November 2013

Final roundup of the AJ Bell World Championship!

Check out the final roundup of the AJ Bell World Championship between Englishman Nick Matthew and Greg Gaultier from France …


Nick Matthew took 3rd World Championship title!

England’s Nick Matthew survived a dramatic AJ Bell PSA World Squash Championship final at Manchester Central in Manchester, beating French rival Gregory Gaultier to claim the trophy for the 3rd time.

The 111-minute triumph, fittingly the longest match of the championship, means that the 33-year-old World No4 joins a select and distinguished group of players – Australian Geoff Hunt; Pakistanis Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan; and Egyptian Amr Shabana – who have 3 titles to their name.

Gaultier, the World No2 also becomes a member of a notable trio of fellow former World No ones – including Pakistan’s Qamar Zaman and Australian Chris Dittmar – who have been finalists 4 times but have never won the title!

Matthew went into the match 2/1 ahead of his opponent in previous meetings in the World Championship, but 10/15 down in career-long Tour clashes. It was their seventh Tour encounter of the year – the most recent being the US Open final just two weeks ago when Gaultier crushed the Englishman in straight games.

Matthew was clearly after revenge and a capacity and partisan crowd around the new ASB show glass court at Manchester Central saw the Englishman opening up a 2-0 lead. The third game saw a revival of fortunes for the in-form Frenchman. Gaultier was was on fire in the 3rd and 4th game to level the match.

The decider saw a noticeably focussed Matthew come into the court alongside a weary-looking Frenchman. As the game developed, it became increasingly clear that Gaultier had little more to give – and Matthew, urged on by the excited crowd, scored winner after winner before a tinned response from the Frenchman on championship point gave the Englishman the title 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-2 after 111 minutes.

Final:
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-2 (111m)

Semi-finals:
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 6-11, 11-2, 2-0 ret. (24m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 (78m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [8] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (43m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 12-10, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 (78m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [13] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (60m)

3rd round:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [14] Cameron Pilley (AUS) 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 12-10 (62m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 5-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-2 (66m)
[8] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [16] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (37m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [11] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-4, 11-7, 11-13, 11-4 (71m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [9] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (48m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [12] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-1, 11-9, 11-7 (41m)
[13] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [5] Karim Darwish (EGY) 4-11, 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8 (85m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [10] Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (45m)

2nd round:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (23m)
[14] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-9, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6 (80m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [15] Alister Walker (BOT) 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 (55m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [7] Peter Barker (ENG) 4-11, 2-11, 11-6 ret. (36m)
[8] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-8, 11-7, 12-14, 11-6 (55m)
[16] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Leo Au (HKG) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (38m)
[11] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-5, 11-4, 13-11 (44m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Max Lee (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (41m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (39m)
[9] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 (30m)
[12] Simon Rosner (GER) bt Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 15-13, 11-7, 11-5 (59m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (29m)
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 (33m)
[13] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-3 (75m)
[10] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 5-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (43m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 (32m)

1st round:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 10-12, 13-11, 11-3, 11-4 (65m)
[Q] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (82m)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-8, 12-10, 4-11, 8-11, 13-11 (79m)
[14] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 (48m)
[15] Alister Walker (BOT) bt [Q] Shaun le Roux (RSA) 11-8, 11-5, 13-11 (49m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 12-10, 11-3 (48m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [Q] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8 (84m)
[7] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5 (72m)
[8] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (38m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) 11-3, 10-12, 11-4, 7-11, 11-4 (78m)
Leo Au (HKG) bt [Q] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9 (90m)
[16] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-6, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 (75m)
[11] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 (34m)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 2-11, 10-12, 11-8 (70m)
Max Lee (HKG) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-7, 13-11, 12-10 (39m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (39m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 13-11 (35m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt [WC] Ben Coleman (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (53m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Steven Finitsis (AUS) 11-8, 4-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9 (75m)
[9] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 (110m)
[12] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [Q] Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (57m)
Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt [Q] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 (44m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (45m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-6, 6-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 (74m)
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (28m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-8, 14-12 (74m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [Q] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (30m)
[13] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (35m)
[10] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 (39m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) 7-11, 12-10, 11-5, 12-10 (52m)
[Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (32m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (47m)


Greg Gaultier makes a 4th final!

After a bad start which saw Greg Gaultier (le) make several errors and drop his 1st game easily, the Frenchman took the initiative against young Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy (ri) to take the next 3 games and reached his 4th World Championship final.

The 2nd seed took the second quickly, the 3rd less so, and had to fight back from 2-6 down in the 4th, finally taking the match 12-10 after 78 minutes.

Semi-finals:
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 6-11, 11-2, 2-0 ret. (24m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 (78m)


Matthew through to the final!

England’s Nick Matthew (ri) is through to his 3rd World Championship final in 4 years after his much-anticipated clash with defending champion Ramy Ashour (le) was cut short through injury.

The Egyptian looked played well as he took the 1st game, but his movement was not well by the end of the 2nd game, when Matthew equaled the score.

After 2 points of the 3rd Ashour conceded the match (6-11, 11-2, 2-0 rtd (24m).

Semi-finals:
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 6-11, 11-2, 2-0 ret. (24m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 (78m)


Gaultier took last semi spot!

In the last quarter-final match of the AJ Bell World Championship 2nd seed Frenchman Greg Gaultier beat Englishman Daryl Selby in straight games (11-7, 11-4, 12-10) to book the last ticket for tomorrow’s semi finals.

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [8] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (43m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 12-10, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 (78m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [13] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (60m)


El Shorbagy 3rd contender in the World semis!

Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy repeats his victory from last years World Championship’s semi-final, when he beat James Willstrop. At this year’s AJ Bell PSA World Championship the 6th seed takes the 12-10, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 win in the quarter-finals to be the 3rd contender reaching the semis in Manchester.

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [8] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (43m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 12-10, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 (78m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [13] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (60m)


Building World Championship court!

How to build a glass court in 33 seconds …


Ramy Ashour sets up dream semi-final!

Egyptian 2-times World Champion Ramy Ashour (ri) was almost struggling to win the 1st game against Indian contender Saurav Ghosal (le). But from that point onwards, Ashour seemed to be at operating temperature and took the 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 victory in 48 minutes of high entertaining squash to set up Saturday’s AJ Bell World Championship semi-final with Nick Matthew.

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [8] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (43m)
[6] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 12-10, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9 (78m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [13] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (60m)