Olli Tuominen (photo: SquashSite) A pair of qualifiers prevailed, and the 3rd seed fell, during a series of upsets in the 1st round of the Macau Open in China. England’s Daryl Selby was the biggest casualty – the 3rd-seeded world No12 going down 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 to flying Finn Olli Tuominen (pic), the former world No13 from Helsinki, now ranked 11 places below his opponent.
Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee is celebrating his 3rd appearance in the Macau Open after reaching the final in 2000 and winning the title a year later. Now competing as a qualifier, the 31-year-old world No33 produced an upset by beating England’s Tom Richards, ranked 21 in the world, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.
Spain’s ‘comeback King’ Borja Golan also had reason to celebrate: The qualifier from Santiago DC, fighting back to top form after knee surgery, despatched England’s Jonathan Kemp 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 to set up a quarter-final clash with 2nd seed Thierry Lincou. The formidable 35-year-old Frenchman, a former world champion and World No1 currently ranked 10 in the world, battled back from 1/2 down to overcome Egypt’s world No15 Omar Mosaad 11-8, 4-11, 7-11, 11-3, 13-11.
1st round results:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 9-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-3
[Q] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [3] Daryl Selby (ENG) 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Armando Amante (MAC) 11-4, 11-2, 11-5
Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-8, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5
[Q] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-8, 4-11, 7-11, 11-3, 13-11
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v [Q] Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
[4] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY)
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v [Q] Borja Golan (ESP)
