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in Doha: Daily Reports from the World Champs
Fram reports, Steve clicks away |
 Tue
18th, Day SIX,
Round THREE:
Round three featured all of the last sixteen in action, with
quarter-final places up for grabs.
Round Three:
Cameron Pilley
(Aus) 3-0 Alister Walker (Bot)
11/7, 11/6, 12/10 (52m)
[6] Borja Golan (Esp) 3-1 Fares
Dessouki (Egy)
11/8, 11/4, 6/11, 11/5 (60m)
[5] Amr Shabana (Egy) 3-0 Max Lee
(Hkg)
11/6, 11/7, 11/4 (29m)
Stephen Coppinger (Rsa) 3-2 [10]
Tarek Momen (Egy)
12/10, 9/11, 14/12, 8/11, 11/8 (85m)
[1] Gregory Gaultier
(Fra) 3-1 [9] Omar Mosaad (Egy)
10/12, 11/5, 11/9, 11/9 (66m)
[4] Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-1 [12] Miguel
Rodriguez (Col)
9/11, 11/6, 11/5, 11/4 (47m)
[3] Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-1 [14]
Saurav Ghosal (Ind)
11/4, 11/5, 6/11, 11/9 (52m)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-1 [11] Simon Rösner (Ger)
11/8, 9/11, 11/9, 11/9 (65m)
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Even if we haven’t been playing each other for years, earlier in
our career, we used to play quite a lot against each other, so
we know exactly what to expect.
Ali is somebody that likes to take to step in front of you,
volley a lot and use his physicality to control the T. So today,
I tried to take that away from him by doing it more than him,
and I did that to a T today.
Absolutely stoked to be in the quarters of the World Champs. I
reached the British, but first time in the Worlds. Very happy
indeed, especially after a bit of a rough patch this year….
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Cameron Pilley (Aus) 3-0 Alister
Walker (Bot)
11/7, 11/6, 12/10 (52m)
Ali Outplayed
 Cameron
made 5 errors the whole match. And that is probably the key to
the match. Cameron didn’t give a sniff to his opponent today,
and Alister just wasn’t able to play his volleying game. He
didn’t manage today to vary his pace enough, and only started to
put Cam under pressure in the 3rd, by forcing a long and high
paced rallies.
 But
Cameron had that “quiet/calm urgency” about him today. He just
hit good length, his width prevented Ali from volleying, and he
was planted on the T, having only a step to do to counterdrop
Ali’s attacks.
We thought that Ali was getting more into it, as the third was
as close as it comes, and he took a good lead, 2/0, 4/1. Cam
didn’t let him run away with it, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7, but again Ali
was much more pro active and dynamic. 10/8, game.
Cameron just scored the following 4 points. Just a big push,
superb length/energy, great skill display. Ali will be very
frustrated indeed by that ending… |
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[6] Borja
Golan (Esp) 3-1 Fares Dessouki (Egy)
11/8, 11/4, 6/11, 11/5 (60m)
Confused? You will be.
 Watching
the match between Borja and Fares, I grew more and more confused
by the hardness of the decisions that were given, not to mention
the disparity of them!
Very quickly, Fares and Borja got penalised for not clearing the
ball quick enough, and strokes out of nowhere were distributed
as on Boxing Day (that’s the Day after Christmas where family
used to exchange gifts).
 Of
course, it didn’t take long for the players to realise that, as
long as they were standing behind their opponents, they would be
rewarded a stroke. So they didn’t have to make the effort to the
ball anymore, they just stood, and got the stroke.
Ehhhrrrrr.
My confusion got even deeper when two lets, that at last meant
some sense for me, were overturned by the Video Ref.
“You are confusing me”, stated Fares at the end of the second
game. “They are confusing me too” I said to myself….
What made it worse, is that the following game, Shabana/Max, we
were back to the decisions I can actually understand….
Moving on….
 Back
to the match, Borja played superb squash, very controlled and
powerful, and my gut feeling is that Adrenalin allowed young
Fares to cling that third, as we could hear him “stroke”…
“stroke” from the side of the court after that famous second
game.
Fares shoot out at 7/1 before Borja got a bit of his Torrero
feints into the Egyptian. Fares still takes the game, 11/6 in
the shortest game of the match, 11m.
The fourth, well, Borja was just too good at mixing the
attacking shots with some spotless/glued to the wall
drives/crosscourt lobs. Fares was never in that game, Borja
showing why he is WR7. A superb intelligent and measured squash.
Just superb. |
I had now two matches on the glass
to get used to it, and I feel my squash is getting better. After
the first match I was not happy with my short game, after the
second match, I thought my length game was not good enough, but
today, I’m happy with most of my game.
