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Matthew & Ashour Line Up For Saudi & World Ranking Glory

England's Nick Matthew and Egypt's Ramy Ashour will contest a dream final of the $250,000 Saudi International at Sunset Beach in Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia - the champion of the PSA World Tour Super Series squash event not only picking up the $37,400 winner's cheque, but also certain to become number one in the first PSA world rankings of 2010.

Yorkshireman Nick Matthew reached the 30th PSA Tour final of his career when he beat England team-mate Adrian Grant 11-3, 3-11, 11-6, 11-7 in the first semi-final of the day.  Despite suffering with food poisoning, left-handed Londoner Grant - competing in his first Super Series semi - extended third seed Matthew for 61 minutes.

"I knew of his condition - but actually, he played so well," Matthew said afterwards.  "I know, I had the same feel when I played in the British, I had back problems and couldn’t rely on my physical strength - and my squash got better!

"I think it was the same for Adrian tonight.  He had nothing to lose, and he couldn’t rely on what makes his strength normally, so his squash was really outstanding tonight.

"It will be fantastic to play Ramy.  Tonight, I had everything to lose, in a way - whereas tomorrow, I won’t, and will enjoy every second of it," added the 29-year-old from Sheffield, the first Englishman to make the Saudi final.

Top seed Ramy Ashour was in sensational form in the second semi, where he fought back from five game balls down in the second game to beat experienced Australian David Palmer 11-8, 14-12, 11-3 in 38 minutes. 

Palmer, the 33-year-old fourth seed, was marking his fourth successive appearance in the Saudi semi-finals - and bidding to make the final for the first time.

"I’m very happy with that result, I cannot complain," exclaimed Ashour, now in his 22nd Tour final.  "It’s the biggest event, it’s the biggest prize money, it’s the biggest everything!!!

"I don’t want to think about the world number one ranking, but I guess I have to start thinking about it now.  Tomorrow will be the most important match of my career, and for Nick too.  The only thing I can do it do my best.

"I could see that David got tired at the end of the match, it’s the end of the season.  But I made an error, in particular in the second that was an absolutely crucial game.  I had in my mind the idea that David was older, and had the experience, and that I was young and probably fitter, and just tried and outrun him.

"Now, I’m going to eat well, rest, and tomorrow, back to basics.  I’ll try my best not to think about the match, not to think about the rankings."

The Saudi International is celebrating its fifth year as one of the leading events on the PSA World Tour - and for the fifth time, the winner will go on to top the world rankings. 

The final - which will be streamed live and FREE on www.psasquashtv.com - will be Ashour and Matthew's eighth career PSA World Tour clash.  It will also be the pair's third final meeting this year, and only eight days after Ashour clinched victory in the climax of the PSA Masters in India. 

Ashour currently boasts a 4/3 lead, but it was Matthew who prevailed when they last met in Saudi, in the quarter-finals in December 2008.

Grant Grabs Maiden Super Series Semi-Final Slot In Saudi

A four-game victory over Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan in the quarter-finals of the $250,000 Saudi International at Sunset Beach in Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia led Englishman Adrian Grant through to his maiden appearance in the semi-finals of a PSA World Tour Super Series squash event in his 48th attempt since February 2001.

After beating Pakistan's Farhan Mehboob in the previous round, eighth seed Grant faced a second nephew of the legendary Jansher Khan when he took on 15th seed Aamir Atlas Khan in the opening match of the day.

And after recovering from a game down, the left-hander from London battled through to a 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11 victory over his Peshawar opponent in 62 minutes to achieve his historic Tour breakthrough

"This is obviously my best result of the year - I’m in the semis of a platinum event," Grant acknowledged afterwards.  "I knew it was going to be tough, he’s been having some great results lately.

"Even after losing the first, I was still confident that I would win - I was moving well.  At the start of that fourth, I really wanted to get off to a good start, and I was a bit too relaxed, too confident from the first and second game, where I was dominating," added the 29-year-old world No12.

Grant will now take on England team-mate Nick Matthew in a clash which will guarantee the first English finalist in the five-year history of the Saudi championship.

Third seed Matthew kept alive his hopes of becoming world number one for the first time next month when he beat Egypt's No7 seed Wael El Hindi 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 in 51 minutes.

"I’m really happy with that 3/0 win, saving legs and mind for tomorrow’s game," admitted the 29-year-old from Sheffield.  "I’ve been playing Adrian since we were 10 years old - I’m so happy for him that he reached his first ever platinum event semi, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s match already."

The other semi-final will feature top seed Ramy Ashour, the Egyptian who is also bidding to top the PSA world rankings for the first time in January.  The 22-year-old from Cairo maintained his straight games record in the event when he defeated 18-year-old compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy, the 13th seed, 11-3, 12-10, 11-3.

