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TODAY in
Hong Kong
Friday 18th, Day
SIX Fram & Steve in HK |
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Quarter-Finals Day in Hong Kong
[8] Annie Au (Hkg) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
8/11, 11/9, 4/11, 11/6, 11/4 (58m)
[13] Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt [7] Camille Serme (Fra)
11/7, 9/11, 11/9, 5/11, 11/4 (54m)
[3] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [6] Peter Barker (Eng)
11/3, 11/8, 3/0 rtd (27m)
[5] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [1]
Nick Matthew (Eng)
7/11, 11/9, 13/11, 11/5 (90m)
[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [5] Laura Massaro (Eng)
11/5, 11/8, 6/11,
11/6 (50m)
[10] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt [15] Joey Chan (Hkg)
11/7, 11/3, 7/11, 9/11, 11/8
(43m)
Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt [4] Amr Shabana (Egy)
11/9, 11/5, 11/6 (40m)
[2] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus)
11/5, 11/4, 11/6 (39m) |
Gallery |
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A day of 50% upsets as Annie advances, Greg
and Nicol close in on repeat finals
Well, what a start to quarter-finals day as Hong Kong's own
Annie Au continued the trend of upsets in the women's event
as she came from 2/1 down to beat third seed Rachael Grinham
to delight the packed crowd at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.
The first two games were close, but when Grinham eased through
the third the crowd looked worried. Their fears were allayed as
Au took a lead in the fourth, their hopes raised when she did
the same in the fifth, and were finally realised as she ran away
with it in the end.
"I felt quite comfortable when I was getting her into rallies in
the second and the third," said Grinham, "but from the end of
the fourth and the fifth she was chopping the ball away and I
just couldn't get any rallies going. It was frustrating, and the
harder you try the worse it gets when it's like that - I was
still feeling fresh at the end."
Annie was understandably happy: "Very happy, and excited for
tomorrow! I was a bit nervous at the end of the match, I tried
to not think about it being the last game, just tried to win a
point at a time."
 The
second match was also a five-setter, and also provided an Asian
winner as Low Wee Wern repeated her World Open win over
seventh seed Camille Serme.
It seemed that whoever got the early lead won the game -
although Camille led the second 10/4 and only took it 11/9 - and
although the Frenchwoman threatened to come back a couple of
times in the decider, unforced errors proved her undoing. It was
a crisp winner though that took the Malaysian into the semis.
"I knew it was going to be tough, because in the worlds, she was
not in it in the first, but after, every game was a battle.
Today, she was much quicker into the match," said Wee Wern.
"What made the difference I think today, was that I was just a
bit more patient at the end of each game."
 The
first men's quarter-final was always going to result in an
English winner as James Willstrop met Peter Barker
for the third time in the space of a few weeks, but after
Willstrop had taken the first comfortable and the second with a
run of points from 8-all, Barker conceded early in the third.
He had been grimacing on a few stretches, was in pain after
stretching for one ball at the end of the second, and it was no
great surprise when he couldn't continue.
"I really feel for him," said Willstrop, "but you can't take any
risks when it comes to the knee and you can't play squash if you
can't run."
The upsets resumed with the second men's match as Gregory
Gaultier, losing finalist in the last four Hong Kong Opens,
gained a measure of revenge for his defeat in the World Open
final just a few days ago at the hands of Nick Matthew.
 The
first two games were shared, but the Frenchman mounted a fine
comeback from 9/4 down in the third to take it 13/11 before
taking the fourth game 11/5 after an epic 90 minutes to stay on
course for a fifth final, or better.
"I think we were both tired today," admitted Gaultier.
"Everybody knows that we were playing in the final of the World
last week, and that I lost. So today, I was dying for a reveng
..."
Nicol David, on the other hand, has
appeared in each of the last six Hong Kong finals, and she's won
them all. The newly crowned six-time world champion stayed on
course with her 33rd Hong Kong win in a row as she too gained a
measure of revenge, beating England's Laura Massaro, who
had beaten her in two of three meetings this year, 11/5, 11/8,
6/11, 11/6.
