March 2014

Ashour and Gaultier to contest Chicago final!

March 3, 2014 • Tags: Chicago, Greg Gaultier, PSA, Ramy Ashour, USA, Windy City Open • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

Ramy Ashour and Greg Gaultier, the world No3 from Egypt and world No2 from France, respectively, are set to renew their long-standing rivalry in the final of the 2014 Windy City Open Chicago.

Ashour, who has recently returned to fitness following an injury-plagued four-month period, booked his place in the final following a 4-game victory over World Champion Nick Matthew in a subdued match which saw the Englishman hampered by a back injury picked up in the third game. “When your opponent is injured it is a very frustrating way to win a match,” said Ashour, who took just over an hour to win 11-9, 10-12, 11-1, 11-4.

Gaultier ensured his place in his 57th PSA World Tour final by defeating rising Egyptian star Mohamed El Shorbagy, the World No4, in an impressive display, his 9th consecutive win over the 23-year-old. “I was very happy to win the match against Mohamed as it is never easy against him,” said Gaultier after the 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 victory.

Final line-up (head-to-heads):
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) – (5:23)

Semi-finals:
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [1] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-9, 10-12, 11-1, 11-4 (63m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (76m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [8] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (44m)
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [5] James Willstrop (ENG) 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (76m)
[4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 (52m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (75m)

2nd round:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (58m)
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-3, 3-11, 11-6, 11-3 (54m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-4, 11-8, 11-1 (37m)
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) 13-11, 11-7, 11-4 (36m)
[4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 (45m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-9, 3-11, 11-4, 11-7 (50m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt [7] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (45m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-1, 11-6, 11-7 (39m)

1st round:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (56m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 (31m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 (57m)
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [LL] Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 (41m)
Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (35m)
Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-3 (48m)
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-3 (43m)
[4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (50m)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 (34m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [WC] Peter Creed (WAL) 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (52m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [6] Karim Darwish (EGY) 6-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 (67m)
[7] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 13-11, 11-13, 11-6 (86m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt [Q] Chris Simpson (ENG) 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (69m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [Q] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 11-5, 11-5, 14-12 (37m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 11-1, 11-0 (27m)

Camille Crushes Waters in Chicago upset!

March 2, 2014 • Tags: Camille Serme, Chicago, Joelle King, Laura Massaro, Raneem El Weleily, USA, Windy City Open, WSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

France’s Camille Serme (ri) claimed an unexpected place in the semis of the Women’s Windy City Open after despatching 3rd-seeded Alison Waters (le, ENG) in straight games (11-4, 14-12, 11-6) in Chicago, USA. It was the 3rd consecutive Tour victory of the World No6 over Water, the World No4.

Six-time French champion Camille Serme will meet another English opponent, top seed and World No2 Laura Massaro, who celebrated a confidence-boosting triumph after beating Annie Au 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 – thereby ending a three-match losing streak to the Hong Kong number 1.

The other semi-final will be the match predicted by the draw – between 4th seed Joelle King and 2nd seeded Egyptian Raneem El Welily. New Zealander King had to go the full distance to overcome underdog Beddoes 11-3, 10-12, 11-5, 9-11, 11-2. El Welily extended her career head-to-head record over Low Wee Wern to 9-1 when she beat the 5th seed from Malaysia 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.

Semi-final line-up (head-to-heads):
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [7] Camille Serme (FRA) – (5:4)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [4] Joelle King (NZL) – (7: 0)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Annie Au (HKG) 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 (51m)
[7] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [3] Alison Waters (ENG) 11-4, 14-12, 11-6 (45m)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt [Q] Emma Beddoes (ENG) 11-3, 10-12, 11-5, 9-11, 11-2 (74m)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [5] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (33m)

1st round:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Emily Whitlock (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-2 (34m)
Annie Au (HKG) bt [8] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (31m)
[3] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Joey Chan (HKG) 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (30m)
[7] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 12-10 (57m)
[Q] Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt [6] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8 (52m)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt [WC] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)
[5] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-6 (80m)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 12-14, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 (52m)

Ashour overcomes Willstrop in thriller!

March 2, 2014 • Tags: Chicago, Greg Gaultier, Mohamed El Shorbagy, Nick Matthew, PSA, Ramy Ashour, USA, Windy City Open • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

Egypt’s two-time World Champion Ramy Ashour (le) was back to his sublime best at the 2014 Windy City Open when he came through an enthralling 76-minute quarter-final encounter against England’s James Willstrop (ri) in 4 games (8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).

“He really came out firing and took the first game and I had to really dig in to win the match”, said the World No3 from Cairo. The 26-year-old Egyptian, who has been plagued by injury in recent months, will now face current World No1 Nick Matthew in the semis, as Matthew beat fellow countryman Peter Barker 11-2, 11-6, 11-3.

The 2nd semi-final will see World No4 Mohamed El Shorbagy take on French World No2 Greg Gaultier after they came through their respective quarter-finals against India’s Saurav Ghosal (11-6, 13-11, 11-7) and Germany’s Simon Rosner. Gaultier was given a stern test by the German, coming from 1 game down to secure his 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 victory.

Semi-final line-up (head-to-heads):
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) – (9:20)
[2] Greg Gaultier (FRA) v [4] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) – (8:0)