Ashour made history in 2006 when he became the first man to win the World Junior Championship a second time - a feat which El Shorbagy repeated in August this year.

"It felt like a World Junior semi or final," said Ashour after the Saudi quarter-final.  "It reminded me of my final against (Omar) Mosaad, the same excitement, feeling, pace.

"When I see Mohamed, I see myself, the same hunger, passion, when I was younger.  I know that a lot of people would have played him keeping it simple, and straight, but I wanted to play at that pace, I wanted to race with him.

"I enjoyed the match so much, no doubt he is extremely gifted, and that he will become a spectacular player."

Ashour will face David Palmer, the fourth-seeded Australian who prevailed 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5 over fellow 33-year-old Thierry Lincou, the sixth seed from France.

"We’ve played 18 times before, 9/9 each, so I hope we’ll stay on this result, 10/9 for me," exclaimed the US-based former world number one from New South Wales.

"I look at Thierry - he had a great career, then a bit of a bad patch, recovered and came up firing again. It’s a bit like me, I have a not so good start of the season, and I got better. It’s all a question of motivation.  He can still do it, and so can I!"

El Shorbagy Shocks Barker In Saudi

Egyptian teenager Mohamed El Shorbagy continued his end-of-year surge at the Saudi International when he upset fifth seed Peter Barker in the longest match of the day to reach the quarter-finals of the $250,000 PSA World Tour Super Series squash championship in Saudi Arabia - the final major event of the year at Sunset Beach in Al-Khobar. 

The youngest player in the world's top 20, El Shorbagy showed the same sparkling form which took him to a surprise quarter-final appearance in last week's PSA Masters in Mumbai after overturning England's world No6 James Willstrop.

In their first meeting on the PSA Tour, the 18-year-old from Alexandria recovered from a game down at Sunset Beach to beat Englishman Barker, the world No7, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 in 54 minutes. 

"I’m so happy - it was my mum’s birthday yesterday, that’s my belated birthday gift for her," El Shorbagy said later. 

"In the first game, we didn’t know how to play each other, so we were ever so patient, and I could feel that he got a lot of confidence after winning the first - like I got a lot of momentum after winning the second. 

"I shouldn’t have lost the first game:  I was up 9-7, but I lost my concentration, and I feel that he probably did the same in the second.  He was up 9-6, made errors at crucial times, and seemed to lose his focus a bit," explained the UK-based world No20. 

El Shorbagy goes on to face fellow countryman Ramy Ashour for a place in the semi-finals.  The 22-year-old top seed kept alive his dreams of becoming world number one for the first time next month with a 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 victory over England's 12th seed Alister Walker. 

Earlier, Australian veteran David Palmer took one step closer to his fourth successive semi-final appearance in the Saudi championship after a hard-fought 13-11, 11-8, 11-6 win over 16th seed Stewart Boswell - his second battle in a row over a fellow countryman. 

"Two Aussies in a row, that’s not easy," said the 33-year-old fourth seed whose first round clash with compatriot Cameron Pilley came about as a result of a late re-draw.  "I was disappointed with the change of draw of course, but that the game. 

"I had a bit of luck at the end of the first, things seemed to go my way a bit.  And after that, I was able to control things better. 

"It was a 3/0 match - but oh so close.  After I saw Thierry winning 3/0, I realised that, if I could avoid it of course, the last thing I needed was to be dragged in a long five-setter.  Any 3/0 win against Bozza is a good win!" 

Palmer now plays fellow Tour stalwart Thierry Lincou, the 33-year-old Frenchman who despatched tenth-seeded Malaysian Ong Beng Hee 11-9, 11-2, 11-9 in the first match of the day. 

"For tomorrow, Thierry and I have been around for a few years now, it’s all due to a good preparation, a good management from my team, a bit of luck, and turning up to tournament to win.  Also, we both have the kind of game that allows us to win even on a bad day," added Palmer.

Matthew Marches On In Saudi

 England's Nick Matthew extended his unbeaten Tour run against James Willstrop to four wins over two years when he beat his national rival in the second round of the Saudi International to reach the quarter-finals of the $250,000 PSA World Tour Super Series squash championship in Saudi Arabia - the final major event of the year at Sunset Beach in Al-Khobar.

 It was a tense and tough encounter - the pair's first meeting since world number four Matthew prevailed in a 122-minute marathon final of the British Open on home soil in September after Willstrop failed to convert match balls to give him the title for the first time.

 Third seed Matthew took the first two games at Sunset Beach for eight points each - but fellow Yorkshireman Willstrop, the No9 seed who is only two places lower in the world rankings, fought back to take the third for only four points.