Most important thing, I only lost focus for a point, and then
when it happened, I was able to come back right into it. Whereas
sometimes, it can take me 2 or 3 points. That’s definitely an
improvement. Hopefully next match, I won’t have any loss of
concentration at all!
I can’t really change my speed, but I can work on being a better
squash player, that’s why I work hard on my skills…
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Very simple. If you don’t control the rallies, you are going to
find yourself at the end of it. So today, I had a game plan, I
tried and implement it, then I stuck to it, and I felt good on
court.
It’s always a push and pull game, push me out, pull you in, but
at the end of the second, I gave it a big push, but I was too
excited, and being too excited is not good for squash. But
somehow, I managed to stay in control. Maybe his movement was
not the best today, maybe he could have done things differently,
I don’t know.
No, I didn’t change anything to my game, I’ve just been training
hard, and tried and stayed in shape.
With a short match, you keep all your energy, tomorrow, no
excuses, you can’t say, oh, I was tired…
Right now, I don’t want to talk about Nick, I hope they’ll have
a long a very long match, and I hope he’ll loose! Only joking.
Whoever I’m playing, it will be a tough match, because they both
have great qualities, Saurav is very good, very fast, and can
tire you a lot, and Nick likes to attack from the middle and
will volley a lot. I just hope they’ll have a tough match!!!!
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[5] Amr
Shabana (Egy) 3-0 Max Lee (Hkg)
11/6, 11/7, 11/4 (29m)
Shabana, a Legend in Action
 That
match was a pure masterclass from Shabana. First time they
played, I saw the match, and it was nip and tuck, 3/1 for Shabs.
But apparently, their last encounter in the US was absolutely
superb, and went to 11/7 in the 5th, in 72m.
Needless to say that, like Max stated it, Shabana was ready. A
bazooka he had today, not a racquet. He shot the poor Hong Kong
player again, and again, the whole match. Lord knows the boy
tried, but with no much success. 8m the first game, 11/6, 9 the
second, 7, and 7 the last one, 4.
 Max
never put a foot wrong, never game up, and made only 2 unforced
errors the whole match. He just couldn’t do anything. Not sure
that many people could have actually today.
This is a perfect match mentally for the Egyptian. 1. He gets to
punish somebody that dared to take him to 5 last time they
played. 2. It gives him confidence for tomorrow. 3. Sends a loud
warning to the others.
You could say it’s a good day overall for the 4 times World
Champion…
When we shook
hands at the end of the match in the US, Shabana told me “next
time, I’ll be ready.” And I was sure that he would be!
Today, he was attacking from the start, whereas the last time he
was more patient.
And I played far too many crosscourts, each time I was playing
one, I would tell myself, stop it…. But I didn’t…
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Stephen
Coppinger (Rsa)
3-2 [10] Tarek Momen (Egy)
12/10, 9/11, 14/12, 8/11, 11/8 (85m)
Coppinger secures sensational
quarter-final spot
 South
African Steve Coppinger became the second unseeded player to
reach the quarter-finals in Doha after a sensational five-game
win over tenth seed Tarek Momen.
There was nothing to choose between them for three games,
Coppinger trying to keep the play controlled and steady, Momen
trying to utilise his speed to inject pace and break up the
play.
Neither could break free with hardly a point between them -
Coppinger got the first opportunity at 10-9 in the first, taking
it 12-10, Momen took two points in a row from 9-all in the
second, and from 9-all in the third Coppinger again sneaked it,
14-12 this time.
 Things
changed after that though, with a vengeance - Coppinger pulled
clear from 2-all in the fourth to lead 8-2, but just when the
quarters seemed o be in touching distance Momen managed to
impose his game, made it fast and furious as he took nine points
in a row to level the match 11-8.
The fifth was up and down too - Coppinger led 4-2, Momen fought
back to lead 7-4, but put the ball loose too mant times, giving
the South African plenty of opportunity to punch in volley drops
which helped him to draw level at 7-all and then reach match
ball 10-8.
The final rally was one of the longest of the match, Coppinger
just managing to keep Momen’s scrambling efforts at bay until
finally the error came and Coppinger raised his arms aloft.
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“I lost in five to Tarek in the first round of the World Open
here two years ago, so to play again in the third round shows
how I’ve come on a bit.
“It’s totally mental when you get involved in that type of
match, if you don’t have the drive you won’t get fit, and in the
match itself it’s 99% in the head, you can’t let things like
losing big leads get to you.
"I was just a few points away from a win and then had to start
all over again but I did the same thing in the first round so I
had the belief that I could do it.
"Considering the setting, the circumstance and that this is the
World Championship, this is without a shadow of a doubt the
biggest win of my career.
"I'm in the quarters now and I don't think any player gets there
easily, we've all had our own battles. It was another remittal
battle today and I've come through a few of those so I'm
mentally in the right place so lets see what happens tomorrow."