 Massaro
mounted a too-late comeback in the second but kept that momentum
to pull a game back in the third, but Nicol regrouped and looked
a solid as ever as she closed the match out in the fourth.
"I came out so fast in the first two, I just dropped a little in
the third and she found some good shots and played well to take
it," explained David. "I knew I had to come out strong in the
fourth and my lengths and volleys were working well."
"I know there might be some bad weather tomorrow but it would be
great to play at the harbour again, it has so many good memories
for me. But it's the semi-final, we just need a court to play
on!"
The unlikely dream of four Asian and two Hong Kong
semi-finalists didn't come about, but it wasn't down to a lack
of effort on the part of Joey Chan or the crowd, that's
for sure. Raneem El Weleily
weathered the early storm, and from 5/7 down in the first took
18 of the next 21 points to establish a commanding-looking two
game lead.
But a few typical errors in the third let Joey back in, and the
left-hander needed no encouragement - although she got plenty -
as she levelled the match with some scintillating and determined
play.
 Raneem
was never behind in the decider, but never far enough ahead to
be comfortable, so when Joey called her own ball out at 10/8 the
Egyptian was both grateful and relieved.
"I couldn't believe she called that out when three refs missed
it, all credit to her for that," said Raneem. "I felt good at
the start then played a few poor shots and let her back into it.
I was nervous in the third and fourth, I was trying to tell
myself the crowd were behind me too but it was hard!
"In the fifth it was already two-all so I had nothing left to
lose and I relaxed more. It's great to play squash in front of a
crowd like that whether they're supporting you or your opponent,
and I'm really looking forward to the harbour tomorrow.
After that brief respite, where the 10th seed reaching the
semi-finals was the expected result, the upsets continued as
Malaysia's Azlan Iskandar continued his impressive form
here as he removed fourth seed and five-time champion Amr
Shabana.
 The
Egyptian was disappointed to lose out in a close finish to the
first, and some early errors in the next kept the momentum on
Iskandar's side. A 9/1 lead was converted to go two games up,
and he maintained control to finish the match 11/9, 11/5, 11/6
to reach his first Hong Kong semi-final.
"I don’t think Shabana was at his best today, but I’ll take it,"
said a delighted winner. "My first semi in HK, a good day for
Asia, 1 Hong Kong, 3 Malaysians…"
Concluding the day's play - which lasted eight and a half hours
- with a typically efficient performance, second seed Karim
Darwish despatched Stewart Boswell 11/5, 11/4, 11/6
in 39 minutes to move into his third successive Hong Kong
semi-final, and make it a day with four upsets and four
'expected' victories.
"Overall, happy with my performance," said the Egyptian. "
Last time I played Azlan was in the US Open, I was not 100% at
my best, but normally, we have great matches, he is a good mate
and a fair player. Looking forward to it…"
Semi-finals commence the Cultural Centre on Victoria Harbour
at 18.00 on Saturday, weather permitting - adverse forecasts
mean that a decision will be taken at 15.00 as to whether play
can go ahead there, otherwise matches will be played at Hong
Kong Squash Centre.
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Full reports below, still being
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[8] Annie
Au (Hkg) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
8/11, 11/9, 4/11, 11/6, 11/4 (58m)
Well, what a start to
quarter-finals day as Hong Kong's own Annie Au continued
the trend of upsets in the women's event as she came from 2/1
down to beat third seed Rachael Grinham to delight the
packed crowd at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.
The first two games were close, but when Grinham eased through
the third the crowd looked worried. Their fears were allayed as
Au took a lead in the fourth, their hopes raised when she did
the same in the fifth, and were finally realised as she ran away
with it in the end.
"I felt quite comfortable when I was getting her into rallies in
the second and the third," said Grinham, "but from the end of
the fourth and the fifth she was chopping the ball away and I
just couldn't get any rallies going. It was frustrating, and the
harder you try the worse it gets when it's like that - I was
still feeling fresh at the end."
Annie was understandably happy: "Very happy, and excited for
tomorrow! I was a bit nervous at the end of the match, I tried
to not think about it being the last game, just tried to win a
point at a time."
