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TODAY in Hong Kong:
Sat 28th, Day
Six:
Steve Cubbins in HK |
Semi-Finals
We're off shopping today - to the Plaza Hollywood shopping mall
in Kowloon's Diamond Hill district to be precise - where we'll
find a shiny glass court and eight of the world's best squash
players.
The women's semis have a familiar look about them, with the
world's top four filling the shelves, but the favourite item of
the last five years, Amr Shabana, has been discontinued, and a
new best seller was guaranteed.
In the event there were no upsets today, with fairly
straightforward wins for Nicol David, Gregory Gaultier and Jenny
Duncalf, with Ramy Ashour pushed close but coming through in
four.
[1] Nicol David bt [3]
Rachael Grinham
11/9, 11/9, 11/5 (35m)
[5] Gregory Gaultier bt [8] Peter Barker
11/7, 11/3, 11/5 (49m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf bt [4] Alison Waters
11/4, 11/4, 11/7 (29m)
[2] Ramy Ashour bt [4] Karim Darwish
11/5, 1/11, 11/9, 11/7 (51m)
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[1] Nicol David
bt [3]
Rachael Grinham
11/9, 11/9, 11/5 (35m)
Nicol's run goes
on
Nicol David is just one win away from an incredible sixth
successive Hong Kong title after a straight games win over
Rachael Grinham in the first semi-final.
In truth the Australian can feel aggrieved not to have at least
taken a game, leasing as she was, 9-8 in each of the first two
games.
David is a past master at closing out tight games though, and
after she had done just that twice in a row the writing was on
the wall. From 5-all in the third the world champion reeled off
five points in a row to reach a sixth Hong Kong final.
 "Rachael
and I have played each other so many times over the years," she
said. "I knew she would come out firing, and I just had to try
and stick with her. Fortunately I managed to sneak the first two
games and held my game together in the third.
"It's great to make another final her in Hong Kong in front of
such a great crowd."
As it happened:
Game 1: Quite a slow-paced game, both willing to place
the ball rather than rush things. Never more than a point or two
in it as the lead changes hands several times/ Lon rallies
towards the end of the game, Nicol comes from 8-9 down to win it
11-9.
Game 2: A quick start, 3-2 to Rachael in a flash, then it
settles down again. Rach generally ahead, gets to 9-8 again, and
Nicol takes the last 3 points, again ...
Game 3: Nicol off to a better start this time, 5-2. Rach
levels at 5-all but that's as good as it gets for the Aussie,
11-5, all over.
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[5] Gregory Gaultier
bt [8] Peter Barker
11/7, 11/3, 11/5 (49m)
Greg in his fourth final
Having ended the Hong Kong Shabana dynasty yesterday, Gregory
Gaultier is building one of his own, reaching his fourth
consecutive final with a straight games win over Peter Barker,
who himself created a real upset yesterday.
After a tremendous second rally - I hope someone was counting -
the Frenchman was largely in control of the match, making Barker
do a lot of work in the opening game and reaping the benefits in
the next two.
Barker persisted, but struggled to finad a way past Gaultier's
defences, and towards the end of the match made several errors
trying to force the matter.
As it Happened:
 Game
1: An absolutely humungous second rally, had time to go for
coffee and to the loo while it was on! Even up to 4-all then
Gaultier just gets the edge, pulling away from 7-6.
Game 2: Barker goes 3-0 up and doesn't get another point
... is the hard work he's having to do to stay with the
Frenchman telling?
Game 3: Similar story, Barker goes 3-0, but then can't
make much impression, picks up a couple of points but makes too
many errors going for stuff because he has to ... 11/5. |
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[2] Jenny Duncalf
bt [4] Alison Waters
11/4, 11/4, 11/7 (29m)
Duncalf in charge
Jenny Duncalf justified her second seeding by moving into a
first Hong Kong final with a comprehensive defeat of compatriot
Alison Waters in the second women's semi-final.
After a cagey opening, Waters seemed unable to settle, and with
Duncalf dominating the rallies Waters contributed too many
errors for her own good.
Only at the start of the third could Waters get a foothold in
the match, but that soon evaporated as Duncalf powered home.
"I'm pleased with that," said the winner. "We usually have very
tough matches, and I was a bit concerned after having such a
tough match yesterday, but she didn't play as well as she would
have liked.
"I managed to stretch out leads in the first two, and pulled a
few back in the third, but she can play better than that.
"Really happy to be in the final here for the first time ..."
 As
it happened:
Game 1: A close opening period, up to 4-all slowly, then
Duncalf races away in no time at all to 11/4, helped by some
errors from Waters.
Game 2: Similar, but this time Duncalf off to a quicker
start, Waters lengthens the rallies toward the end but loses
most of them, never managing to get on terms.
Game 3: Waters gets a better start, going 4-0 up, but
then it reverts to type with Duncalf on top, Waters struggling,
11/7 and the match.
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[2] Ramy Ashour
bt [4] Karim Darwish
11/5, 1/11, 11/9, 11/7 (51m)
Ramy's back in the final
Malcolm reports
The outcome of the all-Egyptian semi-final between Ramy Ashour
and Karim Darwish seemed to depend on whether Ashour could
recapture his scintillating form from last night's
quarter-final.
 Ashour
was off to his usual Formula One start at 3-0, then 6-1 in next
to no time in the opening game. Darwish, for all his racket
skills, was having to survive burt somehow managed to get to
4-7, then 5-9, but that was as good as it was going to get and
Ashour was, as he usually is, one-nil up.
Darwish, though, managed a 3-0 lead in the second, then,
surprisingly after the first game, went to 10-1 as he found
ample opportunities to attack, levelling 11/1. What price that
after the first game?
Ashour appeared to have lost his way and it was now of interest
to see if he could regain the thread. Darwish went 3-0 again, a
delicate backhand drop got Ashour to 2-3, then he took the lead
at 4-3, back on course.
With the bit now firmly between his teeth and re-energised he
raced to 9-4. Darwish got to 3-9 but beautiful beautiful
crosscourt drop gave Ashour game balls. Darwish was not done
with , however, and Ashour needed a let at 9-10, winning the
game 11/9 with a straightforward volley.
 It
was a family affair, with Hisham in, in his pink shirt, in his
brother's corner and Engy in support of her husband.
A lucky stroke, after Darwish had played a ball he might have
had a stroke for, gave Ashour the first point of the fourth. But
Darwish remained in contention at 4-2, though another lucky
stroke took the score to 4-all.
A brilliant recovery by Ashour took him to 6-4, then another
stroke - this time no doubt - to 7-4. A fall meant a
three-minute injury break for Ashour, after which Darwish
brought it back to 6-7.
Ashour goes to 8-6, a delayed backhand to 9-6, an error by
Darwish and Ashour is one point away from the final. A Darwish
drop - no let - pulls one back but on the next rally Ashour
dives, gets up to win the rally and is in the final.
 "It's
great to be back in the final," said Ashour, who before the
match had been admiring the venue, "isn't it fantastic," he
said.
"I was very tense, very tense, but my brother gave me some great
advice - sometimes he gives me too much too fast, but I remember
it.
"Darwish played so well today, hitting so many nicks, I had to
keep pushing myself. I had too much energy, it overwhelmed me, I
just had to push myself, push myself to overcome it." |
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