“I’ve been working with David Palmer in Orlando, he got me into
the top sixteen then I dropped a little, but now I feel I’m back
and can start pushing towards the top again. I’ve beaten three
guys who have been in the top ten here this week, so something
seems to be working!”
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He is so big anybody would be afraid of him! If I was that big,
I wouldn’t be afraid of anybody….
His forehand is amazing, and today, I lost a bit of accuracy,
but at least I was moving well.
That kind of match will actually help me for my next match, it
puts a bit of fighting spirit in me, and I needed that.
I may be a bit stiff tomorrow, but I have a great team around
me, and I’ve worked so hard to get through those matches, and
the wins get you some adrenalin and make you forget the pain.
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[1] Gregory
Gaultier
(Fra) 3-1 [9] Omar Mosaad (Egy)
10/12, 11/5, 11/9, 11/9 (66m)
Mosaad will kick himself
from here to…
Talk about a lost opportunity. The Egyptian today really managed
to put the Seed1 under a heck of a pressure today from the first
game to the last, but was basically his own worst enemy as he
tinned crucial points, again and again, the second in
particular, 6 tins in that one alone.
 He
had Greg under hell in the first game, forcing 4 errors out of
him, managing to stay with
him 2/2, 6/6, 8/8, 9/9, transforming the second game ball, 12/10
in 18m. The numerous Egyptian crowd was going wild!
The second is in my mind
where he lost the match, as he exposed his weakness to Greg, who
from that moment knew that
he would be able to force tins out of him as long as he would
push long enough. …
Third was as close at the first game, the crowd pushing both
Greg and Omar, a lot of decisions, no lets flying around like
mad, the two players finding some superb shot games. A long and
intense rally at 9/9, but that ends yet again in a tin, and
before he could say Boast, Omar was down 2/1, 11/9 for Greg,
17m.
Terrible start for the Egyptian in the 4th, or best start for
Greg, whatever you choose to look at it, 4/1, but Omar is still
in the match, 4/4. Greg flies with the score again, 7/4, again,
Omar is on his hills, 7/7. 8/8. 9/9. And a Tin, yet again. At a
crucial time. All credit to Greg for making him doubt and go for
just too much. And a stroke later, a very relieved Greg can walk
towards his team support – a lot of his friends have come to
take the boy to the Title et rejoice. |
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[4] Ramy
Ashour
(Egy) 3-1 [12] Miguel Rodriguez
(Col)
9/11, 11/6, 11/5, 11/4 (47m)
And Ramy starts flying again ...
 What
a refreshing match that was. Bless Miguel, Bless Ramy, we had a
NickMaster and a RubberBall having a squash Party out there.
Just to give you an idea, not one decision in the first game
that went 11/9 for Miguel. Not one.
HOW REFRESHING!!!!!!
Ramy started well, 3/1, but Miguel was not there to just nurse
him to the quarters. He was attacking splendidly, and was
covering the four corner, as ever. Ramy, talking with his Usual
Demons, was struggling to keep his mind on the match, and Miguel
run away with the score form 7/7 to 10/7. Ramy then started to
lob everything that he could put his racquet on (if you were
watching the semi-final between Ramy and Nick in 2012 here, the
same), and managed to claw back to 9/10. But with a superb drop
shot, Miguel took the game, 11/9 for the great pleasure of a few
loud supporters – we love you crowd!
 The
second didn’t start well for the Artist, as quickly we were at
4/4, Miguel’s 4 points being Ramy’s gifts. That seem to quieten
the Demons a bit, and Ramy then score 4 points in the row (I’ll
alert the Media), to take the game 11/6 in 9m.
And from that point on, Ramy had gone back into the
Reflex/Volley/Nick Roll that is typical of his game. It didn’t
prevent my RubberBall to give a great performance, run the court
about 3548 times, and delight the crowd by his movement, shots
and good personality.
What a joy that was…
 He
is the most talented player I ever played, and I want to
congratulate him.
I played an exhibition last year with him, so it doesn’t count,
and tonight was my first competitive match with him.
I have been working very hard lately and I had some good
results, I had a good tournament here, so, so far, so good…
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Yes, could we talk about something else than my body, everybody
is talking to me about my body, let’s talk about something
else!!!!???
Sometimes, you have a lot on your mind, so much going in your
head that you’ve got to take yourself out of the dark place, and
take it back to the light, and force yourself to enjoy it.
It’s good that I could perform even not on a good day. But at
least, I know I have pushed myself, on every match, that I gave
it 100%. If I didn’t I would hate myself. It would be worse than
losing.
In the first game, I was a bit flat, and against somebody like
Miguel, you just cannot move slowly, it’s just an impossibility.