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[13]
Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt [7] Camille Serme (Fra)
11/7, 9/11, 11/9, 5/11, 11/4
The second match was also a
five-setter, and also provided an Asian winner as Low Wee
Wern repeated her World Open win over seventh seed
Camille Serme.
It seemed that whoever got the early lead won the game -
although Camille led the second 10/4 and only took it 11/9 - and
although the Frenchwoman threatened to come back a couple of
times in the decider, unforced errors proved her undoing. It was
a crisp winner though that took the Malaysian into the semis.
 "To
be honest, up to recently, I never liked to play on the glass
court, because I didn’t play very often, and didn’t win very
often either! Also, when I was young, I was wearing glasses, and
couldn’t see the ball. But now I keep on wining on it, I’m
starting to like it a lot!
I think it was a high quality match for both of us, we really
played good squash.
I knew it was going to be tough, because in the worlds, she was
not in it in the first, but after, every game was a battle.
Today, she was much quicker into the match.
At the start, I was always a bit in front of her, and in the
second, I was really down with the score, 7/1 I think. But I was
making her do a lot of work, and I knew that I was still in it.
I only lost it 10/9 from 10/4, just a bit unlucky at the end.
The third, the rallies were so close, so disputed, she really
made me work so hard.
What made the difference I think today, was that I was just a
bit more patient at the end of each game…
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[3] James
Willstrop (Eng) bt [6] Peter Barker (Eng)
11/3, 11/8, 3/0 rtd (27m)
BIG DISAPPOINTMENT…
This is not the way you want to win a match. And it’s certainly
not the way you want to lose it.
OK, James had taken the first game quite easily. A cold court,
with a dead front and rewarding good length? When they conceived
the court, they put the name James Willstrop on it…
But from the second, Peter realised that if the front was dead
for James, it was for him too! He stepped up, found his normal
great length and width, and from that point on, every rally was
a battle, and there was never more than a point between the
players.
Until 8/7 in the second that is. Suddenly, Peter grimaced during
the rally, and immediately, it was obvious he was having trouble
with his left knee. He lost the next three points, with a closed
and sombre face.
Jade Elias, England Squash Physio, immediately attended him
during the 2mn break, tested his reactions, and the pain was
from what I could see coming from the knee cap tendon. Which was
not a good sign. At all.
Courageously, Peter came back on court, but after 3 points
played, shook his opponent’s hand, as we came to dread it.
“I really feel for him, you can’t take any risks when it comes
to the knee, you can’t play squash if you can’t run” said a sad
Willstrop as Pete left the court with Jade.
I’ll keep you informed of any development.
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[5] Gregory
Gaultier (Fra) bt [1] Nick Matthew
(Eng)
7/11, 11/9, 13/11, 11/5 (90m)
GREG, MOTIVATED…
It didn’t look too good for the Frenchman to start with. He
looked hesitant, flat and just not comfortable on there. And my
money well, was on Nick, who looked so sharp and fresh, relaxed
and in control.
But I guess that there is a point where you hit the wall? I
guess both mentally and physically. Nick has won a massive match
in Rotterdam. A massive title. He is the first man since JK to
back up two world titles. And in such a fashion. A little drop
in intensity was predictable.
Against him, the opposite. Greg didn’t win the title. He was
extremely disappointed, and let’s face it, hungry as hell. And
that match today, he wanted it. Badly. Probably more badly than
Nick.
 Turning
point, as the two players will tell you, was that 9/4 pivot in
the 3rd. Nick is clearly dominating. And suddenly, Greg scores
one point, looks straight at Thierry at the back, and shouts “Je
reviens” “I’m clawing back”.
And he did just that.
Applying just a bit more pressure squash wise, completely
relaxed, he forced a few errors out Nick, and made the rallies
longer and longer, feisty, intense, ridiculous squash, with so
many great lobs from Nick, and some special attacks from Greg.
The loss of the 3rd cost too much to Nick today. Knowing that he
should have won it, and be in front, was just a mountain he just
couldn’t climb. Greg, unstoppable, just didn’t give him an inch,
and fought as if his life depended on it.
But two, three days of rest before Kuwait, and I have absolutely
no doubt that the Hunter Mattthew will be back in action, in a
devastating form….
