• TODAY • SEMIS • QUARTERS • Round TWO • Round One • Qualifying • Preview •

Round One:

[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)           11/3, 11/9, 9/11 11/6 (49m)
[12] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Hisham Ashour (EGY)                   11/7, 12/10, 12/14, 11/4 (63m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (EGY)                    11/6, 8/11, 3/11, 11/4, 11/6 (76m)
[14] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG)                11/7, 4/11, 7/11, 11/8, 11/8 (63m)

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Alex Gough (WAL)                    12/10, 11/8, 11/1 (40m)
[13] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Abdullah Almezayen (KUW)           11/9, 11/2, 9/11, 11/7 (50m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Renan Lavigne (FRA)              11/5, 11/6, 9/11, 11/7 (53m)
[16] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11/7, 11/2, 11/7 (45m)

[15] Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG)          6/11, 14/12, 6/11, 11/7, 11/6 (73m)
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)                 11/9, 11/9, 11/2 (45m)
[9] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Julian Illingworth (USA)            11/7, 11/8, 11/3 (50m)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Kashif Shuja (NZL)              11/9, 11/4, 11/1 (35m)

[10] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Borja Golan (ESP)                          12/10, 11/9, 11/8 (56m)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt Shahier Razik (CAN)                      11/5, 10/12, 11/1, 11/5 (59m)
[Q] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [11] Mohamed Abbas (EGY)            5/11, 16/14, 11/2, 11/5 (47m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY)                       11/7, 14/12, 11/6 (36m)

[13] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Abdullah Almezayen (KUW)
         11/9, 11/2, 9/11, 11/7 (50m)

NOT JUST FOR THE SHOW…

It’s always such a difficult task to be the wild card. Here you are, you’ve got to perform at your best, in front of your home crowd, your family, your friends, and I guess there are some people who can’t wait to see you fail.

Well, tonight, all will be full with admiration for young Abdullah Almezayen, and with reason. This boy, who doesn’t get many chances to play on the World Circuit, and therefore doesn’t get the experience he needs to climb up in the ranking, gave us a super performance, forcing Olli to play an extra game…

Yes, of course, Olli was never going to lose the match, and yes, we could see Abdullah's weaknesses, his movement for example, a bit slow to come back on the T, but he is so strong and fast physically, picking up an awful lot of Olli’s superb attacks, and also gifted with a superb lobbing that sent the Finn way back there so many times. Such a rare shot in the young players… Sign of maturity.

Honestly, as a reporter, you always dread “wild card matches”. But already two years ago, I saw that boy play against David Palmer, and had been impressed with him. Well the work he’s been doing with Rahmat Khan - who used to coach Jahangir, then the Pakistan Juniors, and who now works in Kuwait – is paying off. And my opinion has changed of Abdullah. He is gifted, and with the work and experience on the world tour, he could become an excellent player indeed.

"Olli controlled the game, I was doing my best to keep him at the back, but he was too fast at the front. Still, it was a good experience for me, hopefully, I’ll play better next time."




"He played very well, he lacks match practice, but he fought very well. He needs to compete in more tournaments, get more matches, and he would come up…"

"A few months back, I saw him play in a world event against our boys, he was playing number three at the time, and he won 3/1 I think. So, I knew he was a good junior.

"He played very well, he is very gifted with a racquet, and he is pretty quick too, and we had a very good game, although I was not at my best! I guess I should have been able to push at the front a bit more.

"But I guess it gave me an extra game on court, which in view of tomorrow, and my match against Greg, may not  a bad thing…"

[15] Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG)            6/11, 14/12, 6/11, 11/7, 11/6 (73m)

WE COULD BE HERE FOR A WHILE…

…. I thought when those two started, and guess what, we were. Azlan was not at his top today, that’s the very least I can say. Playing well in patches, and then accumulating unforced upon unforced errors, he gave a lot of confidence to Alister, who started to play rather freely, leading 1/0 and 10/7 game ball up. But the Englishman started to rush the issue, played a few wrong shots, and the Malaysian just clawed back to equalise one game all.

