Reports
Botwright To Face David In Dream
Manchester World Final
After consistently failing to live up to
expectations on her 'home' court at the National Squash Centre
in
Manchester
for the past ten years, Vicky Botwright provided the dream
outcome for the organisers of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash
Championships by earning a place in the women's final in the
English city.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries have been competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash
Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of
the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.
Botwright, the 11th seed, is bidding farewell to
the WISPA World Tour after taking up the position of Head Coach
at the Centre. But, in the second round, the Manchester-based
31-year-old stunned the squash world by ousting Australian
title-holder Rachael Grinham.
The former England number one then clinched her
first appearance in the world final when higher-ranked England
team-mate Jenny Duncalf retired injured after two games.
"I don't know what to say - it's unbelievable,"
said the jubilant Mancunian afterwards. "I thought I could beat her -
but I didn't want to do it like that.
"But even if I win the title tomorrow, I will
still be back at work at the centre on Monday morning!"
Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate in
Yorkshire, was devastated to have pulled out prematurely: "It was in
the second rally of the match that something went in my right thigh -
and I didn't know what to do. I took a three-minute injury break in
the game, but the injury affected my movement and after two games I
couldn't go on.
"I've never come off injured in my life before -
it's not a great time to do it in a World Open!"
Botwright will face strong favourite Nicol
David in the final. The world number one from Malaysia beat
surprise opponent Madeline Perry, the 14th seed from Ireland,
11-6, 11-8, 11-6 to reach her tenth successive Tour final since her
shock second round defeat in the 2007 World Open a year ago in Madrid.
David acknowledged that she has raised her game
over the past year: "Every tournament I play, I learn more about
myself - and with this new scoring, you have to be sharp. You can't
afford to lose concentration."
Later the capacity crowd in Manchester - which
included two IOC delegates attending the event in the observation
process for Squash's bid to become an Olympic sport in 2016 -
witnessed a titanic all-Egyptian encounter in which 21-year-old
Ramy Ashour beat defending champion Amr Shabana, the world
No1, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Shabana, who celebrated his 31st month in a row
as world number one this month and was looking to become only the
fourth player in history to win a fourth world title, rued his missed
chances when leading 5-3 and 8-6 in the fourth game.
"I had my chances and missed them - I should
have won in the fourth," said the 29-year-old from
Giza afterwards. "I played all right - he had to play well to beat
me."
Fourth seed Ashour, who earlier in the
tournament had admitted being nervous about being back in England for
the first time since an injury-beset British Open in May, was
delighted with his performance.
"I think that was my best ever match - I gave it
all. I've never been so focussed."
In his first appearance in a World Open final,
Ashour will face fellow countryman Karim Darwish, after the
27-year-old from Cairo beat Australia's former champion David
Palmer 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in 46 minutes.
"I'm so happy to be in the final of the World
Open - the biggest event of the year," said the seventh seed. "And I
am so pleased to be in the final against my team-mate Ramy.
"Off court, we are really good friends, but
on-court we don't think about it!"
English World Finalist Guaranteed After
Duncalf Downs Grinham
It was 13th time lucky for England's Jenny
Duncalf in the women's quarter-finals of the Hi-Tec World Open
Squash Championships when the world No5 from Yorkshire upset Dutch
star Natalie Grinham to ensure the event's first English
finalist for five years.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries have been competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash
Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of
the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.
Domestic interest in the men's event expired
when the English trio of Nick Matthew, James Willstrop
and Adrian Grant
all fell at the quarter-final hurdle - leaving Australian David
Palmer and three Egyptians Amr Shabana, Ramy Ashour
and Karim Darwish to contest the semi-finals.
With 12 successive wins over Duncalf over the
past four years, world number two Natalie Grinham was favourite to win
their match en-route to her third successive appearance in the women's
final.
But a resolute Duncalf, 25, from Harrogate,
fought back from two games to one down to beat her Australian-born
opponent 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 in 65 minutes to reach her
first world semi.
"I played my best ever squash in the fifth game
to get to 7-1, then got the tingles when she fought back to win the
next four points. A certain English finalist? That's brilliant for
English squash," said the former British National champion.
"I'm really happy to have finally beaten
Natalie!"
Duncalf now meets
England
team-mate and local star Vicky Botwright, the 31-year-old
former England number one from Manchester who announced her retirement
on the eve of the championships.
The 11th seed, who ousted defending champion
Rachael Grinham in the previous round, continued her
'giant-killing' run by taking out seventh-seeded compatriot Alison
Waters 13-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9.
"It really is unbelievable," said Botwright
later. "The people you have to beat to get this far makes it so
hard.
