he controls the ball, and I don’t know, it
seemed to inspire me a bit.
"It’s very difficult obviously, Peter and I are such good
friends, and I wish we didn’t have to play against each other
and that both of us would get through, but I’ve been on the
wrong end of it so many times, I’m just going to enjoy this one,
although I feel for him, I know he is upset….
"I’m looking forward to playing Shabana, once again, I’ve got
nothing to lose, I’m playing well at the moment, I just hope I
can make it hard for him, and see what happens… Who knows…"
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[4] Ramy Ashour
bt [10] Alister Walker
11/1, 7/11, 11/4,
11/7 (44m)
ALI FIRING, BUT RAMY TAKES IT
I only arrived in the middle of the second, as Alister was
playing excellent squash, attacking well, but on the foundation
of a solid deep squash, and Ramy was a bit on the back foot.
Obviously, Ramy had taken an “easy” first game 11/1, and I guess
pride must have driven Ali to compensate for the severe score…
In the third, Ali seemed to lose his way, went for far too short
far too soon, and Ramy just made a feast of his shots. But the
fourth was much closer again, with some pretty good fast and
clever squash, with Ramy finding some stunning saves and
reflexes, to take the match in 44m.
I’m so amazed to see how far Alister has come in a few months,
from a rather defensive game to a “Egyptian like” type of
squash, as Ramy himself notice. I guess the training on one leg
– to force him to attack more, instead of just relying on
physical qualities only – has now paid its dividends…
"Last year, I
played him on the same court, in the same round, and it was very
hard. This year, I was more cautious, because I knew the
consequences if I didn’t focused from the start.
"In the second, what happened is what always happens when you
play very well in the first game, you have that little devil’s
voice that says to you, tis ok, you can relax now, whereas I
actually couldn’t because he was actually playing much tighter
squash, and quite rightly, he won the game…
"Then I just released the pressure, thought more positively, and
of course, when you do that, you play better. It was a good game
I thought, we played fast…
"Ali plays a bit like an Egyptian, he goes for a lot of shots
and nicks, so I had to stay focused and be aware of him at all
times. And thanks to Hisham and Shabana for their good coaching
between the games…"
 "Good
game, that Kid is good!!!!!!! Did you see that first game, it
was ridiculous!!!!!!!
"I was trying to play my game, you can not only defend against
Ramy, he is going to eat you alive, but you can’t attack all the
time either, he is the master at it, so it’s all about finding
that fine line, that fine balance between attack and defence,
and I got it right in patches, but the minute you get off it…"
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[8] James Willstrop
bt [13] Stewart Boswell
11/9, 17/15, 11/5 (49m)
Willstrop on the edge again
Malcolm reports
Whatever the effects of James Willstrop's 90-minute battle with
Ong Beng Hee, they were not apparent in the first game against
Stewart Boswell.
Working the ball skilfully, as the courts demand, he moved
Boswell around, and stoutly as the Australian resisted Willstrop
deservedly won the first, always in front from 5/4 up.
 The
second was crucial with Boswell showing the quality that took
him into the top five before his back problems. Willstrop was no
longer in control and Boswell led early until he was caught at
8-all. The inevitable extra points eventually went to Willstrop,
17/15, the Englishman clinching it on his fourth game ball -
having saved four - showing the brinkmanship of the previous
night.
Boswell might well have felt aggrieved at being two down, having
worked so hard in an attempt to level matters, and for sure a
2-0 deficit never is, and certainly wasn't in this instance, a
laughing matter.
Willstrop asserted control early in the third, using the ball
well and went straight through from 6/5 to 11/5 to win 3/0 and
set up a meeting with Ramy Ashour in the quarters.
Both these players share mutual respect, and take no refereeing,
but such are the standards of the refereeing that even these two
were often disgruntled. As Willstrop explained, "we are not a
problem to referee, we are trying to help you!" Nor has the
three referee system been seen in favourable light here. |
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Azlan Iskandar
bt [5] David Palmer
6/11,
12/10, 11/7, 7/11, 11/4 (72m)
"I was moving a
bit better than David, and I think that made the difference. I
don’t think he was playing at his best today. I’ve always
admired David, he is my role model, and will be for still a very
long time.