But still, he was not settled, getting more and more frustrating with the Three Refs decisions, and was losing the “battle for the T” too many times, where our two protagonists volleyed at a “Ramy’s pace”, as in bleeping fast. Azlan was too many times force to attacking from the wrong position, and lost the 3rd, rather quickly, to then turn the tables round, and take the 4th as easily he lost the previous game.

The fifth was all Malaysian though, with Alister forgetting the basic game, going for too much far too quickly, and making 3 crucial unforced errors at 2/1 to give Azlan a lead and confidence to attack again, 4/2. From that point on, Azlan, liberated at last, left the Englishman a few points behind, and eventually won a match that looked uncertain to say the least…

The second game was crucial really, I was 10/7 up, and I had like 4 game balls I think. I think at that point I just stopped attacking and became too defensive. He was playing free, relaxed, having nothing to lose...

Azlan looked a bit nervous, being one of the top seed, and I find he did very well mentally to stay in the match like he did, wasn’t easy for him. For me, I think I should have been more patient, I made too many errors when I attacked….

I think that a year ago, I would have lost that match 3/0, but now, I’ve matured, and even when you don’t play well, you’ve got to come up with a win…

All credit to Alister, he’s been playing pretty well lately, had very good results in the first rounds, and I was very aware of that.

I’ve learned something from squash again today, that every tournament is different, and that you can’t take anything for granted, it’s not because I played well in the Irish last week that I’ll play well here…

But considering that I couldn’t feel the court, that my shots were not going through, and that I was not moving well, I did pretty well. I think that I’ll move better tomorrow, and that if I don’t, well, that’s me having a bad week…

[Q] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt
 [11] Mohamed Abbas (EGY)
          5/11, 14/16, 11/2, 11/5 (47m)

I’m so happy, I would have never dreamt that I could play such squash! All my shots were going in, my length was accurate and precise.

I know that Abbas has been struggling with injuries recently, so I’m not sure how he felt today on court, but I’m just happy with my performance.

I started the same way than yesterday, trying to not take too many risks, but all my shots were going in, and the risks were paying off, so, I just kept on playing…

I’m so happy I can’t express it, it’s my first time ever being in the last 16 of a super series  tournament…

[12] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Hisham Ashour (EGY)                   11/7, 12/10, 12/14, 11/4 (63m)

All or Nothing
Steve reports

A reasonable tactic against Hisham Ashour would be "keep it tight and hope he hits more tins than winners."

You have to be a bit more clever than that, of course, and that's how Adrian Grant played today to avenge his defeat at the hands of the elder Ashour in Bermuda.



"Attacking containment" was how Adrian described it, and it worked. The Englishman took quick leads in each of the first two games, and he was never headed in either of them, although Hisham made the end of the second a tight affair.

Four points in the middle of that game summed it up well - Hisham levelled at 4-all with two stupendous kills, then gifted the lead back with two sloppy tins.

A good start for the Egyptian in the third, 5/1, who had to change his racket at 8/6 - " I broke it, I keep hitting tin, tin, tin ...", and three game balls saved by Adrian before earning a match-ball at 11/10.

Hisham held on to pull a game back, but the fourth saw Adrian start well and Hisham never looked like taking it to five.

"He's so talented, he has unbelievable shots. You have to play a balance, you can't just keep it straight and tight, he'll pick you off, you have to attack as well while you're trying to keep him in the corners. It's more a mental battle to keep playing that type of game for the whole match.

The longer it went the more I thought it would be to my advantage, but I didn't want to get into a long five-setter. I wanted to start well in the third, but he got off to a flyer and got too big a lead.

I thought I did well to get it back to 10-all but couldn’t finish it. He seemed to be a bit slower in the fourth, no moving to the front as well as he had been.