"But I think the scoring changed just in time
for me!"
In an extraordinary match later in the day,
Ireland's 14th seed Madeline Perry showed the guts that took her to
six in the world over two years ago when she fought back from two
games and 9-7 down to beat unseeded New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes
6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 in 66 minutes.
Hawkes, who had arrived in the first major
quarter-final of her career after a shock defeat of fourth seed
Natalie Grainger in the previous round, failed to convert match
balls from 10-5 in the fourth.
"It was pure determination, I guess," said the
jubilant 31-year-old from near Belfast in Northern Ireland. "But I
really felt uncomfortable out there - probably because I knew I had
such a good opportunity."
14th seed Perry is fighting back up the rankings
after suffering a serious head injury in a mugging attack in Milan
exactly a year ago.
"What I went through last year got me through
that match. I nearly died then. I was told I'd never be able to
concentrate.
"I don't think I've ever made a come back like
that," said the world No16.
Perry will now take on Nicol David, the
world number one from Malaysia who recovered from 5-8 down in the
first game to beat Egyptian rival Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-8, 11-1,
11-9.
After narrowly losing to David Palmer in
the final of the British Open in May, Englishman
James Willstrop
failed in his bid for revenge when he went down to the Australian
5-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 in the men's quarter-finals.
Spurred on by the capacity partisan crowd, the
third seed from Yorkshire led after the first and third games - but
the experienced fifth seed Palmer romped to a 5-1 lead in the fourth,
then a 4-1 lead in the decider before taking the match in 78 minutes.
"I'm so envious for players like James having
the British Open and now the World Open here - we don't get
tournaments like this in Australia." said the two-time champion from
Lithgow in New South Wales. "That felt like a final. I can't imagine
playing in front of a home crowd like this!"
"Perhaps he was under pressure. The key for me
was the start of the fourth and fifth games.
"As I said at the British Open, he'll win that
title one day - and he'll come back to win this one too," added the
former world number one.
Willstrop was devastated by the loss: "He was
awesome tonight - in those last two games he was better than me by a
good distance.
"It was the most calm performance I've seen from
him. He handled the pressure well.
"He's a smart guy," added the England number
one. "He's managed to stay in excellent condition. I felt more in
control in the British Open final."
Palmer will now meet Karim Darwish, the
No7 seed who beat
England's Adrian Grant
12-10, 11-7, 11-7 in 47 minutes.
Defending champion Amr Shabana was in
stunning form to beat compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy, a
17-year-old qualifier, 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 in just 20 minutes.
In one of the most exciting 'draws' in squash,
the world number one will face his country's newest star Ramy
Ashour, the 21-year-old fourth seed 2-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 in 58
minutes.
Grant Takes Greg In Major World
Championship Upset
England's Adrian
Grant upset the form book in dramatic
style in the third round of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash
Championships after saving three match balls to beat France's No2
seed Gregory Gaultier to reach the men's quarter-finals at the
National Squash Centre at Sportcity in
Manchester.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's
World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.
"My best result by far," was how Grant described
his sensational five-game upset over the Frenchman who was runner-up
in the last two World Opens. The left-hander from London saved three
game balls in the third game before taking a 2/1 lead in the match.
But Gaultier, the world No2 from
Aix-en-Provence, struck back in the fourth to level the match for the
loss of just a single point. It was nip and tuck throughout the
decider before the match favourite reached match-ball at 10-8.
But Grant saved this, and two further
match-balls, before clinching his career-best result by beating
Gaultier 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 1-11, 13-11 after 98 minutes.
"This is a massive step for me - definitely my
best result by far," said the 28-year-old 14th seed. "His record here
is unbelievable.
"He came out firing in the fourth - and, before
I knew it, it was all over. But he's two in the world, so he must
have felt the pressure towards the end," added the Leeds-based England
international after his first ever win over the Frenchman.
It was a 'very, very upset' Gaultier that spoke
to the press afterwards. "I lost my head. He played better - he's a
much better player than me, that's it. Good luck to him."
When asked if it was true that the pair were
good friends, the Frenchman replied: "Yes, but there are no friends
on court."
Hopes of a completely unexpected all-English
quarter-final were dashed in the final match of the day when Egypt's
seventh seed Karim Darwish recovered from a game down to beat
Gloucestershire's unseeded Alister Walker, based in Leeds,
9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.
Englishman
James Willstrop
will be after revenge when he faces Australia's former world champion
David Palmer in the quarter-finals.
