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Sat 7th Dec, Day SEVEN
Semi-Finals at the Harbour
Women's Semis:
[3] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) 3-0 [12] Annie Au (Hkg)
11/6, 11/5, 11/5 (26m)
[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-1 [4] Alison Waters (Eng)
9/11, 13/11, 11/7,
11/7 (58m)
Men's Semis:
[7] Borja Golan (Esp) 3-0 [3] James Willstrop (Eng)
11/6, 11/3, 11/9 (39m)
[4] Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-2 [2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)
11/13, 11/4, 11/4, 8/11,
11/3 (87m)
match
reports & extra quotes on the blog
Raneem keeps the crowd quiet
 “The
first game was the toughest and it was crucial, whoever won that
was going to win the match,” said Raneem El Weleily after her
straight-game win over local favourite Annie Au.
“I can say that now of course,” she added, “it seemed that
Annie didn’t try as hard in the last two, I knew she might be
tired after a hard match yesterday so yes winning the first was
crucial.”
In truth the Egyptian world number three dominated most of the
first game, and well as the subsequent two, with Au unable to
recapture the form and the winners that had brought her this
far.
 As
Emma Beddoes, who Au beat in the last sixteen remarked, if
Annie’s game is on she will trouble anyone, but she doesn’t
always produce it. And this was one of those nights for Annie as
Raneem dominated, keeping the crowd as quiet as her opponent.
“I expected the crowd to get involved more,” said Raneem,
“when I beat Joey [Chan] in five here a couple of years ago they
were fantastic, but I guess today I managed to stop them getting
involved.”
“I’ll just relax now, enjoy the atmosphere - it’s such a
fantastic place to play - and get ready for the final tomorrow."
David passes Waters test
 Nicol
David is now just one match away from an amazing ninth
successive Hong Kong title, but tonight’s semi-final against
Alison Waters was surely one of the sternest tests she has faced
in those 44 matches.
The Englishwoman made a good start, leading 5-2 in the first
game, and although David levelled at 7-all, Waters kept up the
pressure to take the lead 11/9.
 Volleying
away as she does, Waters went 5-2 up in the second too. Again
David fought back, six points in a row taking her to an 8-6
lead, then 10-7 It was far from easy though, Waters still
playing well levelled and earned a game ball at 11-10.
David saved that with a perfect length. and hit two more winners
to level 13/11.
Waters was never out of it in the final two games, but apart
from the early stages of the third she was playing scoreboard
catchup. From 3-6 down David took the third 11/7, and from 5-all
in the fourth pulled away again to take the match 11/7.
 “The
second game was so important,” admitted the winner. “I was
leading and then she came back and I was maybe a bit lucky to
take it at the end, just one poor shot from her really.
“That gave me confidence and I was able to impose my game more
in the third and fourth, but it was very tough and I’m really
pleased to come through that one.
“Raneem and I have played a lot of finals, I know I’ll have to
be sharp from the start, but I’m just pleased to be coming back
to play in this great venue in front of such a fantastic crowd
again.
FINAL FACTS: David will be appearing in her
90th WSA final, equalling the record of Sarah Fitz-Gerald, while
for El Weleily it will be a 17th final. The match will be a
repeat of the 2011 final here, won by David.
Borja
executes to perfection
 When
you’re taking on someone who survived a two-hour-plus marathon
less than 24 hours ago, you’ll go into a match with a plan.
That’s exactly what Borja Golan did tonight as he worked James
Willstrop, the 2011 champion, hard from the word go, and reaped
the benefits.
Golan isn’t a man you’d want to meet when you’re less than
fresh, he applies constant pressure, and today he mixed that
with boasts and volley drops that drew the Englishman to the
front time and time again, forcing weak or loose returns which
he would punch away to win the point, or to at least set up a
winner on the next shot.
 He
executed the plan to perfection, dominating the first two games.
Only in the third did Willstrop threaten to extend the match,
leading 4-1 before Golan levelled at 4-all, and fighting back
from 4-7 to 7-all and 8-all before a determined Spaniard simply
proved irresistible on the night.
“James had a tough game yesterday,” said a delighted Borja,
“he was on court for two hours where I had a much easier time,
and I think that was probably the difference today.
“For now I just want to enjoy the moment I’ll be playing the
world number two or three tomorrow, it should be a great match
so I’ll just relax and watch it, then get ready for the final
tomorrow.”
Matthew does it again
The final match of the night was a repeat of the recent World
Open final, and it was England’s Nick Matthew who once again
emerged the winner of an enthralling five-setter over Gregory
Gaultier.
 It
was a predictably tough and tight opening, heavy rallies and
rarely more than a point between them. Matthew had one chance at
10-9 but it was the Frenchman who battled hard to take the lead
13/11.
Gaultier seemed to be unable to maintain that intensity though,
as Matthew dominate the next two games, taking them 11/4, 11/4
to take the lead. Gaultier’s mood wasn’t helped by frequent
slips and the odd spill, increasing his frustration.
 His
intensity was back in the fourth though, as he surged ahead from
4-all, winning a fantastic rally at 7-5 which saw him on the
floor more than once but still determinedly winning the point,
and going on to level the match 11-8.
It was all Matthew in the decider though, as Gaultier’s level
seemed to flatten again. At 7-3 it was Matthew’s turn to perform
retrieving miracles to win the point, and that spelt the end,
Gaultier tamely tinning at match ball as Matthew advanced to the
final, his first since 2004.
 “It’s
always as much a mental battle as physical,” admitted Matthew
afterwards.
“There’s a balance to find between being aggressive and
accurate, and I was able to find the right level most of the
time.
“I’m feeling good, the physios really helped me recover from a
tough match against Shabana last night with not much time to
recover.
“I’m so excited to be playing here, it was moved due to the
weather last year, and last time I was in the Hong Kong final
[2004] it was still black and white TV!"
FINAL FACTS: There's a lot at stake in the
final - as well as the Hong Kong Open title, if Matthew wins he
will regain the World #1 spot, but should Golan win a first
major title then Gaultier will become World #1.
match
reports & extra quotes on the blog
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