"He beat me in Bermuda, so I'm happy to get the win here …"

Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11/6, 8/11, 3/11, 11/4, 11/6 (76m)

"I'm over the moon! It's the first time I've beaten him in six attempts. I've been so close in the past and never managed it, but I wanted to win so badly this time it's a joke.

"I'm glad my training's started to come good, that's two or three good tournaments in a row, I'm really pleased.

"I don't know what happened in the third, but I managed to get it back for the last two games. It's taken a while but I finally got used to his style of play, it's always physical but he's clever too, he knows where to put the ball to make it hard. Really pleased with that …"

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Alex Gough (WAL)                 12/10, 11/8, 11/1 (40m)

GRAND DAD IS PLAYING WELL TODAY…

Not, not from me! I just heard somebody in the audience call our PSA President Alex Gough like that, and I thought he’d love that. Well, probably won’t speak to me again, but then again, I’m sure he’ll be so happy to have an excuse!

It’s always such a joy to observe M. Gough on court, especially when he really wants a game, and vary pace, angles, shots, tactics, and doesn’t grumble!



If the first game was played at Greg’s pace, and worked at his advantage, as in mid pace, not too fast, Alex accelerated at the start of the second, scored 3 points to lead 3/0, then didn’t score another one ‘til 8/3, to catch up 8/9, making a few unforced errors at the worst of time to lose the 2nd 11/8.

The third went very fast, although Alex served us again with some stunning counter-attacks and guesses, that put the Frenchman under a bit of pressure.

But at 6/0 and 10/1, there was no miracles, and a happy Greg goes now to meet with the winner of Olli/Abdullah, the only match today to be played on the glass court…

His physicality is so good that eventually it is just too much for me to take.

I was happy with pushing him though. He will be looking to make amends for Canary Wharf so is going to be very dangerous this week.

It’s very difficult to play on those courts, I’m so happy because I’m on the glass court tomorrow, it’ll be so much better.

Tis ok, I don’t feel too bad for my first match in a long time. For that kind of matches, I don’t need to be 100%, but still, I’m getting a much better preparation now for my first rounds, I’m much more careful.

I think I was controlling the rallies rather well, but you’ve got to be weary of him at all times, because he’s got such a great ball control, and some pretty sniffy shots at the front.

You can never relax really…

[14] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
              11/7, 4/11, 7/11, 11/8, 11/8 (63m)

"I lost to him in the World Open, so I knew it was going to be hard. The way he plays is so different, he volleys a lot and he's so sharp in the middle of the court.

"I'm just happy I played well enough to stay a couple of points ahead in the fifth. I lost to Pilley last time too, so it should be a good game and I'm looking forward to getting some more revenge ..."

[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)                 11/9, 11/9, 11/2 (45m)

DARYL, GOOD TACTIC…

All the people who know Thierry’s game know how he dwells in a square game, up and down the wall, as he allows him to control the pace, and gives him all the time in the world to find his backhand drop shots from the back of the court.

And today, Daryl was able to twist and turn the Frenchman enough to keep him on his toes, and even when Thierry got a few points ahead – or a lot, like in the 2nd, 9/4 up – Daryl dug in, accepted the rallies, and put the Frenchman under constant pressure.

Thierry will be happy that the Englishman got tired in the 3rd, his two qualifications matches starting to show, and when you are 2/0 against a top 10 player, the mountain must look pretty high… Still at 9/9 in the 2nd, the flip of the coin went twice in the tin, bless Daryl, and maybe the legs would have been lighter, and the mountain only a hill had he managed to equalise 1/1…

The conditions were quite tough today, the court was really bouncy, and the shots were difficult to kill, which prevented me to find good attacks. So, or I was able to attack and find my shots, and then was controlling the rallies, or I was not able to do so, and would find myself under a lot of pressure.

When I wasn’t able to accelerate, to speed up the pace, I was falling at a pace that suited him to the T, and the first two games were very close indeed. In the third, I guess I was a bit sharper at the front, and therefore had more control.