Palmer, a two-time winner of the World Open
title, was extended for 83 minutes by unseeded Englishman Daryl
Selby before beating the world No36 from Essex 11-5, 11-13, 11-3,
12-10.
"It's pretty hard to believe he's 36 in the
world," sighed Palmer afterwards. "It seems that all the young guys
in the world have stepped up. It's been a great tournament for him."
In a re-match of the British Open final in May
in Liverpool, where Palmer saved match balls in the final to take the
title for a fourth time, the 32-year-old from Lithgow in New South
Wales will face England's James Willstrop
The Yorkshireman had to play one of the rallies
of his life to save a game-ball in the second before going on to stop
Italian number one Davide Bianchetti 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 in 48
minutes.
"It's always good to get people off as quickly
as possible in a tournament like this where there are so many
matches," Willstrop, the England number one, explained. "It's
extremely important not to waste energy."
When reminded that Palmer would be his next
opponent, Willstrop said: "They don't come a lot bigger. It's never
going to be easy, but I do urge the crowd to get behind me - it really
does help!"
Malaysian favourite Nicol David cruised
through to the last eight of the women's competition after beating
Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed from Hong Kong, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 in
just 24 minutes. It was David's 14th win in a row over her Asian
rival since a shock defeat to Chiu in the Asian Games final six years
ago.
In the biggest scoring match since the WISPA
World Tour switched to Pro-Scoring (to 11 points per game)
in July, Egypt's ninth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy upset England's
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, the eighth seed, 21-23, 19-17, 12-14,
11-6, 11-7 in 85 minutes.
But there were more significant upsets in the
afternoon session - with mixed fortunes for New Zealanders: Unseeded
Kiwi Jaclyn Hawkes began the second day of second round action
with a stunning 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 defeat of Natalie
Grainger, the fourth seed from the USA and a former world number
one.
Later Ireland's 14th seed Madeline Perry
shocked Shelley Kitchen, the sixth seed from Auckland, 11-5,
11-6, 11-2.
"I just can't believe it - I wasn't expecting to
come out here today and win," admitted Hawkes. "It is definitely my
best win ever - in fact every time I've played her before she's
chopped me 3/0!
"I didn't go on expecting to beat the world No4
- I've never been near her before," added the UK-based 25-year-old
from Auckland.
Hawkes has been working with new national coach
Anthony Ricketts, the former world No3 from Australia, since
July. "I did a lot of good work with Anthony in the summer. And it's
good having him here - he just knows what to do.
"He gave me a game plan - and I stuck to it,"
added Hawkes, now in her first quarter-final of a major WISPA event.
Madeline Perry, a former world No6 fighting back
up the rankings after suffering a serious head injury in a mugging
attack in Milan exactly a year ago, was back to bner former best
against Kitchen, the world No10.
"It's only over the last couple of months that
I've started to feel back to normal - it all went pretty well," said
the 31-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, in Northern Ireland.
"What happened last year was pretty traumatic - getting up the
rankings again is probably more difficult than it was the first time."
Local Star Botwright Beats Champion Grinham
In World Championship Upset
Manchester squash star Vicky Botwright, who has
always failed to live up to expectations on her 'home' court at the
National Squash Centre at Sportcity, pulled off a sensational
upset when she beat defending champion Rachael Grinham in the second
round of the women's event in the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships
in Manchester.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open
and Women's World Open in the UK.
Botwright, the 31-year-old former world No5, recently
announced her decision to retire at the world championships after accepting
the role as Head Coach at the prestigious centre.
After dropping the first game, the local heroine
battled back to beat the title-holder from Australia 5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8
in 47 minutes.
"That was certainly my best ever win," said the
delighted 11th seed afterwards. "It's taken me ten years to get a result
like this in Manchester.
"I've always under-performed here - I've been seeded
in every position from one to eight in the Nationals here, but never got
beyond the quarter-finals!"
The second-seeded Queenslander was almost speechless
afterwards. "I just don't know what happened. I just didn't feel that
comfortable - I never have easy games with Vicky, she's one of those players
I've never really liked playing.
"I felt in control for parts of the game - but then I
panicked, I just choked."
The former world number one admitted that she is still
coming to terms with the new women's 'point-a-rally' Pro-Scoring
system. "You start the game and, before you know it, it's half over - then
you get into panic mode. I think it's going to take me a while to get use
to it."
Earlier, on the first of two days of second round
action, Botwright's two England team-mates Alison Waters and Jenny
Duncalf eased into the last eight. Londoner Waters, the British
National champion, crushed France's Isabelle Stoehr 11-3, 11-1, 11-7
in 25 minutes, while fifth seed Duncalf, from Harrogate in Yorkshire,
defeated Australian national champion Kasey Brown 11-8, 11-2, 13-11.
