RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Maharashtra State PSA Open,
Mumbai, India
Mazen
Makes Egyptian Magic In Mumbai
Egypt's Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry edged out fellow countryman
Zahed Mohamed in a 61-minute final thriller to win the
Maharashtra State PSA Open, the new PSA World Tour Challenger 15
squash event at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai, India.
It was
unexpected climax between No4 seed Ga Sabry and unseeded Mohamed, the
21-year-old from Alexandria who claimed the scalps of both top seed
Ong Beng Hee and third seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda on his way to
the final.
"After
dropping the first game, Zahed comes out all guns blazing in his second
of five shirts on the night with some immaculate length and razor
drops," explains event spokesman Raj Arora. "The consistency is
super solid as he races through game two; It's 11-3 to Zahed and the
capacity crowd is in for some more drama.
"There's no place to move outside the court as the packed crowd adds to
the rising temperature. The players take the court with fresh shirts.
The crucial third game gets underway. It's high octane stuff as the
quality of squash scales a high.
"Zahed
controlling it beautifully and the young Mazen playing some gems of his
own. After taking Mazen all over the court Zahed rips a blinder on the
forehand and leads 7-4. Two beauties from Mazen followed by a lucky shot
and the game hangs in the balance. Mazen ups it a bit and rather quickly
he's reeled off another four straight points to take a 2/1 lead."
Mohamed takes the fourth to force a decider - and builds up a 5-2 lead
as he looks to claim his third upset.
But
world No45 Ga Sabry - the 19-year-old from Cairo ranked 45 places higher
than his opponent - reclaims the upper hand to survive the tense decider
to win 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8 after 61 minutes.
Presentation picture shows (L to R) PSA South East Asia Representative
Ritwik Bhattacharya; Zahed Mohamed; Mazen Hesham Ga
Sabry; and Raj Arora
"The
crowd has been served some delectable fare," concluded Arora. "The
juniors have certainly had many squash lessons all week. The Bombay
Gymkhana has played host to some outstanding talents this week."
The
win marks the fifth PSA World Tour title of Ga Sabry's career - and his
third this year!
Zahed
Makes All-Egyptian Mumbai Final
Unseeded Zahed Mohamed has made it all the way to the final of
the new Maharashtra State PSA Open in India after dismissing
fellow Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the No3 seed, in his second
upset in the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at the
Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai.
The
21-year-old world No90 from Alexandria battled for 66 minutes to
overcome Reda, ranked 50 places higher, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8.
"There
was nothing to choose between the two (pictured above) in the
first 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9 before Zahed reeled off two in a row to take
the opener," explained tournament spokesman Raj Arora. "It was
all Reda in the second as Zahed made four unforced errors and Reda was
moving effortlessly driving deep into the corners and controlling the
play as he took the game.
"It
was a well-deserved victory of the giant killer who had eliminated
Ong Beng Hee (the top seed) two nights ago."
Now
celebrating the sixth PSA Tour final of his career - and his second of
the year - Mohamed faces fourth seed Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry in an
all-Egyptian climax.
Ga
Sabry, the 19-year-old world No45 from Cairo, ended home hopes in the
event when he defeated Mumbai star Mahesh Mangaonkar 11-7, 11-8,
3-11, 11-3 in 50 minutes.
The
Egyptian teenager is celebrating the seventh Tour final of his career -
and is one match away from his third title of the year!
Mahesh
Maintains Mumbai Interest In Maharashtra
Unseeded Mahesh Mangaonkar maintained home interest in the new
Maharashtra State PSA Open in India when he dismissed Egyptian
qualifier Fares Mohamed Dessouki in four games to claim an
unexpected place in the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger
15 squash event at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai.
Fresh
from beating the number two seed 24 hours earlier, Dessouki traded point
for point in the opening game. "Mahesh was taking the ball early and at
10-all won two sweet points to win the first game 12-10," explained
tournament spokesman Raj Arora.
"In
the second, Fares came out strong and Mahesh was forced into making a
few errors due to the attack of the Egyptian teenager who also showed a
magnificent arsenal of shots to keep the crowd at the edges of their
seats. Mahesh didn't give in easily and picked up some unbelievable
shots on full stretch but Fares attacked better at 8-8 to win 11-9."
With
Dessouki beginning to tire in the third, the 19-year-old Mumbai hero
regained the lead.
"The
fourth game always had one winner and Mahesh was literally the last man
standing on the day," continued Arora. "Tough match!"
The
14-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-1 victory after 77 minutes takes world No88
Mangaonkar through to meet another Egyptian, fourth seed Mazen Hesham
Ga Sabry.
The
world No45 from Cairo, also 19, removed Indian No2 Harinder Pal
Sandhu 12-10, 11-9, 11-8.
The
other semi-final will be an all-Egyptian affair between unseeded
Zahed Mohamed and third seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda. Mohamed,
who upset top seed Ong Beng Hee in the first round, continued his
rampage by beating Indian hope Ravi Dixit 11-8, 11-5, 11-5.
French
underdog Johan Bouquet made an excellent start against Reda,
taking the opening game. But the world No40 from Cairo ultimately proved
to be too strong for Bouquet, ranked more than 60 places lower, winning
7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1.
Top
Seeds In Maharashtra Massacre
In Mumbai
The
two top seeds crashed out of the new Maharashtra State PSA Open
after failing to survive epic first round marathons against lower-ranked
Egyptians today in the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event
at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai, India.
Favourite Ong Beng Hee, the 33-year-old former world No7 from
Malaysia, twice led Zahed Mohamed - but the 21-year-old Egyptian
held his nerve to close out the match 5-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10
after 98 minutes.
Mohamed, ranked 90 in the world, saved four match balls from 6-10 down
in the decider before clinching the day's biggest upset.
An
all-Egyptian encounter at the bottom of the draw saw experienced No2
seed Omar Abdel Aziz establish a comfortable two-game lead over
qualifier Fares Mohamed Dessouki, an 18-year-old from Alexandria.
"At
2/0, it seemed like Omar had weathered the initial storm and he would
now coast," explained tournament spokesman Raj Arora. "But the
solid Fares was not done yet. Fares maintained a very slender lead and
was 10-7 up when the experienced Omar pulled back to 10-10. Fares pulled
off a stunning shot to seize game ball and soon was still alive having
wrested the third."
Dessouki maintained his form to draw level. "At 2-2 it was delicately
poised," continued Arora. "It was neck and neck all through as they
battled like gladiators all through the decider - 6-6, 7-7, 8-8. The
juniors in the crowd were relishing this contest as Fares earned a
stroke to go 9-8 up. Another well-played rally took him to match ball
and shortly thereafter Omar played a ball onto himself to yield a stroke
and the match.
"It
was a memorable win for Fares in a match that was good to watch for its
quality in the first half and its attrition in the second," added Arora
after the 10-12, 2-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 win in 97 minutes.
Dessouki now goes on to face Mahesh Mangaonkar, one of two
Indians who will compete in the quarter-finals. The 19-year-old from
Mumbai - who has just moved out of the junior ranks - had more in the
tank compared to his younger rival Kush Kumar who has just
arrived after winning Gold at the Asian Youth Games in China and
the Indian Junior Open in Chennai.
"At
one game all, the match promised to get close - but the more experienced
Mangaonkar capitalised on his opponent's tired legs to claim an 11-6,
8-11, 11-2, 11-6 victory," said Arora.
Chennai-based Harinder Pal Sandhu ousted Egyptian qualifier
Shehab Essam Hosny 11-6, 14-12, 11-3 and will now take on
fourth-seeded Egyptian Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry for a place in the
last four.