RESULTS:
PSA International 70 Case Swedish Open, Linköping, Sweden
Qualifying
finals: Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5
(27m) Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
(34m) Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-7, 11-5,
11-5 (31m) Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-9, 11-4, 11-2
(43m)
Sensational
Gaultier Scores Swedish Success
A
scintillating performance by Gregory Gaultier in today's final of the
Case Swedish Open saw the Frenchman beat England's world No2 Nick Matthew
in straight games to retain the PSA World Tour International 70 squash
title at Linköping Sporthall in Linköping, Sweden.
It was the
dream climax of the biggest event in continental Europe which was celebrating
its tenth anniversary - in which Matthew was marking his fifth successive final
appearance since 2004, and denied a record fourth title.
The clash
brought up the 50th Tour title of Gaultier's career - and produced his 23rd
title!
World No4
Gaultier took immediate control of the match and quickly established a 5-1 lead.
Despite a determined bid by Matthew to control his opponent, Gaultier soon
wrapped up the opening game for the loss of just three points.
Matthew
requested a three-minute injury break before the second to attend to blisters -
and came back to provide a more evenly-contested game in which points were
shared up to 10-all. After saving a game-ball against him, the Frenchman played
a stunning backhand crosscourt winner to take a two-game lead.
Matthew built
up a 9-6 lead in the third as the packed crowd sensed a comeback - and hopefully
a fourth game. But after five superb winners in a row, it was Gaultier who
recorded his fourth straight games win in a row to clinch the title 11-3, 10-12,
11-9 in 72 minutes.
"I am very
pleased with the match," said the 30-year-old from Aix-en-Provence as he
collected his trophy. "Me and Nick know each other well and have played against
each other since junior time.
"It is always
even and it's important to defend the T-position. I want to thank the organisers
and the audience for a great week - and I will gladly return next year."
Matthew told
his Twitter followers: "Disappointed to lose today, especially 3-0 but Greg v.
sharp. Good start, immaculate width/length & play the big points well = decent
combo."
Tournament
Director Fredrik Johnson thanked the sponsors, partners and audience at
the trophy presentation - and said to the players: "You are true superstars and
professionals and I will see you all next year again!"
Matthew &
Gaultier To Contest Swedish Open Final
Defending
champion Gregory Gaultier and three-time champion Nick Matthew
will contest the climax of the Case Swedish Open after today's
contrasting semi-finals of the PSA World Tour International 70 squash
event celebrating its tenth year at Linköping Sporthall in Linköping,
Sweden.
Frenchman
Gaultier, the No2 seed, defeated England's third seed Peter Barker 11-6,
11-3, 11-2, while English favourite Matthew was handed a place in the final
without walking onto the court after his unseeded Egyptian opponent Tarek
Momen was forced to withdraw with an Achilles injury.
From three-all
in the opening game, Gaultier rapidly moved 7-3 ahead before taking the game
11-6.
Londoner
Barker, ranked eight in the world, was unable to match the Frenchman's pace as
Gaultier maintained his focus to close out the match after three games.
"I like
playing on this court and I like the crowd here in Linköping," said the upbeat
world No4 afterwards.
When asked
about the injury he received on his left hand during the previous match against
Tom Richards, Gaultier responded: "That was not an obstacle for the
semi-final."
It was a
devastated Momen who said later: "I have had this injury for two months - I'm
disappointed and was hoping that I could play on painkillers, but this was not
working anymore.
"I do not want
to risk aggravating the injury further," added the 24-year-old from Cairo who is
celebrating a career-high world No11 ranking this month.
Matthew and
Gaultier will be meeting for the 22nd time in their careers - and already the
third time this month! The Englishman will be marking his 53rd Tour final
appearance - while Gaultier will be celebrating his 50th!
Barker Battles
Through To Swedish Open Semis
England's
third seed Peter Barker (right) had to be at the top of his game in the
quarter-finals of the Case Swedish Open to see off top-ranked German
Simon Rosner and claim his anticipated place in the semi-finals of the
PSA World Tour International 70 squash event celebrating its tenth year at
Linköping Sporthall in Linköping, Sweden.
After the
first two games were shared, the third was nip and tuck before Barker edged it
to move 2/1 up.
The
left-hander from London raced to a 9-1 lead in the fourth - but the forceful and
inventive Rosner clawed back six points in a row before Barker stopped the rot
to reach match-ball.
Again Rosner
pulled off two more sensational crosscourt shots into the nick to reduce the
deficit - but a punched fist by Barker showed his delight when a wall-hugging
shot was out of the German's reach as he celebrated his 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9
victory.
"Rosner played
well and I had to run a lot," said the world No8 after surviving the day's
longest battle in 70 minutes. "I enjoyed the game, but in the fourth game I felt
a little edgy. Luckily I crossed the finish line."
Barker will
now face Gregory Gaultier (left) after the second-seeded Frenchman defeated
England's Tom Richards 12-10, 11-5, 11-3 in 53 minutes.
"I had a hard
time getting started in the first game," said the world No4 from
Aix-en-Provence. "Now I'm looking forward to the next game - but I need to keep
my focus because tomorrow is another day."
World No12
Richards told his Twitter followers later: "Lost out tonight but happy to make
improvements on my last performance against Greg."
The other
semi-final will see defending champion Nick Matthew, the top seed from
England bidding to win a fourth title, take on unseeded Egyptian Tarek Momen.
World No2
Matthew (right) faced Cameron Pilley, the top-ranked Australian who had reached
the last eight after surviving a five-game battle against unheralded Finn
Henrik Mustonen.
Matthew
dominated the match, winning 11-7, 11-6, 11-5. "I'm looking forward to the game
tomorrow and hopefully I will be sharper in that game so that it will help me
stay focused," said the 32-year-old from Sheffield.