 Thing
is, after Qatar and the World, that makes 11 matches in 3 weeks,
and when I arrived here, I was flat as it comes. I needed rest,
rest and rest, and easy training. And I did struggle in the
first and second round, but today, it was just about fighting
spirit! My coach always says to me, I’m allowed to lose once in
a while against a better player, but I’m forbidden to lose
without giving my maximum.
I think we were both tired today, everybody knows that we were
playing in the final of the World last week, and that I lost. So
today, I was dying for a revenge…
However my body feels, I really want to fight till the end. I
can feel it in my eye, in my body. I had it when I was a kid,
and then, I lost it for a while, but when I found myself
watching the others play from my sofa on PSASquashTV, I realise
how important it was for me. And now, when I get the opportunity
to play another tournament, I’m enjoying every minute of it.
In the first game, I struggle on the court, I didn’t play like
the others did on there, and had only 20m practice this morning,
so I really struggled to see the ball for a game and a half. He
was playing some boasts, and I really couldn’t see them, I
didn’t move! They changed the colour of the court, it feels
really dark now, it was not easy. I was constantly late on the
ball
In the third, it was a toss of a coin! I was 9/4 down, and I
thought, well, win or lose, I’m just going to make him work for
it. And point by point, I dug in. At 7/8, 8/9, I realised that I
could actually win that game. And of course, when I did, it was
a great advantage for me, 2/1 up.
In the 4th, I manage to build a 3 4 points gap, but at 8/4, he
gave it a big push, and I really had to fight for each and every
point. It was hurting, but I knew I had to keep ahead.
I’ve watched James play today, he looks sharp. So now, no
celebration, just my normal routine, to get ready for tomorrow.
I know James didn’t have a long match as Peter got injured, so,
it will be a bit of a challenge… But then again, I love
challenges…
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Azlan
Iskandar (Mas) bt [4] Amr Shabana (Egy)
11/9, 11/5, 11/6 (40m)
 I
was tactically aware today. After the first, I saw he had a
little dip in energy, and took full advantage of it.
But in the last game, even at 10/1, he still was coming back
strong and fighting!!! I had to keep on my toes until the end.
I don’t think Shabana was at his best today, but I’ll take it! I
got a lot back there, and I counterattacked with interests… Oh
well, I live to fight another day…
A semi final, well! It’s been a long time since my last one, it
was Petrosport against Karim. My first semi in HK. A good day
for Asia, 1 Hong Kong, 3 Malaysians…
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[2] Karim
Darwish (Egy) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus)
11/5, 11/4, 11/6 (39m)
KARIM, 100% THERE
 The
Egyptian gave all due respect to Stewart, and played a clinical
squash today to counterattack the 'Control Tower'’s precision
and usual accuracy.
If the score looks a bit onesided, it doesn’t reflect the hard
work that Karim had to produce and how deep Stewart dug in to
try and get at least a game.
It was a patient game, with the Australian trying his best to
straighten it, and Karim doing his best to angle it!
Even 2/0 up and 5/2, Karim knew the danger, and gave us a great
closed fist as he won the point. And the same when he got to
10/5. A loud “COME OUT” tinted in the Central. At no time Karim
did or could relax, all credit to the Australian’s
determination.
 At
that stage, every point is important, especially on this court
that take of a lot off the body.
Against somebody as accurate as Stewart, I knew I had to stay
100% focused at all times, otherwise I know what would have
happened to me!!! He is one of the best players at that up and
down the wall tactic, he can rally like that for hours without
making a mistake. So I had to break that rhythm.
Overall, happy with my performance.
Last time I played Azlan was in the US Open, I was not 100% at
my best, but normally, we have great matches, he is a good mate
and a fair player. Looking forward to it…
Karim Darwish |
I wanted out of the court 9, be
careful what you wish for!!!! That court 9, well, we didn’t have
that pace on it, and he was today too fast and too sharp. And I
had to do too much work physically to get into a good attacking
position…
He didn’t give me much of a sniff today. I don’t think that I
was that accurate today, but then again, I just couldn’t see his
attacks coming, I was never in a position to attack, and ended
up on the scrambling end of rallies
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