England's Nick Matthew prevented it from being
an all-Egyptian day in the four men's third round matches on the all-glass
show court when he beat Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema 11-7, 11-6,
11-13, 11-4 in exactly one hour.
In only his third event following a nine-month layoff
after shoulder surgery, the 28-year-old from Sheffield showed the form which
won him the British Open title two years ago. "I felt pretty good -
I feel I've been pretty well in the tournament so far, but not yet in a
whole match.
"Physically, I'm better than I've ever been - because
while I was recovering from the shoulder, fitness was all I could work on!"
In Friday's quarter-finals, Matthew will face Ramy
Ashour, the fourth seed from Egypt who put paid to an all-English last
eight clash by beating Londoner Peter Barker, the 12th seed, 11-8,
11-13, 11-8, 11-6.
"I was up for it today - all the work I have put in in
the last couple of months has paid off," said the exuberant 21-year-old
afterwards. "But six days before the championships, I pulled a hamstring,
and didn't play at all. It actually gave me a bit of a break."
Later in the day, Mohamed El Shorbagy became
the first qualifier for 22 years to reach the men's quarter-finals when he
beat Hisham Mohd Ashour 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 13-11.
The 17-year-old Egyptian became event's giant-killer
after battling through to the second round - then beating experienced
Frenchman Thierry Lincou to reach the last sixteen.
"I've played five days in a row now - and tomorrow I
get a day off. Now I will chill out," said the teenager.
El Shorbagy Outshines Lincou In Major World
Championship Upset
A new world squash star was born in Manchester when
Egyptian teenager Mohamed El Shorbagy defeated France's world number
eight Thierry Lincou in the second round of the Hi-Tec World Open
Squash Championships at Sportcity in Manchester.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open
and Women's World Open in the UK.
The 17-year-old qualifier from Alexandria, who beat
experienced Frenchman Renan Lavigne in the first round, shocked the
crowd when he took the first two games against sixth seed Lincou, a former
world champion and world number one.
But the seasoned Frenchman came back to take the third
game and led 4-1 in the fourth. El Shorbagy, a pupil at Millfield School in
the UK and coached by the British legend Jonah Barrington, defied his
youth by fighting back to serve at match ball at 10-9.
However, Lincou again had to call upon his vast
experience to keep the world junior champion at bay - forcing the match into
a decider.
But still El Shorbagy battled on - and, after failing
to convert two further match-balls, clinched his fourth of the match to
record his stunning 12-10, 11-6, 7-11, 10-12, 13-11 victory in 81 minutes.
"He was playing really aggressively. I was always
behind, chasing the ball - and this made me tired," said a disconsolate
Lincou afterwards. "He showed that, at his age, he's able to produce a good
pace - and he maintained it without making too many mistakes. He's
potentially a top ten player."
El Shorbagy admitted that his first thought was to
telephone his mother in Egypt: "I had promised her I would get into the
last sixteen. She was crying on the phone!
"That was the best win of my career, for sure. I was
playing to win each point - I didn't concentrate on the score at all. In
fact the only time I heard the score was when I was 10-9 in the fourth.
"I had to make it tough for him. I had no pressure on
me today - nobody expected me to win. I had to play more than my best to
win - and I did.
"My aim is to be world number one, one day," added the
young Egyptian star.
Later, fellow countryman Amr Shabana - the
current world number one - eased into the last sixteen after beating Spanish
number one Borja Golan 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 in 43 minutes.
The title-holder was full of praise for his teenage
compatriot: "He had no pressure on him, and he's young and excited, and
also has lots of confidence. I have played him before, and he's tremendous
- really fast. I'm really happy for him."
While a new era in squash beckoned in the afternoon,
an old one came to an end in the evening when former world number John
White announced his retirement. The 35-year-old Australian-born Scot -
who lives in the USA - extended James
Willstrop for four games before the England
number one prevailed to win 11-2, 3-11, 12-10, 11-9 in 49 minutes.
"It was as I shook James's hand at the end of the
match that I decided, this is it," admitted the Tour favourite afterwards.
"I've had a great career, but now have a full-time job as a coach in the US
and a family of four.
"James and I have had some great matches - many of
which have been finals and many on this court - and I feel it's time for it
all to come to a halt here.
"Being number one in the world is something they will
never take away from you - and I'll always be proud of that."
In an outstanding day for Egypt, El Shorbagy and
Shabana's wins were followed by victories by Wael El Hindi, Karim
Darwish and Cairo brothers Ramy and Hisham Mohd Ashour.
