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TODAY at the Qatar
Classic
2011:
Sat 15th, Day Two
Fram & Steve in
Doha |
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Egyptians dominate
Qatar qualifying
It was a good day for Egypt at the Khalifa International
Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha as men's qualifying for
the 11th Qatar Classic concluded. Egyptians claimed four of
the eight places available in the PSA World Series draw, the
sixth of the year, with Egyptians also winning two of the
three women's first round qualifying matches played.
Men's Qualifying Finals
Siddarth Suchde (Ind)
bt Matthew Karwalski (Aus)
9/11, 11/4, 11/6, 12/10 (57m)
plays Reda
Kamran Khan (Mas) bt Joey
Barrington (Eng)
11/8, 11/7, 9/11, 9/11, 11/8 (90m)
plays Darwish
Mohamed Abouelgar (Egy) bt Yann Perrin (Fra)
9/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/8 (52m)
plays Gaultier
Chris Ryder (Eng) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (Mas)
11/6, 11/4, 11/2 (40m)
plays Rosner
Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy) bt Jaymie Haycocks (Eng)
11/6, 7/11, 11/4, 11/3 (50m)
plays Momen
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) bt Robbie
Temple (Eng)
11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (31m)
plays Tuominen
Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy)
11/8, 11/9, 11/9 (40m)
plays Boswell
Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt Farhan Mehboob
(Pak)
12/10, 12/10, 11/7 (38m)
plays Willstrop
Women's Qualifying Round
One:
Salma Hany (Egy) bt Salma Hatem Youssef (Egy)
11/8, 11/9, 11/8 (40m)
Farah Abdel Meguid (Egy) bt Parand Dolatyzadeh (Iri)
w/o
Tenille Van Der Merwe (Rsa) bt Fatemhalsadat Hadary (Iri)
w/o
Lauren Selby (Eng) bt Hana Essam Khaled (Egy)
11/6, 11/2, 11/1 (17m)
Merhan Amr Mahmoud (Egy) bt Maud Duplomb (Fra)
8/11, 11/2, 11/3, 11/13, 11/8 (50m)
Gallery:Forgotten something, Merhan ??? |
Men's Qualifying Finals
Siddarth Suchde recovered from a game down to beat
Matthew Karwalaski, the Australian who eventually got a bye
yesterday who is being coached by David Palmer in Orlando.
Karwalski threatened to take the match into a decider as he
took a 10/6 lead in the fourth, but a final flurry of five
points in a row saw the Indian through in just short of an
hour.
 "I
wouldn’t say it was a good match," said Suchde, "we were
both a bit edgy, but you know what it is, when you’re trying
to qualify."
Meanwhile two sons of famous fathers were battling it out on
the other court. Having let a two-game lead slip before
finally winning yesterday, Joey Barrington today had to come
from two games down against Kamran Khan.
It was the Malaysian, son of Jansher, who got the better of
the decider though, taking it 11/8 after 90 minutes of
squash that was at times brutal, at times disputed, but
always tough and always tense.
"I have nothing to say….. except I’m happy, well, relieved
more like," said Khan.
Mohamed Abouelgar recorded the first Egyptian win of
the day as the youngster came from a game down to beat
France's Yann Perrin in an entertaining four-game
tussle.
Chris Ryder provided the first English success,
getting the better of Muhd Asyraf Azan in a comfortable
three games. Ryder was unimpressed with the Malaysian's
movement, but the match was never close enough for it to be
an issue.
Henrik Mustonen, looking to be moving very well, also
enjoyed a straight game victory, beating Robbie Temple 11/4,
11/4, 11/4, and his reward is a match against fellow-Finn
Olli Tuominen!
"I played better today than I played all season," said the
Finnish number two. "I did a lot of work this summer, but it
was not showing on court, so it's nice to finally see some
result."
 The
final three places were all filled by Egyptians, taking
their qualifying tally to four and their main draw
contingent to double figures - Omar Abdel Aziz beat
Jaymie Haycocks in four; Mohamed Abbas won three close games
- coming from 3/9 down in the second - to frustrate Farhan
Mehboob; and Marwan El Shorbagy similarly took three
close games against fellow-Egyptian Mazen Gamal.
"I played well, the right tactic, and tried my best to avoid
any silly shots," said Shorbagy. "I’m really happy with the
way I played."
Two out of three for Egypt in curtailed women's
openers
 Having
already been shorn of several competitors, the women's
qualifying draw saw two Iranian no-shows leaving just three
first round matches to play, with more Egyptian success.
Salma Hany beat compatriot Salma Hatem Youssef in
three, and Merhan Amr Mahmoud won a see-saw
five-setter against France's Maud Duplomb.
England's Lauren Selby prevented an Egyptian clean
sweep though with a comprehensive win over Hana Essam
Khaled.
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Siddarth
Suchde (Ind) bt Matthew Karwalski (Aus)
9/11, 11/4, 11/6, 12/10 (57m)
plays Reda
MATTHEW, TOO MANY ERRORS…
Sid and Mat have got a similar build, both tall and slim,
loving to take the ball early and take their chances, very
entertaining game really. But unfortunately for him, the
Australian has got a tendency to go for a bit too much too
early, and his error rate is too high for his own good…
 In
the first one, I was quite controlling and playing well, but
at 9/5, it was a combination of him stepping up, cutting his
errors down, and me, stepping back!
The second was pretty easy though, he was again making a lot
of errors, but the third was the reverse of the first one,
he was ahead comfortably 10/6, I tried and make it as hard
as I could, got back at 10/10, and played the next points
rather well.