Momen knocked
out his Egyptian compatriot Karim Abdel Gawad 20-18, 11-3, 11-9.
"The first
game will go down as the longest in the Case Swedish Open's history and lasted
for 30 minutes," reported event spokesman Niklas Lillman.
Momen,
(left) who
celebrates a career-high world No11 ranking this month, admitted that the first
game took a lot out of both players: "We know each other very well and we often
play against each other," explained the 24-year-old from Cairo. "Both of us were
tired after the first long game and I'm happy to get to play again tomorrow."
Gawad & Momen
Mount Marathon Upsets In Sweden
In the two
longest matches on the opening the day of the Case Swedish Open,
Egyptians Karim Abdel Gawad and Tarek Momen produced notable
upsets to reach the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 70
squash event celebrating its tenth year at Linköping Sporthall in
Linköping, Sweden.
Gawad, the
21-year-old world No26 making his debut in the biggest event in continental
Europe, recovered from a game down to beat experienced Dutchman Laurens Jan
Anjema.
The Cairo
newcomer squandered a match-ball in the fourth game when hoping for a stroke and
given 'no let' - allowing Anjema, the 30-year-old world No14, to force the match
into a fifth game decider.
But the young
Egyptian's inventive play continued to have the edge over the powerful
left-hander as Gawad went on to close out the match 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12,
11-5 after 88 minutes.
Momen went
into the battle against fourth seed Daryl Selby with the psychological
advantage of a win over the higher-ranked Englishman in their last meeting.
But Selby
looked determined to make amends as he took the first game for the loss of just
three points, then recovered from dropping the second on a tie-break to take the
third and move 2/1 ahead.
However
24-year-old Momen - now an established figure in the world top 20 - reclaimed
the advantage to win the next two games to record a 3-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8,
11-8 upset after 78 minutes.
The two
unseeded Egyptians now face off for a place in the semi-finals.
Another upset
looked on the cards when Nordic hope Henrik Mustonen, a qualifier from
Finland, opened up a 2/1 lead against Australian number one Cameron Pilley.
But the tall world No18 from New South Wales recovered the upper hand before
taking the match 11-7, 10-12, 8-11, 11-7, 11-2 in 64 minutes.
Pilley now
faces Nick Matthew, the top seed from England who held off the challenge
of fellow countryman Chris Simpson to beat the qualifier from Guernsey
11-6, 11-5, 11-3.
Defending
champion Gregory Gaultier also faced a tough opening challenge from Swiss
number one Nicolas Mueller, the world No21. Frenchman Gaultier, ranked 17
places higher, needed 53 minutes to earn his victory, but did so in straight
games, winning 11-9, 11-4, 11-6.
Gaultier now
meets Tom Richards, the world No13 from England who beat compatriot
Jonathan Kemp, a qualifier, 11-7, 11-7, 13-15, 11-7.
English Trio
Qualify In Sweden
English
interest in the Case Swedish Open will be boosted by three after
Adrian Waller, Jonathan Kemp and Chris Simpson prevailed in
the qualifying finals of the PSA World Tour International 70 squash event
celebrating its tenth year at Linköping Sporthall in Linköping, Sweden.
Simpson will
mark his third successive appearance in the main draw following his 11-9, 11-4,
11-2 victory over India's Siddharth Suchde. The world No29 from Guernsey
has been drawn to face compatriot Nick Matthew, the world No2 seeded to
become the first player to win the title four times in Linköping.
Kemp, making
his first appearance on the PSA World Tour this year, denied Kristian
Frost Olesen a place in the first round by beating the Danish champion 11-7,
11-5, 11-5. The former world No20 from Ipswich now lines up against fellow
Englishman Tom Richards, the world No13.
Waller
defeated Malaysian Muhd Asyraf Azan 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 - and is also drawn
to meet a fellow countryman, Peter Barker, the event's third seed.
But the
quickest win of the day gave the biggest event in continental Europe an
unexpected Nordic boost when Finland's Henrik Mustonen upset Marwan El
Shorbagy - the 19-year-old world junior champion from Egypt struggling with
a hamstring injury - 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 in just 27 minutes.
Mustonen, the
Finnish number two ranked 51 in the world, makes his second successive
appearance in the main draw, against Australian Cameron Pilley.
Case Swedish
Open Celebrates Tenth Anniversary
England's
Nick Matthew is seeded to win a record fourth title in this week's Case
Swedish Open as the biggest PSA World Tour squash event in
continental Europe celebrates its tenth anniversary at Linköping Sporthall
in Linköping.
The PSA
International 70 event, from 29 January to 3 February, has attracted nine of
the top 20 players in the world - led by world number two Matthew and defending
champion Gregory Gaultier, the world No4 from France.
Matthew, who
missed last year's event, won the title for three successive years from 2009
after finishing as runner-up in his previous appearance in 2004.
The event has
been run for the past ten years by former Swedish international Fredrik
Johnson, in collaboration with the Swedish SRA and the local club
Linköping Squash Klubb. The Case Swedish Open is part of a festival of
squash which features an 'all-comers' tournament for around 250 players in 20
different categories.
"It's
fantastic that we now celebrate 10 years with the Case Swedish Open on the glass
court in the same arena here in my hometown of Linköping," said Johnson. "The
tournament means so much for Squash in northern Europe and it feels really good
with all the entries we have received.
"We have
marketed the Case Swedish Open all over the town - and players like Matthew and
Gaultier, who we have used as front-figures, are already world famous here
before the actual tournament starts!"
Matthew meets
a qualifier in the opening round, whilst second seed Gaultier takes on the Swiss
number one Nicolas Mueller.