Fourth seed Ramy Ashour punished Australian Cameron Pilley 11-5,
11-4, 11-3 in just 28 minutes, while his unseeded older sibling Hisham upset
Malaysian Ong Beng Hee, the tenth seed, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 to
earn an unexpected place in the last sixteen.
Main draw action in the women's World Open got
underway today with world number one Nicol David confidently
beginning her bid to reclaim the title she lost last year by crushing
compatriot Sharon Wee 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 in just 19 minutes. David now
goes on to face Asian rival Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed from Hong
Kong who recovered from two games down to beat England's Lauren Briggs
8-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.
Australia's defending champion Rachael Grinham
also had an untroubled passage through to the last sixteen, beating New
Zealander Louise Crome 11-7, 11-6, 11-2.
But there were two significant first round upsets
which deprived Mexican number one Samantha Teran and former world
champion Vanessa Atkinson of second round places. Teran, the 16th
seed crashed out to rising star Annie Au, a 19-year-old qualifier
from Hong Kong who took 36 minutes to earn her 11-5, 11-4, 3-11, 11-5 upset.
New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes caused Atkinson's
downfall, resisting a fight back by the 10th seed from the Netherlands to
win 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-5 in 56 minutes.
Selby Secures Second Round Slot In Manchester
World Championship
Unseeded Englishman Daryl Selby delighted local
crowds at the National Squash Centre in
Manchester
when he upset Finland's world No15 Olli Tuominen
in the first round of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships at
Sportcity.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open
and Women's World Open in the UK.
Selby, the world No36 from Essex, battled for 50
minutes to flay the Flying Finn 11-8, 11-3, 11-4.
"That was one of my best wins ever - I'm ecstatic!
Olli's a fantastic player who's been up there with the world's best for a
number of years," said the 25-year-old from Witham. "I knew I had the
chance to beat him, but I had to play out of my skin to do it.
"It's nice to play in front of a home crowd. This is
a fantastic event and I really want to do well here."
Yorkshireman
James Willstrop,
the world No3, led a group of 10 of Britons through to the second round.
The 25-year-old England number one, in his sixth successive appearance in
the event, beat compatriot Ben Ford, a 33-year-old qualifier making
his maiden appearance, 11-4, 11-7, 11-5.
Willstrop's England team-mates internationals Nick
Matthew and Peter Barker claimed early victories on the day's
schedule - and later Lee Beachill, the fourth member of the squad
which lifted the world team crown last year, also cruised into the second
day after beating fellow countryman Robbie Temple, a qualifier,
11-6, 11-3, 11-1.
Nick Matthew, the world No7 from Sheffield, had the
honour of competing in the opening match of the championships on the
spectacular all-glass show court. The former British Open champion, playing
on home soil for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in
January, eased to an 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 victory over Pakistan qualifier
Shahid Zaman.
"I'm relaxed and relieved," said Matthew after beating
the former world No14. "I didn't really feel comfortable out there - I was
a bit edgy. But it's nice to get that one under the belt - particularly
against Shahid. No-one hits a squash ball better than he does."
Peter Barker, the world No11 from London who arrived
in Manchester fresh from two major Tour wins in the USA last month,
despatched Mexican number one Eric Galvez 11-4, 11-5, 11-1.
"I'm pleased with the way I played - I managed to
contain him in the back of the court - he's so dangerous at the front," said
the 25-year-old. "I'm in good shape physically - and having a couple of
wins behind you gives you a lot of confidence. But I'm really enjoying life
at the moment - and that's transferring into my squash. You could say that
I'm a really happy bunny!
"Obviously it's great having home advantage. This is
the tournament that everybody's peaking for - so there should be no excuses
this week. Everybody wants to do well but only one player can win it. But
there'll be a few upsets as there's a lot of pressure. I'll play Joey
(Barrington) tomorrow and that's all I want to think about," added Barker.
Joey Barrington,
son of former great Jonah Barrington, winner of a then record six
British Open titles more than three decades ago, battled for 100 minutes
to beat Australian Aaron Frankcomb 11-3, 11-3, 12-10. The victory in
the longest match of the day marks Barrington junior's first World Open win
at his fourth attempt.
But it was another Jonah Barrington protégé that
caused the first upset in the men's event when Egyptian qualifier Mohamed
El Shorbagy beat experienced Frenchman Renan Lavigne in five
games. The 17-year-old pupil at Millfield School in Somerset - where he is
coached by Barrington senior - twice came from behind to win 10-12, 11-6,
7-11, 11-6, 11-8 and claim an unexpected place in the second round.