"I was leading pretty much every game, I played deep in the
corners, good length to then take it short. I’m also working at
keeping and controlling my emotions better, not to get over
excited. So, I’m happy with the win, obviously, but I have to
stay humble, because I really don’t think David was at his
best."
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[6] Thierry Lincou
bt [12] Aamir Atlas Khan
11/7, 2/11, 11/2, 11/2 (39m)
SPEEDY GONZALES A BIT SLOW…
You know how much I enjoy Aamir play, I like his temper, he
never gives up, finds lovely shots, and runs like a lunatic,
hence Shabana’s nickname for him, Speedy Gonzales. It’s a shame
that Aamir got his recurring ankle injury flare up during the
Worlds, but the good news is he is now injury free. The bad news
for him though is that he is not match fit, and he suffered
tonight at the end of the match…
 Thierry
started very well, but the difference of court – he played
yesterday on the cold glass court, like Shabana – hit him a bit,
and he probably spent a bit of mental energy to try and adapt to
it in the first game, leading him to relax a bit in the second,
with Aamir finding some stunning drop shots and boasts, leaving
the Frenchman calling for taxis from way back there, 11/2 was
the punishing score in the second.
But from the third onward, Thierry just soared, and found his
game to perfection, lengthening the rallies at will, playing
tight on the side walls, volleying perfectly to keep his
opponent way in the back behind him at all times. The Hong Kong
crowd was only too happy to support “their man” – may I remind
you that Thierry’s mum is Chinese, and the whoooooo, and ahhhhhh,
when he was getting some lovely volley drop shots was quite
refreshing really.
To be noted the very little number of lets on this match,
although the rallies were quite long and disputed. Both players
seemed to travel fluidly, and I must say that was quite a treat
after a few stop and start matches I saw today…
 "I
really had to push hard tonight. The court was very different
from yesterday, length are different, ball doesn’t bounce the
same, you’ve got to change the height of the ball…
"A bit of the let down at the start of the second, an awful
start, I found myself 3/0 or 4/0, and I just didn’t bother
coming back into the game somehow. The only things I thought
about were to make him work to tire him for the rest of the
match, and also, trying to get my concentration back… Because
against such a fast player, if you fall out of the pace, you get
yourself at the back, and get punished at the front…
"I had to really push hard to get back in front of him, to set
up good length again, and I got my game back.
"At last I’m in the quarters, I’ve reached my seeding, and I’m
in the quarters, because after the not too good start of my
season, I really didn’t want to lose in the first or second
round…!"
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 "I’m
not fit enough, but I’m now injury free, which I’m very happy
about. Today gave me a bit of my confidence back, to be able to
play well against a top player.
"Hopefully, I’ll get my fitness back, and playing that type of
match can only help me getting back in shape. Still, it takes a
bit of time to come back from injury I guess…
"But if I was able to cut off his shots in the first and second,
from the third onwards, he played an excellent tight game, and I
just couldn’t do anything, he was just too good."
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[2] Gregory Gaultier bt [9] Adrian Grant
11/5, 16/14, 7/3 rtd (87m)
BAD BLOOD
I only arrived at 11/10 game ball for Greg [the Frenchman had
recovered from 7-10 down], but about 20m later, we were still at
game ball, 15/14!
The court was very slippery, and the court cleaners had to work
triple time….. That game was crucial, obviously - Adrian having
lost the first one 11/5 – and lasted officially 40m, although
you may want to take around 10m out for court cleaning.
 Still,
a very long game, that could have taken Adrian’s edge off, but
none of that. He took an excellent start in the third, 2/0, and
that’s when it went wrong. He went to get a fast low drive on
the right side, threw himself to get it, and scraped his
finger/hand in the process. Blood injury.
It took the first aid people around 20, 25m to get the injury
sorted, but to be honest, Adrian was so heavily strapped when he
came back he couldn’t feel his racquet, or play his shots
correctly. At 6/3 for Greg, out of frustration, he took the
bandages right off, and of course, bled heavily on his short and
shirt.
You know the rule, if you bleed again from the same injury, you
have to conceive the game, then allow 90 seconds, and if it
can’t stop, you lose the match. As Adrian was already 2/0 down,
that was it for the Englishman.
Silly end of a good match, really… |
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