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Beng Hee had a very heavy match against Mohamed El Shorbagy in Macau last week, a match that he should have won several times, and still lost. Up in every game, and 9/3 in the 5th, he just couldn’t close it.

And maybe this match was on his mind today….

From a purely technical point, BH’s length was just not up to scratch in the first two games. His attempts to go long would stop high and mid court, just imagine what Hisham was doing with that!!!! A feast for the Egyptian shot maker (or is that a pleonasm???)

In the third, finally, BH was able to find some decent length and immediately managed to put his opponent under so much more pressure, leading quickly 5/2 then 6/4. But Hisham dug in, 6/6, 7/7, before BH imposed himself 11/7.

And the momentum was completely on the Malaysian side, to be honest, I was sure we were going for a decider. 5/5. 7/7. 9/7 for BH who looked good and fresh, whereas Hisham was tinning point after point. But the Egyptian, again, clawed back in the match, at 9/9, and in no time, closed it down 11/9.

Some ridiculously great squash in there, Hisham focused and fast most of the time, still a few too many errors, but to be expected with that high risk game. And BH, well, not completely in the match at times I thought….

Last time I played on that court was in 2008, against Cameron in the first round then Elbolorossy. It was the first time we were playing to 11, and I remember that Omar didn’t like it one bit! And I remember feeling comfortable on there, and that it was dead.

Today, it was fine when I went on court, but it’s after 10, 15m that your vision becomes blurry on the right side, so you’ve got to get used to it.

In the first two games, I was playing well, very accurate and taking the ball very early. I could see Beng Hee trying to compete and prevent me from taking the ball so early.

In the third, his length got so much better, and he was in front of me all the time, and I went down mentally, the ball felt different, the court was different, not sure why.

And a few months ago, I probably would have lost that kind of match in five, whereas now, I feel stronger both mentally and physically, and it’s a good feeling to know that you can actually come back, it gives you confidence to keep going.

All credit to BH, I used to watch him play, when he came to Egypt for the World Junior U19, he was such a great attacker, his counterattacking was the best, and after watching him play in Macau, I feel that he’s going to make a good come back and he deserves it.

I’m trying to find the lines, because that’s the way the game of squash should be played.

In the past, I’ve been able to get away with playing short from the start. But what do you do if your short game doesn’t work? You lose. And I want to play real squash.

In the third, I gave him too much time on the ball, as he can push off the T pretty quickly.

He basically ran away with the game, especially as this court is really rewarding and that his shots were going in nicely. And it’s not that I didn’t try, even at 9/3 down I still tried, I didn’t give up.

It’s the first time I've played him, but I’ve been watching him, and I’m glad to see that he doesn’t give cheap points anymore like he used to. He is a solid player now…

All credit to Greg, I thought he played quite well in the first two games.

It was tough for a few matches, 2/1 against Mueller in Qatar, and the concentration went. In Macau last week, Hisham was playing ridiculous, I always enjoy playing against him, but again, focus gone, and point of no return, in the worlds against Alister, the same, 1/0 and 5/1 up, switched off…

So today, I just needed to stay on there, I had friends from Malaysia here, that helped… Today, I had to do it, it was important for me. At the end of the day, you’ve got to love what you do, and squash is much more than a job. And I worked so hard in the summer, I just stopped enjoying it, at the Worlds, I didn’t enjoy it, but I had to do it…



I was having so much trouble just spotting the ball, that I couldn’t really think about what I was doing or a game plan. Already, I’m not that comfortable on a glass court, although it got a bit better, but getting on there without having practice, especially against Azlan who was playing such accurate squash…

I just didn’t have any marks, mind you, it’s my fault I guess, I should have taken more time on there today…

I didn’t do anything special, I just tried to play good squash. I was happy with the court, I played some accurate and fine shots. I’m feeling confident at the moment, with my victory in Macau and my five setter against Nick in the Worlds, and I’m hoping I’ll be doing well, and maybe something special here.

Tomorrow, I’m playing Azlan, I’ve played him twice this year and I beat him twice, but I saw him play today, he is in great form, and it will be a tough match, and I know we’ll both give our utmost best.

Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt [8] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
           11/3, 11/9, 11/5 (45m)

Yes, it’s been a long time since I beat Thierry…

I was a bit fortunate as Thierry was flat today. He was in the final of Macau two days ago, and although he’s good at backing up those matches, it’s still a lot of squash. Plus he was a bit unfortunate to play upstairs on the traditional court, on a very bouncy court.

We played in the Worlds, and I thought he played me beautifully, whereas today, I was able to control the game better and stick to my game plan…

 

Well, I thought I had recovered, I had two whole days of rest, but once I got on there, mentally, and physically, I realised I was flat. Completely flat.

In the second, I just lacked lucidity, I play the wrong shot, and make errors at the crucial times….

I tried to push to the front, but on those courts, they just absorb everything, you can’t get the ball to the back, and he managed to get in front of me constantly. Accuracy, he was better, he was moving better, and once he gets in front, well, that man is a control tower ! He dispatches shots at will…

In Macau, I was in competition with players that are just under me ranking wise, and who beat me recently, so I had revenges to take, and I really had to push so hard, Mosaad, Borja, Hisham. Really had to push physically and mentally, and I realise now that it took more out of me than I thought.

The first was so tough, I had 5 game balls, if I had taken any of the previous ones, maybe it wouldn’t have taken so much out of me.

He is so fast on court, he is ridiculously quick, he won virtually 90% of the rallies, he killed me there! I didn’t play badly, he was just faster and played better than I did.

A typical up and down the wall match, with long rallies…

Only joking.

This was a very fast, beautiful, accurate, inventive, gentleman like, stunning game of squash. Played by two artists, very few lets, and played at the fastest pace ever, making Hisham’s pace slightly snail-like.

The first game was stunningly intense, both playing their game as in, long drop shots, exquisite volley drop shots, stunning retrieving, and all that played at an incredible pace sprinkled with flair, accuracy and fair play. A dream. Tarek was leading for most of it, and even got two game balls, but it’s the Swiss who, after four unsuccessful game balls, took the game 17/15 in 18m.

The second, Nicki just suffered from the intensity of the work done, 11/4 Tarek in 6m. The third, well, the Swiss had recovered, and again, the same style of game as in the first, close up to 7/7, 8/8, but a drop shot and two tins, and Tarek is now up 2/1, 11/8 in the 3rd.

The last one, well, was as ridiculously beautiful as the first one, but Tarek, all full of confidence, just soared and took even more amplitude in his coverage of the court, going for some outrageous shots that even the Swiss applauded bless his sweet little broken heart. Match to Tarek, 11/7 in ten long minutes.

Loved every minute of it. Although it meant missing out completely on the match of the day, Tom beating Mathieu 12/10 in the 5th in 77m…. Blast.

I’m building my confidence every tournament. I started the season with my confidence at its lowest, and slowly, slowly, it’s building up.

Our game is really similar. And there is something, when you work so hard for a rally, and you run and run, and the next point, he puts the return of serve in the nick! It sucks!!!!!!!!! I’ve been doing that for years, but I really don’t enjoy it being done to me!!

Nicolas is an extremely talented player, and to be honest at the end of the first, I thought to myself, if I keep doing that, I’m going to die…. But inside me, I had that little voice that was telling me that he wouldn’t be able to keep up that kind of speed and pace forever. And eventually, he slowed down.

In the 4th, we both had the rush of adrenalin, and I was getting a bit tired, so I went for some risky shots, they went in so well, I think I was a bit lucky. He kept pushing till the end, and I’m so glad I got through…

Tom Richards (Eng) bt [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (Fra)
            8/11, 11/5, 11/8, 2/11, 12/10 (77m)

The match was brutal, we've played each other since we were very young and always seem to have 5 game matches and This was every bit as tough as the rest of them.

It's always a pleasure to play Mathieu as he's a fair honest player so we can just play, Also after a couple of 1st round losses i really really wanted to win today and maybe that got me through in the end, off to the ice bath!



I lost 12/10 in the 5th, after having 2 match balls. Needless to say I’m disappointed, but the results from the two tournaments in China are positive.

Having shed a stone and having had a good preparation, I feel the level of my game has raised a notch, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my coaches in Aix – Fred and André, plus my physical trainer, Arnaud Hays, who are working with me on a daily basis.

I went through a bit of a dry spell during Santiago and Rotterdam, and I’m happy now to show a different energy. Will do my best for that momentum to keep going…

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