A further notable upset came towards the end of the
day when Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira, a Mexican qualifier making
his World Open debut, twice rescued game deficits to beat experienced
Egyptian Mohammed Abbas 11-13, 11-7, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9 in 75 minutes.
"This is probably one of the best wins of my career -
and what makes it even better is that this is the World Open, and my first
one," exclaimed the 25-year-old from Mexico City.
"Abbas was in the top 10 - he’s got a lot of
experience. But today, I felt strong and fit. He moved me a lot, send me
at the front, at the back, but I was still moving well. Now, I'm really
looking forward to my next match."
Event favourite Amr Shabana overcame a shaky
start to beat German qualifier Simon Rosner 6-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-5.
The defending champion from Egypt will now face Spanish number one Borja
Golan for a place in the last sixteen.
The world number one's highly-rated compatriot Ramy
Ashour also recorded a straightforward first round win. The 21-year-old
from Cairo, who missed the 2007 event because of injury, despatched French
qualifier Yann Perrin 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.
"I really want to win the World Open - but more
important to me is to reach the end of the tournament injury-free," said the
exuberant fourth seed. "All I can remember is that when I was last in
England, I suffered with injury at the British Open in Liverpool.
"I felt I was young and invincible - and could win
everything - but realised that I was abusing my body," explained Ashour.
"So when I landed in England a few days ago, I said to myself, 'please let
me be OK this time'.
"But this event is fantastic - it's so well
organised. Yesterday's qualifying finals were amazing - people were killing
themselves to get into the first round. But now I need to think about my
brother - I just hope Hisham wins his first match!"
Ashour senior later joined Ramy in the second round
after beating England's Chris Ryder 11-9, 11-8, 11-5.
Second seed Gregory Gaultier, leading a record
six-strong team of Frenchmen in the event, had to work hard to beat
Switzerland's former European Junior champion Nicolas Mueller 11-6,
12-10, 11-9.
Ranked 150 in the world, Muller was the lowest-ranked
player to qualify - becoming the first Swiss man for five years to compete
in the first round.
"It's the first time I have played him - and he played
very well," said Gaultier, the world No2. "I was surprised - he gave me a
good game, which was what I wanted. He wasn't at all shy!
"I like it here - I like the court and have good
memories. It's a good vibe for me.
"The organisation is good - if all other tournaments
were run like this, it would be good for the sport," added the five times
European champion from Aix-en-Provence. "It's what we need if we want to be
an Olympic sport."
In one of the last matches of the day, Mohd Azlan
Iskandar became the highest seed to fall when he was beaten by New
Zealander Kashif Shuja. The unseeded Kiwi fought back from two games
down to topple the 11th seed from Malaysia 12-14, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 in
59 minutes.
It was a case of 'sixth time lucky' for event
Ambassador Sarah Kippax in the qualifying finals of the women's
championship when she beat fellow Englishwoman Laura Hill 11-9, 11-5,
11-3 to claim her maiden place in the event's first round.
"I think I've got used to her game now," said
Chester-born Kippax. "We've played so many times already this year - and
I've adjusted my game to suit.
"I'm delighted to qualify for the World Open main draw
for the first time - I've been in qualifying five times before and never
made it, so it's great to get there at last. It's extra special as it's in
Manchester, with all the build-up."
Earlier, Manchester City Council Head of
Leisure Eamonn O'Rourke welcomed the crowds in the centre at the
official Opening Ceremony. "This is Manchester's sixth world championships
this year and we're delighted to be hosting the Hi-Tec World Squash
Championships."
In highlighting the significance of Squash in the
city, O'Rourke pointed out that "there are 6,000 kids who are part of the
Manchester Squash Development Programme."
After reigning world champions Amr Shabana and
Rachael Grinham, of Australia, handed over the official World
Squash Federation flag to England captains Lee Beachill and
Vicky Botwright, England Squash Chairman
Zena Wooldridge
declared the championships open.
Home Pair Earn World Championship Debuts In
Manchester
English players Ben Ford and Robbie Temple
scored significant upsets in thequalifying finals of the Hi-Tec World
Open Squash Championships to ensure that 14 Britons will compete
in the sport's premier men's event at the National Squash Centre at
Sportcity in Manchester
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open
and Women's World Open in the UK.
Ford, from Kent, beat higher-ranked Malaysian Mohd
Nafiizwan Adnan - then announced that his first ever appearance
in the world's most prestigious event may be his last on the professional
tour.
The 33-year-old world number 89 from Welling, fought
back from a game down to despatch Adnan - ranked 30 places higher - 10-12,
11-9, 11-5, 11-9 in 66 minutes to claim a place in the World Open main draw
for the first time.