I wouldn’t say it was a good match, we were both a bit edgy,
but you know what it is, when you’re trying to qualify…
Kamran Khan (Mas) bt Joey
Barrington (Eng)
11/8, 11/7, 9/11, 9/11, 11/8 (90m)
plays Darwish
KAMRAN PREVAILS…
This was never going to be an easy match between the two
“Sons of” – who both HATE been called that, quite
understandably.
Joey started slowly, and Kamran was off the blocks like a
shot, putting so much pressure on the Englishman that
probably was feeling the ackes of his 5 setter yesterday
against Bradley Hindle.
But as Joey warmed up, his body finally getting into gear,
he was able to impose his game, and challenge the patience
of young Khan – who has got a tendency to go for a quick
finish, hence, can play errors at the worst of times.
The fourth was very tight indeed, with Joey imposing his law
8/5, then the Malaysian coming back at 9/9, only to tin the
last two points…
And as ever, here we were in a 5th game, where Kamran took a
comfortable lead 9/5. Joey still believing in his chances,
not physically tired, clawed back to 8/9, but just couldn’t
stop the Malaysian who I believe, was maybe hungrier today.
And if during the match, there were a few stops and starts,
a few traffic issues especially on the left side of the
court, with a few discussions and both players making their
views about the other one’s movement obvious, the last
handshake was a true one, with all the respect of the world,
and a Khan visibly emotional about his second ever time in a
major main draw.
 I
have nothing to say….. except I’m happy. Well, relieved more
like.
In the first two games, I played the perfect tactical game,
but the next two, he sucked me in his game, slowed me down
not only on the court, but in my head too. He’s got so much
experienced mentally, he did the same thing yesterday, I
watched him play….
Last year, I qualified for the Masters in India, so this is
my second time in a major main draw.
 I
was very slow to start with, I’ve never been too good at
starting early, 12 is very early! But gradually, I got my
teeth into the match, but when you get to 9/8 in the 5th,
it’s a bit of a lottery, isn’t it, a few bad shot selection,
he took advantage of that…
I think the match went higher and higher, and I must say I’m
quite happy to see that physically, I’m still here, I was
moving at the end as well as I’ve ever did, and that’s a
great feeling for me.
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Mohamed
Abouelgar (Egy) bt Yann Perrin (Fra)
9/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/8 (52m)
plays Gaultier
 "A
bit tired, mentally, the will to win, but physically, no
legs, trying to push, not much luck there! Yet, yesterday, I
felt not too bad, but today…
If I take the second one, you never know, from a
psychological point of view, anything can happen. But I just
kept running after the score from that moment on…
A bit disappointed, I had the potential to win that, but
something positive, I never gave up, I kept on fighting to
the last point. He took the opportunity when it presented
itself, and good luck to him for the rest of the tournament,
he did very well."
 "It
was a good match, I knew we both were going to feel a bit
heavy today, but he had a harder game than I yesterday, his
match went over 100m.
I started well, but then, made a few too many errors, which
I made sure I cut in the second, by not going for as many
shots.
Yann is a very fair player, and I’m very happy to play in my
first ever World Series. Of course, a few people to thank,
my Dad, my coach Mhd Farid, and my fitness coach, who did
great with me, Mahmoud. And of course, our National Coach,
Amir Wagih."
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It was an interesting match, against a
player with an unusual technique, very quick onto the front,
and full of deception shots.
I made sure I kept moving well, and didn’t give him any
angles to play with…"
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Omar Abdel
Aziz (Egy) bt Jaymie Haycocks (Eng)
11/6, 7/11, 11/4, 11/3 (50m)
plays Momen
 "After
playing a top player like I did yesterday, you think you are
in the main draw! But you have to come back home, and the
next day, to give it all!
Jaymie was playing very well today, he is holding the ball
so well, in particular on the backhand front corner. So I
had to twist and turn him a lot…"
 "It
was a good game, but patchy… I started very slowly, I got
back into it, but a bit too late.
In the second, I played well, the right shot at the right, I
was rather pleased with that.
And I’m really disappointed with the rest of the match, I
was not moving as well as I would have liked, I felt a bit
flat footed a few times… And he moved very well, took the
ball very early, and picked up shots I didn’t believe he
could and then played a great shot from there…
Still, it was a good match, very enjoyable. It was my first
time trying to qualify for a World Series event, I’m quite
happy to get to the final of the qualifications. And it’s
fun to see all the players, all the people you get on those
events…"
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Henrik
Mustonen (Fin) bt Robbie Temple
(Eng)
11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (31m)
plays Tuominen
 "It’s
feeling good to be back in the main draw in Qatar,
especially as they changed the points system, which means
that I get even more points than last year!
He made a lot of errors, but I’d like to think it’s a bit
because of the pressure I applied on him. I had the feeling
he didn’t want to push too hard, and maybe was looking for
short cuts today.
I played better today than I played all season. I did a lot
of work this summer, but it was not showing on court. So
it’s nice to finally see some result, it’s good for the head
as well…"
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Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy)
11/8, 11/9, 11/9 (40m)
plays Boswell
"I played
well, the right tactic, and tried my best to avoid any silly
shot. I’m really happy with the way I played.
 "We
already played in Jordan, I won 3/1, we knew each other’s
game. And today, I was able to slow the ball down. He was
very accurate at the front, he volleyed very well too,
trying to put me under pressure.
It’s my second World Series, and the event is not finished
for me, I’m looking forward to my match."
"It was very close, I guess he’s got a bit more experience
at that level than I have, and at the end, it came down to a
few shots here and there. I was a bit unlucky, the three
games were really close score wise…"
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