 But Matthew regrouped in the fourth - raising his arms in delight after 70 minutes to celebrate his 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9 victory.

 The 29-year-old from Sheffield is on course to become world number one for the first time in the January rankings - but must reach the semi-finals and stay ahead of his only rival Ramy Ashour, the 22-year-old Egyptian who beat him in last week's PSA Masters final in India, and who plays his second round Saudi International match today.

 "I’m so happy I’ve got a day of rest tomorrow, it’s not physically, more mentally," Matthew said afterwards.  "The standard of squash was so high, that a little drop in concentration - like in the third - and James was all over me like a rash.

 "And in the fourth, I was determined not to have a fifth, because then you might as well toss a coin!

 "It was the worst draw for both of us, and you knew by the number of players that were sitting watching the match that it was going to be fireworks, and a great match.

 "This was the first time James and I played after our match in the British Open. A lot of things were written and said, and I’m glad that we had none of that rubbish today.  It was a clean and good match - now we can all move on with our lives and look to the future," concluded Matthew.

 Willstrop conceded that the outcome was just:  "Nick played better today, he deserved to win.  Today he was stronger than me, his body held it better.  Everybody knows how great a professional Nick is.

 "It was a dog of a draw, especially after all the top players have gone out of the tournament.  I’m disappointed with the standard I play at the moment - to be out in the second round.  I don’t think I deserve that!  I think I need a bit of luck, things to go my way a bit - although in no way shape or form am I saying that luck made Nick win the game!"

Matthew will now face seventh seed Wael El Hindi on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals after the Egyptian beat English qualifier Jonathan Kemp 11-7, 11-9, 11-2.

 There were mixed fortunes for Englishmen in the earlier second round matches:  Eighth seed Adrian Grant was extended for 71 minutes by Pakistan's 14th seed Farhan Mehboob before beating his fellow left-hander 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7.

 Meanwhile qualifier Joey Barrington was unable to take advantage of his surprise place in the last sixteen after the mid-match retirement of second seed Amr Shabana in the their first round clash.  Aamir Atlas Khan, the 15th seed from Pakistan was too strong for the 29-year-old from Somerset, winning 11-2, 11-4, 11-8 in just 30 minutes.

Shabana Limps Out Of Saudi

 Amr Shabana became the third player from the world's top three to exit the Saudi International as a result of injury when the Egyptian retired midway through his first round match in the $250,000 PSA World Tour Super Series squash championship in Saudi Arabia - the final major event of the year at Sunset Beach in Al-Khobar. 

It was on the eve of the second richest tournament of 2009 that France's world No2 Gregory Gaultier and Egypt's world number one Karim Darwish announced their withdrawals - with thigh and back injuries, respectively.  Success in Saudi could have led any one of the trio to the top of the PSA world rankings in January.

 It was in the last match of the day that second seed Amr Shabana, the Saudi champion in 2006 and 2007, called it a day at a game and 2-4 down to Joey Barrington, having failed to recover from the hamstring injury he picked up at the Punj Lloyd PSA Masters in India last week.

 The unexpected victory takes the English qualifier through to a last sixteen clash with Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan.  The 19-year-old 15th seed from Peshawar ended Indian interest in the event when he dismissed qualifier Saurav Ghosal 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 in 30 minutes.

 Another Englishman earned a surprise place in the second round when Jonathan Kemp beat Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, the 11th seed, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3.  The 28-year-old qualifier from Halifax now lines up against Wael El Hindi, the No7 seed from Egypt.

 El Hindi faced fiery Italian Davide Bianchetti who, after several altercations with officials, was awarded a conduct game against him towards the end of the third game - immediately followed by a conduct match - which gave the 29-year-old from Cairo a place in the last 16 with the score standing at 11-4, 10-12, 10-10.

 Top seed Ramy Ashour, the 22-year-old Egyptian who arrived in Saudi fresh from his PSA Masters victory in Mumbai, overcame the same first round opponent he encountered in India - his older brother Hisham Mohd Ashour. 

 "He was fast, focused and there every time, he was just better than me today but I should have played better and at least made it last longer," Hisham said after his 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 defeat in 27 minutes.

 "But he's my brother - I'll support him through the rest of the tournament now.  If he wins this one he'll be world number one which is something we've dreamed of and worked towards for a long time now."

 Third seed Nick Matthew, runner-up in Mumbai, also progressed to the next round - but needed four games to overcome Egyptian qualifier Omar Mosaad 11-6, 11-2, 8-11, 11-2 in 45 minutes.

 The England number one will now face national rival James Willstrop after the ninth seed enjoyed a straightforward 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 win in 26 minutes over unseeded Finn Olli Tuominen.