Malaysia’s world No10 Azlan Iskandar (pic) changed his squash racket against a M16 army rifle. His intructor teaches him to get the same accuracy as with the racket – good shot Azlan.
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March 2011
In the army now: Azlan Iskandar!
March 30, 2011 • Tags: Azlan Iskandar • Categories: all posts, players
Hisham Ashour takes Montreal crown!
March 26, 2011 • Tags: Canada, David Palmer, Hisham Ashour, Montreal, National Bank Open, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
Egypt’s 3rd seed Hisham Mohd Ashour (pic) continued his stunning run in the National Bank Open in Canada by upsetting No2 seed David Palmer in the final in Montreal to claim the biggest Tour title of his career. The 28-year-old from Cairo, who made his breakthrough in the previous round where he ousted Dutch favourite Laurens Jan Anjema, leapt to a 5-1 lead in the opening game. But the illustrious Palmer, the 34-year-old former world No1 and world champion who was celebrating his 55th appearance in a PSA Tour final, batted back to take the game. At 0-2 down, Ashour switched on, and as his movement improved, he began finding his marks at the front. Ashour went for his chances with his impressive shot-play to close out the match 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 after 46 minutes. The triumph represents the third Tour title of Ashour’s career, but his biggest by a considerable margin.
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Matthew retains Canary Wharf crown!
March 26, 2011 • Tags: Canary Wharf Classic, England, London Open, Nick Matthew, Peter Barker, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
It was the world No7 that started well in this year’s Canary Wharf final. Englishman Peter Barker played the perfect game, but just for 15 Minutes which gave him the 1:0 lead. Nick Matthew (pic), the No1 of the world, did change his tactics to get back from that game down to level the match. Afterwards Barker had not much energy left in the tank to pressure Matthew seriously and after 58 minutes of play World Champion Matthew took his 2nd Canary Wharf crown in a row. “We want to retain the European title in May first before we are searching for the beach”, Matthew admitted after MC Alan Thatcher asked the champion for his plan during the summer.
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Hisham Ashour downs Anjema to make Montreal Final!
March 25, 2011 • Tags: Canada, David Palmer, Hisham Ashour, Montreal, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
According to the seedings for the National Bank Financial Group Open, Egypt’s Hisham Mohd Ashour (pic) secured an unexpected place in the final in Montreal. But the win was the Egyptian’s fifth in six Tour meetings with the world No12 from The Hague since October 2006. 3rd seed Ashour was trying to hit the nick at every given opportunity and took the 11-7, 10-12, 11-4, 15-13 after 61 minutes of play. The Egyptian, now in his 10th PSA Tour final, faces 2nd seed David Palmer after the veteran Australian clinched his 2nd Tour final place in a week – and the 55th of his career – by beating unseeded Alister Walker after a 92 minutes encounter (5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6).
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Barker downs Willstrop at London’s Docklands!
March 25, 2011 • Tags: Canary Wharf Classic, England, London, Nick Matthew, Peter Barker, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
In the 1st semi-final, which showed an all-English encounter between James Willstrop (pic li) and Peter Barker (pic re), the 1st game needed 29 minutes to get a winner, which was Willstrop (16-14). Afterwards Barker showed top-form. Willstrop looked a bit flat and Barker took the next 3 games 11-1, 11-7, 11-8 to take his 2nd victory over Willstrop, by 21 defeats. The 2nd semi-final lasted just 31 minutes as the Frenchman Greg Gaultier had to concede the match against Nick Matthew (Eng) caused by an injury. In the all-English final the world No1 leads the head-to head by 14:1 victories.
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Barker and Matthew battle through at Canary Wharf!
March 24, 2011 • Tags: Canary Wharf Classic, England, Greg Gaultier, James Willstrop, London, Nick Matthew, Peter Barker, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
The 1st match between Englishman Peter Barker and Australian fellow Stewart Boswell was the longest match of the quarter-finals night at the Canary Wharf Classic in London. Coming back from 1 game down Barker managed to get a 2-1 lead. The 4th was a crucial game, as Boswell was not able to take one of his 6 chances to level the match, while Barker found the luckier end to his 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 17-15 victory. World No1 Nick Matthew (pic ri) got his revenge of his English country fellow Daryl Selby (pic le) for the British National defeat some weeks ago. Matthew needed 70 minutes to overcome Selby 11-1, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5. In the 2 remaining quarters Joey Barrington (ENG) and Simon Rosner from Germany did their best to avoid the win of their favourite opponents James Willstrop (ENG) and Greg Gaultier from France. In the end the more experienced players managed to stay ahead in straight games, but both had to work for it reasonably hard.
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Selby survives Richards attack at Canary Wharf!
March 23, 2011 • Tags: Canary Wharf Classic, Daryl Selby, England, London, PSA, Tom Richards • Categories: all posts, tournaments
The crown at the Canary Wharf got much better matches in today’s 2nd part of the 1st round. Even if Nick Matthew (ENG) and Greg Gaultier (FRA) beat their opponents Borja Golan (ESP) and Olli Tuominen (FIN) in straight games, it was much more entertaining than the previous night. The opening game, which showed German Simon Rosner facing Nick Ryder from England went to 4 games as both players took one game each, Rosner was able to open up a gap and take the 3/1-victory. In the last match of the evening, Daryl Selby (pic le) came back from 1 game down to stretch a 2:1 lead. But his English compatriot Tom Richards (pic ri) was able to put the pace up, played superb shots to level with a thrilling 16-14 tiebreak. It looked like as there was nothing left inside Richards as Selby took a 10:4 lead, but Richard came back to 10:9 as Selby took the victory.
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First night at Canary Wharf is over!
March 22, 2011 • Tags: Canary Wharf Classic, England, London, PSA • Categories: all posts, tournaments
The 1st night at the London Docklands is over – 4 matches have been played so far. Only the last match between England’s Joey Barrington (pic ri) and Matthew Karwalski (pic le) from Australia made the spectators happy. After 68 minutes of play Barrington got the better end in the final game to take the 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4 victory. More 1st round results: [2] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (26m); [4] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 (74m, including technical break); Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3 (22m).
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