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Tue 6th Dec, Round Three, Bottom Half:

[8] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [18] Stewart Boswell (Aus)
          11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (56m)
[4] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [11] Wael El Hindi (Egy)
          11/4, 11/3, 11/3 (38m)

[6] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [9] Daryl Selby (Eng)
          11/8, 7/11, 11/9, 11/7 (80m)
[13] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt [23] Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak)
          11/8, 11/6, 11/8 (33m)

Darwish signals World Open warning Richard Eaton reports
    


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[8] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [18] Stewart Boswell (Aus)
          11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (56m)

Boswell makes Barker work for it
Malcolm reports

The bottom half of the draw to be decided tonight, as the World Championship gathers pace and intensity. First on was Peter Barker, seeded eight, and Stewart Boswell, who survived a long and heavy meeting with Adrian Grant who was forced to concede in the the fifth.

The colder evening air had not taken over when the match began and the court was pleasantly bouncy. Barker led 5/1, moving freely. A long, well-contested rally, which Boswell finished with a low crosscourt winner, too him to 3/5, but Barker, finding things just a little easier than Boswell, led 8/5 then 10/6 and won the game 11/6.

Attacking more, Boswell secured a 4/1 lead in the second and he was making Barker work harder than in the first. But Barker retrieved when he had to and levelled at 5-all, for all Boswell's good work.

He kept up the pressure too, and led 8/5 and 10/6, winning it 11/6, the same score as the first but he had to work harder for it.

Boswell took a 2/0 lead in the third thanks to a no let and a stroke, but that soon became 3-all as Barker persisted, as he does. Now it was Boswell who was having to work the harder, but Barker was still having to work hard to shake off the Aussie's dogged persistence.

Barker led 8/7 on a Boswell error, then a stroke brought parity. 9-all now, a big rally and a forehand winner gave Barker match ball, and 11/9 it was as he despatched the ball deep into the back corner out of Boswell's reach.

A thorough performance from Barker but Boswell's efforts belied the 3/0 scoreline. Barker can look forward to a quarter-final against an Egyptian for sure ...

"Everything was good for me today, apart from my drops! It's quite satisfying in a way, to be able to win three-nil with some improvements still to make for the next round.

"There's a lot of pressure out there, it the biggest tournament of the year, every round is massive.

"We've never had so many rest days, it good but it's unusual for everyone, you have to make sure you keep at a high level in terms of play and fitness, you can't afford to let it go down on the days off.

"I'm in the quarter-finals of the World Open, I don't mind whoo I play now ..."

[4] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [11] Wael El Hindi (Egy)
          11/4, 11/3, 11/3 (38m)

Darwish too strong

Karim Darwish came into this tournament on a high, having won the El Gouna International and the Qatar Classic, and clutching the $40,000 winners' cheque he received in front of the Temple in Luxor.

At the time that was the biggest squash cheque ever, but he is one of the real contenders to pick up an even bigger one here on Friday night.

In his way tonight stood fellow-Egyptian Wael El Hindi, but to be brutally honest, he didn't stand in his way for long.

The opening exchanges were well contested, but from 4-all in the first El Hindi made a number of errors and Darwish chipped in with a few winners of his own that did Wael's mood no good at all.

From 4-all in the first Darwish won 14 of the next 15 points as he opened up a winning lead in the second, which was soon consolidated.

It was a mood of resignation emanating from Wael, by now he realised it wasn't going to be his day, and Darwish didn't drop his level an iota, pushing through, catching his opponent out with several shots to the front from deep, and punishing every short shot from his opponent.

Karim looked good, but there are sterner tests to come ...

"It's always tough to play Wael, he's a determined, talented player and he knows my game well. I knew I had to be focused right from the start of the match, and I'm pleased with how I kept my concentration to win three-nil.

"This is the most important tournament of the year. I'm playing well at the moment, and these four days are probably the most important of my life, I have to make sure I'm properly prepared for them, mentally and physically."

[6] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [9] Daryl Selby (Eng)
          11/8, 7/11, 11/9, 11/7 (80m)

Willstrop wins all-English battle
Malcolm reports

This all-England third round match promised plenty, and delivered.

Selby began well and established a clear lead, and it was only by stages that Willstrop managed to get back into contention. Not only did he recover from a 4/0 deficit, but he contrived to win the game 11/9.

It might have been expected that Willstrop would build on the 1/0 lead, but Selby continued to play very precisely, especially down the backhand side, and Willstrop was behind again in the second, this time 5/2, and although he saved three game balls Selby levelled 11/9.

Willstrop appeared to pick up the pace in the third and this time he led early, but Selby was moving and playing well. Willstrop led 4/0, Selby levelled at 5-all but Willstrop was always ahead after that without it ever being easy.

Willstrop appeared to take control of the fourth, moving ahead 6/2, but another spirited response from Selby saw him level at 7-all before Willstrop took the next two points for 9/7. Two unlucky bounces at the back of the court and it was 11/7 and match to Willstrop, for who a fifth would not have been welcome.

Selby will be disappointed to have lost, but happy with the performance, at least in retrospect. "It's disappointing of course," he said afterwards. "I'm having some good results, but I'm not getting them consistently, which is what I need to do to break into the top eight."

"It was a real battle," added Willstrop. "He gave me little to play with and I had to dig, dig, dig. I was a bit disappointed about that, but perhaps I shouldn't have been. It's still good that I could win this way."

"Daryl played so well, I don't think I've ever played anyone as accurate as he was tonight, particularly down that backhand side."

The crown, mostly responsive to Egyptian players, enjoyed it too, and showed their appreciation.
 


[13] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt
[23] Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak)          11/8, 11/6, 11/8 (33m)

Second Quarter for Shorbagy

If the previous match had been all about tightness and accuracy, the last match of the evening was anything but. It could hardly be otherwise really, as Mohamed El Shorbagy and Aamir Atlas Khan are two players whose attacking instincts are never far from the surface.

Plus, the crowd, mainly Egyptian supporters but with a significant Pakistani faction, didn't need any working up - they got it anyway, Robert Edwards can't resist - and anyone trying to play up and down the wall in that atmosphere ... well, you just couldn't do it.

Khan started well, led the first 4/0, but once Shorbagy settled down it was he who was doing the dictating. The rallies were short, sharp, into all four corners of the court, generally finishing with a winner after one or the other had been worked, or worked themselves, out of position.

Shorbagy took the first 11/8, came from 4/1 down again in the second to take it 11/6, finally got a start in the third and was never headed as the Egyptian side of the crowd (well, middle actually, the Pakistanis were on the flanks) worked itself closer and closer to a frenzy.

"When I went onto court, I'd never seen or played in front of a crowd like that, I was so nervous.

"At 4/0 down I told myself I just had to ignore it and start playing my own game. Once I got into the match the crowd became more of a support than a pressure, and I started to really enjoy it.

"I'd talked with Jonah [Barrington] about how to play him, and knew that if I kept the pace fast enough he wouldn't be able to cope with it, and that if I got ahead it could get to him.

"I'm so pleased to be in the quarters of the World Open for a second time [after Manchester 2008]. When I saw the draw I thought 'oh my God, Cameron Pilley second round then Ramy', but they're both out. I feel sorry for them, but it's an opportunity for me and I have to take it.

"James is a fair player a gentleman on court. He beat me 3/1 in Kuwait, but we'll just have a fair and enjoyable squash match tomorrow ..."

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