Beachill Bursts Into Kuwait Quarters

England's Lee Beachill caused a major upset in the second round of the 2008 Kuwait Open when he beat Australia's fifth seed David Palmer in straight games to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the $200,000 PSA Super Series Platinum championship - the richest squash event of the year to date - at the KSF Squash Complex in Kuwait City. 

The tenth seed from Yorkshire despatched 2005 champion Palmer, a two times world champion, 11-7, 11-10 (3-1), 11-9 in 55 minutes.  It was not only Beachill's first win over the Australian since November 2005, but his first in straight games under the current PAR scoring system to 11 points!

"I don't think I played that well today," conceded the former world number one from Pontefract.  "It's been a while since I've beaten a top ten guy - I had a few hard 3/2s, but I didn't have such a win, and you wouldn't believe the confidence you get from a victory like that!

"I guess a win like that was on the cards for a little while now as I've been hitting the ball very well recently, just not getting the win.  I'm very happy to be in the quarters of one the biggest events in history."

Beachill now faces Ramy Ashour, the 20-year-old title-holder from Egypt who ended teenage qualifier Tarek Momen's run - beating his fellow countryman 11-5, 11-7, 11-7.

Beachill's Pontefract club-mate James Willstrop also made it through to the last eight - but it took the fourth seed 105 minutes to get the better of his long-time rival and England team-mate Peter Barker 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 10-11 (1-3), 11-8, 11-9.

"I created a lot of belief in myself with my recent results, and I've got to believe that I can get through those matches," said Willstrop, winner of the last three Tour events he entered.  "But it's like treading water on there, it's so much hard work, especially on that court, which is like a leveller - although playing Peter on any court would have been as hard as it was today.

"Pete has improved so much recently, it's getting more and more difficult to beat him, and he is definitely going in the right direction."

Willstrop now takes on Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the sixth seed who was also taken to five games before seeing off his opponent Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the 15^th seed from Malaysia, 11-10 (2-0), 5-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3.

Malaysian Ong Beng Hee avenged his defeat by Cameron Pilley in last year's Malaysian Open by beating the unseeded Australian 11-2, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 in a 108-minute marathon.  The 14^th seed now faces favourite Amr Shabana, the world number one from Egypt who recovered from a game down to beat England's 12^th seed Adrian Grant 10-11 (0-2), 11-2, 11-2, 11-5.

Egyptians Enjoy Contrasting Fortunes In Kuwait

It was a mixed opening day for Egyptians in the 2008 Kuwait Open as Tarek Momen became the only qualifier to prevail, but seeds Wael El Hindi and Mohammed Abbas crashed out of the $200,000 PSA Super Series Platinum championship - the richest squash event of the year to date - at the KSF Squash Complex in Kuwait City. 

Momen, the 20-year-old world No48 from Cairo, beat 11^th seed Mohammed Abbas - recovering from a game down to win 5-11, 11-10 (6-4), 11-2, 11-5 and record the best win of his career.

"I'm so happy - I would have never dreamt that I could play such a squash! All my shots were going in, my length was accurate and precise," said Momen after progressing beyond the first round of a Super Series event for the first time.

It was the fast-improving Cameron Pilley that prematurely ended Wael El Hindi's run in Kuwait.  In the longest match of the day, the unseeded UK-based Australian fought back from 1/2 down to upset the eighth seed 11-6, 8-11, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6 in 76 minutes.

"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," explained 25-year-old Pilley, who reached his biggest Tour final at the Canary Wharf Classic in London last month.

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

The top two seeds eased comfortably into the last sixteen.  Favourite Amr Shabana, the world No1 from Egypt, dropped a game to 17-year-old Pakistani qualifier Aamir Atlas Khan before beating the youngest player in the tournament 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6.

"Oh man - he's like Speedy Gonzales that boy, a little Jansher," said Shabana of the teenager who is a nephew of the Pakistan legend.

Second seed Ramy Ashour, the title-holder, took only 36 minutes to overcome fellow Egyptian Omar Mosaad 11-7, 11-10 (4-2), 11-6.

But the swiftest victory of the day was earned by fourth seed James Willstrop, the England number one who is looking for his fourth PSA Tour title success in a row.  A 35-minute 11-9, 11-4, 11-1 win over New Zealand qualifier Kashif Shuja takes Willstrop through to a last sixteen clash with England team-mate Peter Barker.
 

Kiwi Shuja Upsets Barrington To Qualify In Kuwait

New Zealand's Kashif Shuja put paid to a trio of Englishmen making it into the main draw of the 2008 Kuwait Open when he upset world No28 Joey Barrington in the longest final qualifying match of the $200,000 PSA Super Series Platinum championship - the richest squash event of the year to date - at the KSF Squash Complex in Kuwait City. 

Barrington, who has been selected to make his England debut in next week's European Team Championships in Amsterdam, opened up a 2/1 lead over the Kiwi, ranked 13 places lower in the world.  But Pakistan-born Shuja reclaimed the advantage to run out an 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-10 (2-0) winner after 68 minutes.

"That's a good win, one of my best," said the delighted 28-year-old from Auckland afterwards.  "I've played Joey in a few professional matches, so I know how tough he is and I knew I would have to maintain it physically to beat him.  I lost in the qualifying finals here last year, so it's great to go one better, especially after saving a couple of match balls in the fifth."

Shuja is drawn to face another Englishman in the first round - James Willstrop, the in-form fourth seed from Yorkshire who is looking for his 14^th straight Tour win after lifting three PSA titles since February.

Daryl Selby and Alister Walker boosted the English content of the draw by two following four-game qualifying final wins over India's Saurav Ghosal and Jan Koukal, from the Czech Republic, respectively.

"I'm ecstatic to qualify for such a big event again," said 25-year-old Selby after his 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6 victory.  "There's always pressure on the top eight seeds in qualifiers, and it's such a big difference in points and money if you get through.  I've just got a new flat with my girlfriend, so she can have a trip to IKEA now!"

Julian Illingworth, the three times US champion from New York, made it through to the biggest tournament of his career when he beat former Indian champion Ritwik Bhattacharya 11-7, 11-4, 11-9. 

"I don't have a game plan really - if I'm hitting it well, I go for it, if not, I'm not going to force it, whatever the body/racquet tells you on the day," explained the 24-year-old world No39.  "But today, I was shooting more than I would normally do, because at the back, he is pretty strong."

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan became the youngest player to qualify when he beat fellow countryman Farhan Mehboob 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8.  The reward for the 17-year-old from Peshawar is his first ever meeting with favourite Amr Shabana, the world number one from Egypt.