The squash professional at clubs in London and Surrey,
Ford left it until he was over 30 before joining the PSA Tour. "I
set myself two goals last year - to get into the top 100 and win a Tour
title - and I did both, so I was pretty pleased," said the England No18.
"This year I was determined to get into the World Open
- especially as it was here in England - and I am delighted to have done
that today.
"The last time I played Adnan, he beat me in five, so
I wanted to get my revenge.
"I'm taking on a new coaching job in Bexley shortly -
and my wife is expecting our first child in January - so things are getting
a bit hectic at the moment. I'd prefer to just play tournaments in England
in the future, so I may quit the Tour.
"I've looked at the draw, and I could get any one of
the top five players in the world in the first round. I'd be happy to play
any of them - not because I think I could win, but just for the experience!"
Robbie Temple,
who fought back from two games and 8-1 down to win his first qualifying
round match, confounded the seedings in the qualifying finals with an 11-6,
11-9, 16-14 victory over South African Jesse Engelbrecht, ranked 55
in the world.
"Yesterday's match was a vital wake-up call for me - I
wouldn't have won today otherwise," conceded the London-based left-hander
from Gloucester. "I've had a bit of a loss of confidence recently so it's
good to be back in form.
"I really hope I get to play on the glass court
tomorrow - and it would be great if it would be against Ramy Ashour," added
the 22-year-old world No76. "We played all the way through juniors and
became good friends."
Egypt's world junior champion Mohamed El Shorbagy
will make his debut in the senior world championship after beating
Englishman Joe Lee 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.
"I'd played Joe twice before, and that was very useful
to me," explained the 17-year-old UK-based Egyptian afterwards. "But what
was even more useful, was what he said yesterday after his match - he said
that he'd learned a lot from our last two encounters! So, I thought and
decided to play a completely different way that I would have done naturally,
to surprise him!
"First, I tried and mixed my game between an English
game, that he is used to, and an Egyptian one. So I was making the rallies
last as long as possible, as I knew he was going to be tired, and I also
slowed down the pace, to tire him even more.
"I’m so happy to get into my first World Open," added
El Shorbagy. "For me, this is the real start of my PSA career."
After last year's men's World Open draw was devoid of
Pakistanis for the first time in history, Shahid Zaman raised the
total entries this year to four when he upset Egyptian Amr Mansi
11-9, 11-8, 11-6. Zaman, once ranked 14 in the world, has dropped to an
eight-year ranking low of 95 - and is now making his first appearance in the
World Open for three years.
"I am living back in my home town of Quetta in
Pakistan now, with my wife, and feel I still have at least four years of
squash left in me," said the exuberant 26-year-old after his qualifying
triumph. "The problem with living in Pakistan is that there is not a lot of
competition - but I am running in the mountains to keep fit."
Another country celebrating a record presence in the
2008 World Open is Mexico. With just a sole player in the men's event last
year, the Central American nation will be represented by three players in
Manchester, with world No35 Eric Galvez joined in the main draw by
qualifiers Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira and Arturo Salazar.
Baltazar Ferreira, a 25-year-old from Mexico City,
defeated India's Siddharth Suchde 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 while 20-year-old
Salazar, from San Luis Potosi, removed Australian Steve Finitsis
7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7.
"That was a hard game, the scoreline really doesn't do
it justice," admitted Baltazar Ferreira. "It's my first World Open, so it's
a pleasure to qualify. I'd like to play one of the world's top eight in the
main draw, but I'll be happy with whoever I get."
Nicolas Mueller
became the first Swiss player to make the first round of the World Open for
five years when he recorded his second successive upset in the qualifiers to
beat New Zealand's Campbell Grayson 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-1, 11-8.
"I got a bit nervous towards the end - it's my first
World Open, my first big PSA event really, after coming out of the juniors,"
said the 19-year-old former European Junior champion. "I'm really excited
about it and looking forward to the draw."
Local hero Andrew Whipp was three points away
from becoming the only unranked player in the main draw when Australian
Ryan Cuskelly took four points in a row to claim victory. Two games
down, Manchester-based Whipp saved four match-balls in the third before
taking the game. After also winning the fourth, he led 8-7 in the decider
before Cuskelly, from New South Wales, clinched his 11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 3-11,
11-8 win in 79 minutes.
Sarah Kippax
survived an all-Cheshire clash to claim a place in the qualifying finals of
the Women's World Open. The Chester-born 25-year-old is the event's
'Official Ambassador', who faced Cheshire county team-mate Laura Mylotte
in the first qualifying round.
