What's been happening in the world of squash (24th to 30th of October 2016)

Published : 2016-10-31 18:07:26
Categories : Squash news around the world

Gaultier and Matthew against Egypt

It’s not really a surprise since the host country boasts seven players in the world top 10: there will be six Egyptian players in the last eight of the World Championship on Tuesday and Wednesday in Cairo, a first in squash history. In the top half of the draw world number 1 Mohamed El Shorbagy - yet to drop a game and who has spent less than two hours on court – will face Ali Farag (#6), whose route has been much tougher. He beat Declan Declan James in 4 games, James Willstrop in 5 and Miguel Angel Rodriguez in 4. This match will taste like revenge for El Shorbagy who lost the last two times against his compatriot, most recently in the semi-finals in Al-Ahram a few weeks ago. This will also be déjà vu for Nick Matthew (#5) and Karim Abdel Gawad (#4) after their epic battle at the US Open a few days ago (the Wolf winning 11-9 in the fifth game after more than 90 minutes of play). Matthew assuaged his fans’ worries in the early rounds after retiring in the finals in Philadelphia, especially on Sunday against Simon Rosner. On the contrary his future opponent got very close to an early exit in the first two rounds against Nathan Lake and Mohamed Abouelghar, but Gawad seemed to have recaptured his recent form after a convincing victory against Max Lee in the round of 16.

Photo credit: squashsite / Steve Cubbins

While he’s been often slow off the marks after being back from injury, 3-time world champion Ramy Ashour (#8) has been impressive so far, dropping only one game in his three matches and not showing any sign of physical issues. His next opponent will be Fares Dessouky (#16) who came victorious after a very close encounter with Malaysia’s Nafizwan Adnan. Following a tough start against Paul Coll, titleholder Grégory Gaultier (#2) rolled into the quarters with relative ease. He will be up against Tarek Momen (#9). Lacking of confidence in the last few months, the Egyptian took out his compatriot Marwan El Shorbagy in 5 games, in what was his first win over a top 10 player since February! Twelve months after upsetting Nick Matthew in the quarters in Seattle, he will be looking to repeat this kind of performance. The women’s tournament ($50,000) has started on Saturday, with a potential encounter between Nicol David and Raneem El Welily in the semi-finals. Their match a few days ago at the US Open was according to the experts one of the best if not the best women’s match on the Tour in a while.

 

Around the world

 

Asian Junior Champion Sivasangari Subramaniam continues her run. The Malaysian has won the six legs of the 2016 Tour, the last one being in late December. She won her last 16 matches since her loss against Nouran Gohar in the World Junior Championship semi-finals in August. Her compatriot Elvinn Keo won the men’s tournament --- Millie Tomlinson won her seventh PSA title in 2016 (11 wins in 13 finals) and the biggest one of her career. In the final, the Englishwoman stopped the amazing run of Canada’s Samantha Cornett, who came back to the tour a few weeks ago after being sidelined for more than a year because of multiple injuries. In Toronto, Cornett successively beat Fiona Moverley, Maria Toorpakai and Samantha Teran. This result will certainly help her get back to the top 100, and is good news for her country less than a month away from the World Team Championship in Paris.

Photo credit: squashsite

After his title in Mackay, Australia’s Zac Alexander (former world number 36 and who now only plays in his home country) has now won 10 of 11 last tournaments. His only loss in 2016 was against Kiwi Paul Coll in August at the Australian Open. Back-to-back titles as well for Kiwi Amanda Landers-Murphy after her win last week in Queensland ---- After Natalie Grinham in 2015, another Dutch player won L’International du Val de Marne. Milou van der Heijden beat England's Julianne Courtice in three hard-fought games in Créteil, France.

 

Women’s World Team Championship countdown

 

The 20th Women’s World Team Championship will take place in less than four weeks in Paris. Boasting five players in the world top 10, Egypt will be hot favourites, title holders England being their main rivals. Malaysia and Nicol David (unbeaten in the WWTC since 2004!) will look to reproduce their 2014 result when they caused a massive upset in the semi-finals against Egypt. Other underdogs include Hong Kong (fourth in 2014, 3 players in the top 30), the United States, India, nine time world champion Australia and France. Led by recent US Open champion Camille Serme, the host country will seek to improve their best result (sixth in 2010 and 2014).

Photo credit: squashsite

Don’t forget that thanks to My-squash.com, you can win 2 tickets for the finals (Saturday December 3rd in Paris)! For more information go to https://www.my-squash.com/en/blog/tickets-n37

Results

PSA

  • Malaysian Squash Tour VI 2016 (Kuantan, Malaysia) – $5,000 (Men’s) + $5,000 (Women’s)

Winners: Elvinn Keo (Malaysia) and Sivasangari Subramaniam (Malaysia)

  • Slaight Music Granite Open (Toronto, Canada) – $15,000 (Women’s)

Winner: Millie Tomlinson (England)

  • L’International du Val de Marne (Créteil, France) – $5,000 (Women’s)

Winner: Milou van der Heijden (Netherlands)

  • Mackay Open (Mackay, Australia) – $5,000 (Men’s) + $5,000 (Women’s)

Winners: Zac Alexander (Australia) and Amanda Landers-Murphy (New-Zealand)

 

Others

  • British Junior U19 Nationals (Manchester, England) - Boys and girls

Winners: Kyle Finch (Hants) and Lucy Turmel (Suffolk)

Photo credit: 305squash

Schedule 

PSA

  • Wadi Degla World Championships (Cairo, Egypt) – 25th to 4th of November - $325,000 $ (Men’s)
  • Wadi Degla Open (Cairo, Egypt) – 29th to 4th of November – $50,000 (Women’s)
  • Hertzelia Autumn Tournament 2016 (Herzlia, Israel) – 1st to 6th of November - $5,000 (Men’s)
  • Lifetime Minneapolis 2016 (Minneapolis, United States) – 1st to 6th of November - $10,000 (Men’s)
  • Pacific Toyota Cairns Squash International 2016 (Cairns, Australia) – 2nd to 6th of November – $5,000 (Men’s) + $5,000 (Women’s)
  • 4ème Open de Château-Arnoux (France) – 2nd to 6th of November – 5 000 $ (Men’s)
  • Jordan Squash Federation Amman Squash Open 2016 – 3rd to 8th of November - 5 000 $ (Men’s) + $5,000 (Women’s)

 

Others

  • Belgium Junior Open (Brussels, Belgium) – 4th to 6th of November – Boys and girls - U11, U13, U15, U17, U19
  • BSPA Wimbledon Cup - (Wimbledon, England) – Men’s and women’s

 

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