"It's amazing - I don't have words for it," exclaimed the 7th seed Borja Golan (ri) after the 80-minute victory over World No2 Frenchman Gaultier which takes him into his 1st ever World Series event semi-final. Spaniard Borja Golan scored 1 of the biggest scalps of his career when he defeated top seed and defending champion Gregory Gaultier 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 15-13 in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Classic in Doha.
Golan will now meet world champion Nick Matthew for a place in the final. The 3rd seed from England faced 6th-seeded Egyptian Amr Shabana in an eagerly-anticipated battle between two former world number ones. But, just 4 points into the 2nd game, Shabana offered his hand to Matthew to concede the match as the result of a knee injury sustained during the first game.
The other semi will be an all-Egyptian affair between twice champion Karim Darwish, the No 4 seed, and 5th seed Mohamed El Shorbagy. Both ended the runs of 2nd round news-makers: World No 6 El Shorbagy despatched Daryl Selby 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2, the Englishman who 24 hour earlier celebrated a 19-year wait by beating world No 2 James Willstrop.
World No 5 Darwish, Classic champion in 2008 and 2010, beat unseeded fellow countryman Karim Abdel Gawad 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.
Semi-final line-up:
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [7] Borja Golan (ESP)
Quarter-finals:
[5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2 (47m)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (33m)
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [6] Amr Shabana (EGY) 12-10, 2-2 ret. (27m)
[7] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 15-13 (80m)
2nd round:
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [2] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 9-11, 13-11 (89m)
[5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (37m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [8] Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-9, 5-11, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10 (82m)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5 (55m)
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-6, 11-7, 13-11 (54m)
[6] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (28m)
[7] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (56m)
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (40m)
1st round:
[2] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [WC] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 11-7, 11-9, 11-3 (27m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 (40m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-3, 14-12, 11-8 (51m)
[5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (67m)
[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-2, 11-3, 10-3 ret. (20m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 8-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9 (59m)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (31m)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 (64m)
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 (42m)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [Q] Max Lee (HKG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (41m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [Q] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (83m)
[6] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7 (55m)
[7] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (45m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-2, 11-4, 10-12, 7-11, 12-10 (91m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [Q] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (43m)
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (46m)
