February 2012

Top seeds with top performance in Richmond!

In yesterday’s 1st round (top half) action at the North American Open in Richmond he top stars certainly delivered top performances, as James Willstrop (ENG), Greg Gaultier (FRA), Amr Shabana (EGY) and Azlan Iskandar (MAS) all produced masterful squash to beat their opponents Nicolas Mueller (SUI), Ollie Pett (ENG), Campbell Grayson (NZL) and Siddarth Suchde (IND) all received a close-up lesson of squash genius. All 4 ended in straight-games results.

1st round (top half):
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (38m)
Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (30m)
Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (30m)
[6] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (32m)
[8] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (45m)
[Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 (55m)
Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 13-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (72m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (32m)


Adnan wins epic Brisbane final!

Top-seeded Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan won beat fellow countryman Ivan Yuen in an epic final of the Hibiscus Gardens Open in Brisbane. The 25-year-old and his 21-year-old compatriot battled each other to a standstill in the climax of the event before Adnan finally clinched victory 12-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 in 140 minutes.

It was Adnan’s seventh victory over Yuen in eight matches but the world number 36 had to call on all of his reserves to subdue the fourth seed’s challenge.

The win ends a frustrating period without a win for Adnan, who had not claimed a title on the PSA Tour since July 2009.

Adnan had beaten New Zealand qualifier Evan Williams 7-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 in the first semi-final on Saturday, while Yuen took five games to down unseeded Australian Rex Hedrick 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4.

Whilst the triumph marks Adnan’s 6th Tour title, it is the Malaysian’s 1st on foreign soil.

Final:
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 12-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 (140m)

Semi-finals:
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Evan Williams (NZL) 7-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5

Quarter-finals:
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (62m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Paul Coll (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (35m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 (37m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Jamie McErvale (AUS) 9-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 (59m)

1st round:
[2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (23m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 (43m)
[Q] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Justin Beard (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 (37m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Leo Au (HKG) 5-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-6 (59m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt [3] Dick Lau (HKG) 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 11-3 (46m)
Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-1, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8 (45m)
Jamie McErvale (AUS) bt [Q] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 5-11, 11-9, 14-12, 11-5 (56m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-2 (75m)


Matthew and Willstrop top seeds in Richmond!

James Willstrop leads a star-studded field featuring 6 former world number ones and 5 former champions of the event which is being staged in Richmond for the 4th year in a row and for the 8th time overall.

Willstrop is expected to meet English compatriot Nick Matthew in next Saturday’s final. Matthew, the world No1 throughout 2011 who reclaimed his top ranking this month, successfully retained the NAO title last year and is now looking to win it for a third time in a row.

The 2012 North American Open will signal the long-awaited Tour return of Ramy Ashour, the 24-year-old Egyptian who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since December.

Ashour, the No4 seed, finished as runner-up to Matthew in both the 2010 and 2011 finals – but this year is scheduled to face the world No1 in the semi-finals. Ashour, the 2009 champion, will take on a qualifier in the first round.

Willstrop will begin his Richmond campaign against Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller, while Matthew faces Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the first round.

Main draw 1st round:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Patrick Chifunda (ZAM)
Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) v Adrian Grant (ENG)
[6] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Qualifier
[8] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Qualifier
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v Qualifier
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Shahier Razik (CAN)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Qualifier
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Qualifier
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Qualifier
Alan Clyne (SCO) v Qualifier
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier
[7] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Alister Walker (BOT)
Simon Rosner (GER) v Chris Ryder (ENG)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)

1st qualifying round:
Martin Knight (NZL) bye
Matthew Karwalski (AUS) v John Street (USA)
Shawn Delierre (CAN) v Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Sean Steinour (USA)
Siddharth Suchde (IND) v Yasir Butt (PAK)
Kamran Khan (MAS) v Yann Perrin (FRA)
Chris Simpson (ENG) v Fred Reid (CAN)
Zac Alexander (AUS) bye
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bye
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Francis Johnson (USA)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Christopher Gordon (USA)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Julien Balbo (FRA)
Jan Koukal (CZE) v Ryan Donegan (USA)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) v Joey Barrington (ENG)
Robbie Temple (ENG) v Olivier Pett (ENG)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bye


Ramy’s superb shot selection!

Here we go with a Ramy video, just to create more excitement on Ramy’s comeback at the North American Open. Enjoy …


Ramy Ashour is back!

All squash fans all over the world could not wait until „he is back“. We are talking about Egyptian heroic superstar Ramy Ashour who was suffering a hamstring injury since the health problems started in last year’s October.

At the Qatar Classic he had to retire in the 1st round and has failed coming back in November at the World Open in Rotterdam and in December at the PSA Masters in New Delhi. From there on Ashour had to withdrawal from 2 major events: The World Series Finals in London and the Tournament of Champions in New York.

The North American Open will start very soon (20th of Feb). The question to answer will be, if he gets back strong enough to attack again in Virgina?


Tuominen takes title No4 in Finland!

Local hero Olli Tuominen (pic le) claimed his 4th Savcor Finnish Open title in 5 years when he defeated 3rd seed Karim Abdel Gawad (pic ri) in the final at Shopping Center Stella in Mikkeli.

Top seed Tuominen reached the final – the 17th Tour final of his career – after overcoming unseeded New Zealander Campbell Grayson in the previous round. It was in the other semi that 3rd seed Gawad held off the challenge of unseeded fellow Egyptian Omar Abdel Meguid.

The Finn got off to a flying start in the final, and managed to keep the speed high. Gawad, the world No42, was only able to challenge Tuominen 3rd game but Tuominen stayed strong to take the 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9 victory.


Massaro and Matthew win National titles!

Nick Matthew (pic le) prevailed in the historic men’s British National Championship final between the top two players in the world when he beat James Willstrop 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 14-12 in an 81-minute display of dazzling world class squash in Manchester. “James put up an amazing fight, as always. People talk about his racket skills, but he’s also the most determined player I’ve played. It was just brutal,” Matthew told the packed Manchester crowd afterwards. “.

Laura Massaro (pic ri) became the 1st player to successfully defend the women’s title for eight years when she beat Alison Waters 11-2, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4. Waters, a former world No3, was making a comeback after Achilles surgery and was returning to competitive action for the 1st time since the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India.

“The national title is huge for all British players – there are some big names on that trophy,” said the exuberant Massaro after her 2nd successive title.


Willstrop and Matthew to contest historic British Nationals Final!

A hard-fought victory (11-8, 11-3, 14-12 ) by World No1 Nick Matthew over defending champion Daryl Selby in the semi-finals of the British National Championships in Manchester has set up the 1st ever domestic final between the top two players in the world. 3-time champion Matthew will face James Willstrop, the World No2 who beat England team-mate Adrian Grant 11-9, 11-6, 11-9.

Defending champion Laura Massaro will face Alison Waters in the women’s final. In the 1st semi, World No3 Massaro saw off Irish rival Madeline Perry 11-4, 11-9, 11-3. Later Waters romped to an 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 victory Lauren Briggs.

Men’s final: [1] James Willstrop (Yorks) bt v [2] Nick Matthew (Yorks)
Women’s final: [3] Laura Massaro (Lancs) v [8] Alison Waters (Middx).