But for my first match after five weeks of rest, I’m happy with my performance…

I thought I played well, it was nip and tuck in the first two games. I got a bit excited at 9/9 in the 2nd, thought I could win the point quickly, set up my opportunity well, and then, snatched at the tin twice in a row!

I thought the first two game were of high quality, good intensity then the third, I got really tired, last night, we played really late, and we were on court very early this morning, it’s tough for the qualifiers, and hey, you live, you learn, and you move on.

It was the first time I was playing Thierry, and he is such a great player, such a professional, and probably one of the nicest guys on the tour, and I’ve got enormous respect for him. You can learn a lot from him as a young player.

[9] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Julian Illingworth (USA)            11/7, 11/8, 11/3 (50m)

Julian played well in the first two games, he was attacking well, but I was a bit too defensive. I’m glad that I improved as the match went along, and moved better and better.

I knew he’s got some pretty good shots, and if you give him the time, he can be pretty effective, so I was trying to take the time away from him…

I’m happy to win 3/0, as I’ve got a tough match waiting for me tomorrow obviously.

Not a bad day at the office really…

At the start of the two first games, I thought I played tight, didn’t shoot too much. But in the middle of those two games, I started to get tired, and went for a bit too much, which often happens when you play against somebody who is better than you are.

I guess I’ve improved a bit compared to last year, the only other time I played him, but he’s improved too…

Pleased with the way I played today, and I need to go back now, and get a bit fitter!!

[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
           11/3, 11/9, 9/11 11/6 (49m)

AAMIR AS IMPRESSIVE AS EVER

Boy I love to watch that boy play! He is such a fighter, he never gives up, he’s got a perfect behaviour on and off court. What an ambassador for the Game of Squash, and of Pakistan Squash in particular, who I guess need a new Role Model for the new generations to come.

Well, if the world allows him to get places by granting him visas instead of preventing him to practice his art and earn experience and a living, I’ll bet you he’ll be top 15 in the next 2 years.

And trust me, Shabana had to give it a last push to take it in 4, and fire with all guns, and find and stunning shots again and again, in other words, had to play at his best to despatch of this young kid. Well played, Aamir, and well played Shabana, to have kept your head….

Rahmat gave me the good advice, and that’s thanks to him that I got Shabana under pressure. But he’s got so much experience, world number one, world champion…

Today, I was feeling good, but experience was on his side, but if I keep on playing like that, and train as hard as possible, I think that one day, I’ll maybe able to reach the top 5 inshallah.





Oh maaan, he like Speedy Gonzales that boy, a little Jansher!

I think the court suited his game very well, and also, he knows how to float the ball. Normally, the players get to the ball, and hit as hard as they can.

But he’s doesn’t every time, he’ll play a drop shot, or he’ll make the ball float, and if you are standing on the T, it makes your life very difficult, and makes him very dangerous….

[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Renan Lavigne (FRA)              11/5, 11/6, 9/11, 11/7 (53m)

"I was close to taking the fourth, I was up in that one, but that's when he chose to play some good shots. I gave everything, I was close to taking him to five so I can't complain.

"I learned a lot from last time I played him, I tried different things and they worked quite well. He's very hard to read so I tried to be on my toes and watching his shots all the time.

"I was quite fast today, got most of his shots and there wasn't much in it. He was getting tired towards the end, so it's a pity I got off to such a slow start, that's my only regret …"



"The first game was quite easy for me, but in the second I started to feel a little dizzy – we were meant to be on at 3, I hadn't eaten since 10 and it's almost six now.

"He played really well though, his shots were very good, but overall I'm pleased to be through, I'm ok with that …"

[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY)
          11/7, 14/12, 11/6 (36m)

"It was a nice opening. I was a bit tense in the first, then got released towards the end, it's my first match since the last tournament, my body wasn't feeling too good, I wasn't sure how it would be.