After winning the first two games, Kippax squandered a
7-3 lead in the third as Mylotte, born in Galway and representing Ireland,
moved to game-ball at 10-8. But the Ambassador fought back to clinch an
11-4, 11-2, 12-10 victory to set up an all-English qualifying final clash
with Derbyshire fire-fighter Laura Hill.
"It's nice to finally get on court after the big
build-up," said Kippax after her win. "I suppose I have been a little more
anxious about this match than I might have been.
"We've had tough battles in the past. But I was
pleased with my game today - though she came back in the third and I had to
steady myself. I was quite relieved at the end."
Kippax admits that has loved her Ambassadorial role:
"It was quite nerve-wracking at first, but I've really enjoyed it - doing
radio interviews and helping on the PR side.
"In fact, being involved behind-the-scenes like this
makes you realise just how much work goes into putting on a tournament like
this!"
Lauren Siddall
and Suzie Pierrepont will also be taking English interest through to
the women's qualifying finals. Siddall, 23, from Pontefract in Yorkshire,
beat Sweden's Anna-Carin Forstadius 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 and will now
take on USA's Latasha Khan for a place in the main draw. Sussex
player Pierrepont, who is now based in Philadelphia, USA, recovered from a
game down to beat Hong Kong's Joey Chan 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 and
will now meet Malaysian Low Wee Wern.
English Trio Celebrate World Championship
Upsets
Englishmen Joe Lee, Joel Hinds and
Andrew Whipp claimed notable upsets in the men's first qualifying round
of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships at the National
Squash Centre at Sportcity in
Manchester.
The world's leading players from more than 30
countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships –
Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open
and Women's World Open in the UK.
England junior international Joe Lee, playing in his
first event as a senior after celebrating his 19th birthday this week, twice
came back from behind to beat Irish international John Rooney 7-11,
20-18, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6 in 69 minutes.
"My first impression of the draw was that it was not
the best - but not the worst either," said the London-born teenager from
Walton-on-Thames. "John beat me the last two times we played each other, so
I was glad to get my first win over him," added Lee, ranked almost 40 places
lower than his opponent.
Lee now takes on Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy,
the world junior champion who took only 19 minutes to despatch Issa
Kamara, from Sierra Leone, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9.
"He beat me 3/0 the last two times we played - but
I've got stuff to think about from those matches, so I hope I can turn it to
my advantage," said Lee.
Joel Hinds took full advantage of a late call-up for a
place in the qualifying draw. "I was meant to be playing a tournament in
Coventry this weekend, but got a call at two o' clock yesterday so obviously
I had to come here," said the 21-year-old from Derbyshire after his shock
11-5, 11-8, 12-10 win over Bradley Hindle, an Australian ranked over
200 places higher in the world.
"I was just turning up to see how I played, with no
expectations - so it's a big bonus to win, especially in three."
Hinds now faces the top-ranked qualifier Dylan
Bennett after the Dutchman put out local prospect Morgan Hibberd
11-6, 11-7, 11-6.
Morgan and his 18-year-old twin brother Ky Hibbard
were making their maiden appearance in the world championships just eight
years after being introduced to the sport at school as the result of a
promotional initiative run by the Manchester Squash Development Programme
from the National Centre.
Coincidentally, the twins played simultaneously on
adjacent courts - and both fell to experienced opponents, Ky going down
11-6, 11-1, 11-6 to 33-year-old world-ranked Englishman Ben Ford.
"It was a great experience - I'm happy with the way I
played. I rallied with him but he's just a different level, I was always
one step behind," said Morgan after his defeat by Bennett, the world No50.
"But I always go on court hoping I can win."
A few weeks after their introduction to the game, the
Hibberds joined junior county squads and quickly progressed. Morgan became
the British U17 number one last year and both have now qualified as coaches
and work at the centre.
"If it wasn't for the chance introduction to squash
when we were at school, we might never have come across the sport." Ky
explained. "Hopefully we'll now be able to inspire other youngsters to take
up squash."
Local hero Andrew Whipp pulled off the most stunning
upset when he beat American Christopher Gordon. The unranked
27-year-old from Stockport recovered from a game down to stun the
22-year-old world No75 from New York 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-5 in 55 minutes.
In one of only two all-English clashes on the National
Centre courts - and in a 69-minute match in which both players received
conduct warnings from the referee - Robbie Temple recovered from two
games down to beat Surrey's Philip Nightingale 10-12, 9-11, 11-8,
11-6, 11-6. The left-hander from Gloucestershire goes on to play
London-based South African Jesse Engelbrecht for a place in the main
draw.