2010

Arnold on top in Kuwait!

Malaysia’s Delia Arnold (pic) notched up the sixth WISPA World Tour squash title of her career when she beat surprise opponent Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy of Egypt in the final of the Women’s Sheikha Sheikha Saad Al Sabah International in Kuwait. Arnold’s needed four games (11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7) and 53 minutes to mark the 6th title of her career.

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Krajcsak takes White Oaks crown!

Hungarian number one Mark Krajcsak (pic) upset top-seeded American Julian Illingworth in the final of the White Oaks Cup to win in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada. It took a further 71 minutes to resolve the final, with Krajcsak, ranked 51 in the world, eventually emerging triumphant over the world No35 11-9, 16-14, 11-7. The win marks the eighth Tour title of the Hungarian’s career – and his 3rd success in Canada.

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Nicol David took Mexican crown!

After Malaysian top-seed Nicol David (pic front) took the title in Mexico in straight games (12-10, 11-4, 11-5), she additionally extended her head-to-head lead to 25-7 against Australian Rachael Grinham (pic behind). David just had to worry in the 1st game, when Grinham was able to take the world No.1 into the tiebreak. David survived the situation and did not face any more problems afterwards to take the next to match in 35 minutes. The victory in Mexico was David’s 49th WISPA Tour title in her career.

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Darwish takes El Gouna title – Ashour suffered!

The first game Karim Darwish (pic) came back from 7-10 down to take a tense 1st game 16-14.In the 2nd Darwish was leading 4-3, as Ramy Ashour slipped on the way forward for a ball and ended on the floor. After a 3 minutes injury break, which was extended for proper court cleaning Ashour was back. But he was not back in the game, while he was suffering and there was no movement at all. Some points later Ashour conceded the match and darwish won the first El Gouna title.

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David and Grinham meet in maiden Mexico final!

Nicol David and Rachael Grinham (pic) will meet for the 32nd time in their careers when they play for the crown in Mexico, after surviving contrasting semi-finals in Toluca. The opening semi in the first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in Mexico was an all-Australian affair, when the 3rd seed Grinham came out quicker in the decider – and, after the pair were locked at nine-all again for several minutes, it was the more experienced Grinham who pulled away to win 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 in 61 minutes against compatriot Kasey Brown. Malaysian Nicol David booked her place in the final with a composed win over 21-year-old Egyptian Raneem El Weleily (12-10, 11-6, 11-6). Nicol David first met Rachael Grinham in the final of the Milo Open in Kuala Lumpur in 2000 – when Grinham was top seed and 16-year-old David was 6th six. The Australian came out on top – but has since seen David build up a 24-7 career head-to-head lead.

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All-Egyptian final at the El Gouna International!

The inaugural El Gouna International Open will climax in an all-Egyptian final after favourite Ramy Ashour and 3rd seed Karim Darwish prevailed in the semi-finals of the $142,500 event. Ashour, the world No1, was taken the full distance by Frenchman Greg Gaultier (pic) and ultimately prevailed 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-2 in 96 minutes. It was a tense, high-quality, encounter in which the Egyptian was 6-3 up in the 3rd when they collided. After a 13-minute break the battle continued and Ashour took the 3rd game. Gaultier came back to level the match, but had nothing left for the decider. Ashour’s national rival Karim Darwish, the world No5 reserved his place in the final with an 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 win over surprise opponent Thierry Lincou, the No7 seed from France. Ashour is celebrating the 29th PSA Tour final of his career – and his seventh this year – while Darwish is marking his 31st Tour climax. Ashour is one win away from his third successive Super Series title success, while Darwish is seeking his first title in the 2010 PSA Super Series.

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Only two to-seeds went through in Mexico!

Two of the top seeds went down in semi-final of the inaugural Women’s Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico, a $67,500 WISPA World Tour squash event at the Estado De Mexico in Toluca. Egyptian girl Raneem El Weleily overcame 4th seed Madeline Perry from Ireland 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in just 30 minutes to face now top seed Malaysian Nicol David who needed six minute less to beat New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes 11-8, 11-2, 11-6. Australian Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Kasey Brown downed 2nd seed English Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jenny Duncalf -5, 12-14, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3 in a 66 minutes encounter. Brown will meet 3rd seed Rachael Grinham from Australia, who destroyed Mexican home hopes when she beat Samantha Teran 11-9, 11-3, 11-8.

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Lincou outs Shabana for semi-spot in El Gouna!

Veteran Frenchman Thierry Lincou (pic le) celebrated his 11th victory over career-long rival Amr Shabana (pic ri) in the quarters of the El Gouna International Open. Though the 34-year-old Lincou went into the match 10-13 down in their overall head-to-head tally. In a clash described by an observer as “probably the best match of the tournament so far”, 7th seed Lincou recovered from losing the first game, then survived a tie-break in the third before moving on to secure his 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 5-11, 11-4 upset in 69 minutes over the 2nd seeded reigning World Open champion. Lincou will now face another Egyptian Karim Darwish after the 3rd seed defeated Australia’s 13th seed Cameron Pilley 11-6, 11-9, 11-4. The match between European rivals French Greg Gaultier and James Willstrop failed to live up to expectations when Willstrop, the 5th seed from England, concede the match after one game down and 0-9 in the 2nd game as a result of slippery conditions on the court floor. Gaultier will now face favourite Ramy Ashour, the world No1 from Egypt who raced to an 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 victory over unseeded compatriot Omar Mosaad.

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