"I didn't wake until 12, had to get a quick breakfast and stretch for half an hour before the match, but I still felt a bit sleepy. I just kept digging and digging in the first two games, then in the third I started to wake up, but the court is way too fast.

"It was a nice match, he kept moving well and when I stepped it up he stepped it up too, it was a good contest. I enjoyed that, especially the last shot."

[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Kashif Shuja (NZL)  
            11/9, 11/4, 11/1 (35m)

I didn’t know anything of him but what people told me about him, and it was obvious that he’s got a racquet on him, but whatever he had in the tank from yesterday, he didn’t have much left after the first game, and it was up to me to take advantage of the situation…

James Willstrop

[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt Shahier Razik (CAN)               11/5, 10/12, 11/1, 11/5 (59m)

SIDE COURTS…

As the matches went on a bit longer than planned, some encounters scheduled on certain courts had to be move to another, and we ended up the day having LJ/Omar AA on one court, one court free, two courts free, and then David/Shahier.

I told you, didn’t I, that Omar could be a bit… exuberant, bless him, we need a bit of passion in this game. And boy he was in great form tonight. It has to be said that the disparity of ref calls a few times didn’t help him staying into the focus mode…

But what became rather funny was that poor Shahier and David, who were fighting very hard next court, had their rallies interrupted several times at crucial moments by Omar guttural loud expression of despair.

To the point where in the third game, we suddenly heard a “SHUT UP” from David after one more shout from Omar.

I must say it was a rather hysterical moment, and LJ did very well not to collapse out of the match! But no, LJ was in complete control, his length was in place, his strategy clear, and his shots accurate, while next door, David, although he had a little scare in the second, was quickly back at the helm.

LJ will be up to play Karim tomorrow, their contrasting styles should make the encounter a good one, and what to say about David/Lee, who not to long ago, used to be finals, and stunning ones.

I made too many errors in the first game, as ever, I’m not good at the start of the matches….

It’s always the same pattern with David, I seem to stick him in at the start, but as the match progresses, he picks it up, stitches a few rallies together, and then I struggle to keep in the rallies…

We had a typical bad Shahier start, but the second was very close, with as ever when you play against him, some slow rallies. We usually have tough 3/1, 3/2, that’s why I wanted to be on top from the start and make sure that I’d keep the control. And apart from the end of the second, that’s what I did.

I took a good start in the 3rd, whereas he was a bit tired, but he came back with a vengeance in the 4th. But from 3/0 down, I went straight to 8/3…

It was a good match, and I was happy to play him, because I knew there was a good chance that I’d play Lee next round – it’s been a while since we’ve played in the second round, but it’s always a good battle – and they have a bit the same style, what I mean is that I need to be very patient, so that was a good first round…

It’s very hard to play on those courts. The one that is able to pick up the pace is going to be the one winning the match, but you waste a lot of energy doing so, so you’ve got to make sure that you attack at the right time, and balance it all out.

[16] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt
[Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11/7, 11/2, 11/7 (45m)

Before the match, I kept on telling myself “don’t be afraid of him, he is a big boy, he is taking a lot of space, not voluntarily of course, just a big boy!”. But I still struggled, and although I working so hard to set up the rallies, when the opportunity came, I was always out of balance, always! How do you want me to win the match if I’m always out of balance, or playing on one foot!

He played extremely well in the second, and I wasn’t. I lost my concentration after a few weird decisions for the refs. And by the way, do you realise that we had three times, three times during the match, let, no let, stroke, decisions on the same shot!

In the third game, I started playing at the back again, but at no point in the match, he lost his focus, he was super concentrated! All credit to him, whereas I was in and out of the match.

The crucial point was in the first, 7/8, and I played two silly unforced errors. But hopefully, next time, I’ll have learnt my lesson, and will do things differently…

• TODAY • SEMIS • QUARTERS • Round TWO • Round One • Qualifying • Preview •