Karim Ali Fathi (Egy)
11/8, 12/10, 11/4 (45m) [2] Chris Simpson (Eng)
Qualifying Finals:
Chris Gordon (Usa) 3-2 Shajahan Khan (Pak) 7/11, 11/8,
11/5, 7/11, 11/6 (78m)
Andrew Schnell (Can) 3-0 Mike McCue (Can) 11/9, 11/6, 11/5 (37m)
Arturo Salazar (Mex) 3-0
Chris Hanson (Usa) 11/5, 11/7, 11/4 (46m)
Jaymie Haycocks (Eng) 3-0 Matthew Serediak (Can) 11/3, 11/4, 11/4 (25m)
Gawad
Captures Edmonton Open Title
Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad secured the biggest title of his career
after coming from behind to secure victory over compatriot Mohamed
Abouelghar in the final of the Reidbuilt Homes Edmonton Open, PSA
M35 event.
The World No.10 came into the final off the back of a straight games
victory over Cesar Salazar while Abouelghar stunned number two seed
Chris Simpson before defeating Nicolas Mueller in the quarter-final
and semi-final, respectively to seal his spot in the showpiece
event.
Both players caught the eye at the recent PSA Men’s World
Championship with some fine displays there and, despite both players
bowing out at the hands of fellow Egyptian Ramy Ashour, they
continued their penchant for attacking, attractive squash into the
event in Canada.
Abouelghar took the opener after a number of punishing drives
allowed him to move Gawad out of position and he won it narrowly on
the tie-break before a consistent Gawad levelled things up in the
second.
The pair traded points back and forth in the following two games
with Gawad proving to be the slightly more accurate of the two,
completing a 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 victory in 87 minutes to lift a
fourth PSA World Tour title of 2015.
“I’m delighted to win my 12th PSA World Tour title and also the
biggest title of my career so far,” said Gawad.
“It’s very nice to finish the year with a win.”
Anjema
Halts Walker In Edmonton Open
Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema upset the seedings on day one of the
2015 ReidBuilt Homes Edmonton Open to down number five seed
Alister Walker in straight-games to set up a quarter-final
encounter with top seed and in form Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad.
Anjema came through qualification but failed to progress past
the first round of last week’s 2015 World Championship but he
showed signs of continue improvement from a series of recent
injuries as he answered everything Walker threw at him in the
first game, breaking the Botswana’s spirit in the process as he
surged to a 3-0 win.
Anjema will now face Gawad, who took maverick Egyptian Ramy
Ashour close at the World Champs, after he easily dispatched
Mexican qualifier Arturo Salazar while number two seed Chris
Simpson enjoyed a similarly straight-forward win over Karim Ali
Fathi.
Number three seed Nicolas Mueller was forced to use all of his
experience and guile to come through a gruelling battle with
Campbell Grayson, taking the first two game on tie-break before
eventually prevailing 3-1, and will now face the daunting
challenge of World Junior Champion Diego Elias, after the
Peruvian saw off Andrew Schnell 3-0.
