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Worldgate Sport and
Health Open 2007
13 -18 Feb,
Virginia, USA, $10k |
18-Feb-07:
Yasser
takes first PSA title
After upsetting seeds all the way to the final, Egyptian qualifier Yasser
El Halaby produced the perfect conclusion to his campaign in Virginia when
he beat No7 seed Jan Koukal to lift the first PSA title of his career.
The 22-year-old from Cairo brought his shock and awe game back for one
more day at the Worldgate Sport & Health Club, mixing in precision
straight drops between his crushing forehand cross court and straight
drives to take the first two games against the stoic Koukal.
Throughout the first thee games, the quiet Czech number one committed to
cleverly absorbing the El Halaby onslaught by using his quick hands to
reflect the pace from the Egyptian and former US college star. This
eventually paid off and culminated in a series of mistakes from El Halaby
in the third game, taking the match to a fourth, much to the delight of
the packed gallery.
Koukal’s accuracy and defensive posture had ensured it was El Halaby who
had done the majority of the work in the first three games and the scene
was set for a comeback and a dramatic five gamer. Although starting to
look fatigued, El Halaby rallied in the fourth and began absorbing
pressure himself as Koukal began to display his own firepower with a
series of lovely snap cross court drops.
The end of the fourth game was characterized by very long, searching
rallies as both players held on grimly. In the end, it was Koukal who hit
a few uncharacteristic errors and El Halaby capitalized to take the lead
and the match in 57 minutes - but not before three or four of the most
enthralling rallies of the entire tournament. |
"The area squash community
has been highly energized by PSA squash.
"Inspired by this and with the support of Sport and Health and other major
sponsors, AussieNick are now planning to secure an all wall glass court
for a 2-star event in the first quarter of 2008."
 tournament
organiser |
 Worldgate
Sport and Health open 2007
Virginia, USA, 13 -18 Feb, $10k |
Round One
15 Feb |
Quarters
16 Feb |
Semis
17 Feb |
Final
18 Feb |
[1] Omar Mosaad (Egy)
9/11, 11/7, 14/12, 11/7, 11/3 (93m)
Yasser El Halaby (Egy) |
Yasser El Halaby
11/8, 2/11, 11/3, 11/6 (35m)
Steve Finitsis |
Yasser El Halaby
11/9, 11/9, 8/11, 11/3 (38m)
Ben Garner |
Yasser El Halaby
11/9, 11/4, 10/12, 11/6
(57m)
Jan Koukal |
[5] Steve Finitsis
(Aus)
11/6, 11/6, 11/8 (32m)
Wade Johnstone (Aus) |
[3] Ben Garner (Eng)
11/4, 11/4, 11/8 (31m)
[Q] Martin Knight (Nzl) |
Ben Garner
7/11, 11/7, 11/8, 12/10 (55m)
Bradley Hindle |
[6] Bradley Hindle
(Aus)
11/8, 11/4, 11/9 (4m)
Campbell Grayson (NzL) |
[Q] Luke Margan (Aus)
11/5, 11/8, 7/11, 11/9 (63m)
[8] Jesse Engelbrecht (Zim) |
Jesse Engelbrecht
6/11, 11/2, 7/11, 11/3, 11/0 (62m)
Julien Balbo |
Julien Balbo
10/12, 11/5, 11/8, 6/11, 11/5 (92m)
Jan Koukal |
[Q] Ahmed Hamza (Egy)
13/11, 11/2, 11/7 (37m)
[4] Julien Balbo (Fra) |
[LL] Rob Sutherland (Wal)
11/6, 11/4, 11/9 (32m)
[7] Jan Koukal (Cze) |
Jan Koukal
6/11,9/11, 11/5, 11/6, 11/3 (67m)
Dan Jenson |
Ian Power (Can)
11/6, 11/7, 11/5 (32m)
[2] Dan Jenson (Aus) |
Qualifying:
Ahmed Hamza (EGY) bt David Barnett (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-13, 7-11,
11-5 (62m)
Martin Knight (NZL) bt Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-7, 12-10, 11-9
(52m)
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt Ryan Donegan (USA) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (27m)
Luke Margan (AUS) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-3, 10-12, 11-7, 11-3
(44m)
1st qualifying round:
David Barnett (ENG) bt Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-9, 12-10, 11-7
(28m)
Ryan Donegan (USA) bt Joe Millman (ENG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (31m)
Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) bt John Fulham (USA) 8-11, 11-1, 11-4, 14-12
(48m)
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17-Feb-07:
Yasser & Jan in
Worldgate final
Egyptian
qualifier Yasser El Halaby maintained his 'giant-killing' run in
the Worldgate Sport & Health Squash Open when he upset his third
seed in a row to reach the final at the Worldgate Sport & Health Club
in Worldgate, Virginia, USA.
The
22-year-old four-times US college champion took out his top-seeded
compatriot Omar Mosaad in the first round - and went on to
despatch Australia's fifth seed Steve Finitsis in the
quarter-finals.
In the
semis, El Halaby battled for 38 minutes to overcome England's No3 seed
Ben Garner to reach the fourth PSA Tour title of his
career.
There
was also an upset in the other semi-final where Jan Koukal, the
seventh seed from the Czech Republic, beat France's fourth seed
Julien Balbo in a 92-minute marathon.
The
23-year-old from Prague had earlier ousted Australia's second seed
Dan Jenson in a quarter-final upset.
16-Feb-07, Quarters:
El
Halaby's run continues
as Jenson falls ...
Rod Barnes reports
from Virginia
A day of intriguing battles, where speed and fitness won the day in all
matches.
Jesse Engelbrecht and Dan Jenson were worn down by fitter opponents
after establishing handy leads with superior racquet work and shots.
Yasser El Halaby continues to prove he is the man to beat. After
surviving a brutal 93 minute first round encounter with top seed Omar
Mosaad, he continued the surge against an in form Steve Finitsis.
Finitsis commented that he was pleased with the way he is playing but
that he was troubled by El Halaby’s speed and strength. Yasser is
clearly demonstrating to the enthusiastic Washington DC gallery that he
is the fastest player in the draw, both in footwork and with his hands.
It is hard to see the other players lifting to compete at his current
standard of play.
This is especially so now that the #2 seed Dan Jenson succumbed to a
persistent Jan Koukal. Jenson was troubled with a foot injury and
noticeably slowed from a point mid-way through the third set.
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15-Feb-07, Round One:
El
Halaby Into Worldgate Quarters In Virginia
Egyptian qualifier Yasser El Halaby scored a sensational upset in
the first round of the Worldgate Sport & Health Squash Open when he beat
compatriot Omar Mosaad, the top seed, in a five-game marathon in the new
PSA Tour event at the Worldgate Sport & Health Club in Worldgate,
Virginia, USA.
El Halaby came back from two games down, then survived a long third game
before defeating Mosaad, the 18-year-old British Junior U19 Open
champion in 93 minutes.
The 22-year-old from Cairo, who finished top of the US collegiate
rankings a record four times, now meets Steve Finitsis in the
quarter-finals after the fifth seed also prevailed in a domestic clash,
beating fellow Australian Wade Johnstone.
Tournament Website |
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