I love the way he plays so much, he is quite unique, he has got
a completely different perspective on the ball. And I knew we
were going to have a great match.
His logic toward the ball is just like nobody else. I love
watching him play, the way he sees the ball, is quite unique.
And you could actually learn a lot of subtleties watching him
play…
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”After the first two it was a bit of me stepping off and a bit
of him stepping it up! He gave me a lot of volleys in the first
two, which is my strength, but he started using his brain in the
next two games.
“At the end of the second, I thought that Saurav was not moving
as well as he normally does, so that was maybe something there,
and I just got ahead of myself, which you should never do, I
starting thinking about tomorrow, and that’s a big mistake.
 I’m
annoyed at myself, but I’m so lucky I got out of jail there. And
I was annoyed about that volley from Saurav, but if Saurav says
the ball was good, I take his word for it. But it’s good
sometimes to use that frustration, that fire to fuel yourself.
And as long as you can channel it the right way, it’s helping
you. And if I didn’t have that fire, we wouldn’t be talking
right now, I would be playing a 5th game!!!
Although we played 4 games, it was not too long of a match, 50m
something, so because the first two games were pretty quick,
it’s not the end of the world that I dropped one game. I was
lucky all around really…”
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[3] Nick
Matthew
(Eng) 3-1 [14] Saurav Ghosal (Ind)
11/4, 11/5, 6/11, 11/9 (52m)
Matthew finds the Tiger in the end
For the first two and a bit
games it looked as though defending champion Nick Matthew would
be booking himself a quarter-final spot in double quick time.
 Yes,
Saurav Ghosal had takes a 4-1 lead in the opening game, but from
there Matthew reeled off 16 points in a row to take the first
11-4 and a 6-0 lead in the second, with Ghosal seemingly unable
to do anything about it.
The Indian staged a recovery, started mixing up the rallies and
took a few points with crisp winners, but it was too late for
that game as Matthew took it 11-5 to extend his lead.
 A
3-0 start in the third didn’t bode well for Ghosal, but to his
credit he continued his improvement, started to make inroads
and, with a few helpful unforced errors from Matthew, came back
to lead 5-3, 8-5 and took the game 11-6 as Matthew owned up to a
dropshot that just clipped the top of the tin.
Ghosal was into the match
now, and led for the best part of the fourth too - never by
much, but now he was getting the better of some scrambling
rallies and from 5-all he moved 8-5 ahead, then 9-6 with a
winning return of serve.
 That
was probably a turning point as Matthew, who was convinced that
the return had clipped the tin, made reference to his own
admission and was clearly unhappy.
“I used that to find a bit of the tiger in myself,” he
admitted afterwards, “and managed to channel that aggression to
use it effectively - I had to, I would have been in big trouble
otherwise.”
It certainly was effective, as Matthew took the next five
points, Ghosal cursing himself for an unforced error and a
missed opportunity on the final rally.
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[2] Mohamed
Elshorbagy
(Egy) 3-1 [11] Simon Rösner (Ger)
11/8, 9/11, 11/9, 11/9 (65m)
Simon, Night and Day
If you think of how poorly – sorry Simon – the German played
yesterday, and you compared his performance to what he did
today, it’s how we say in French, “le jour et la nuit”. Night
and Day….
 First
game was as close as it comes, even if Mohamed shoot off the
blocks 5/2, he is soon caught up 5/5. 7/7. 8/8. Spreading winner
like only Egyptians can do, Mohamed is putting Simon under
pressure, but we are already having a great match. Mohamed seals
the first one, 15m, 11/8. Close.
The second, Simon is up for it from the start. 3/1 for the
German , 3/3, 4/4, 6/6, it’s neck to neck, great rallies, quite
a slow pace compared to what we’ve seen today really. 7/7. 8/8.
9/9. Basma Shorbagy is getting louder and louder in her support,
and so is the Egyptian Majority Crowd. A tin – uncharacteristic
at the crucial times like that and a gigantic mammoth rally
ended by a backhand crosscourt winner, 11/9 for Simon, in 17m.
 The
third is looking terrrrribly bad for the Shorbagy Clan, as the
German is flying, 5/2, 7/3. That’s when Mohamed decides to speed
up the game, shoots at will, twisting and turning his opponent
as much as he can. Back at 8/8. 9/9.
But this time, one out of court – called out by Simon, at the
moment of the match, it’s got to be stressed, and a tin coming
from the German’s racquet this time, 11/9 Shorbagy, 13m. I could
hear Basma breathing out from where I was, as in the other
side!!!
 Simon
was mentally down and physically spent in the 4th. But did it
stop him?
Never. He just dug in, and dug in, always 2 points behind, but
not more. Still, Mohamed, match ball 10/7.
The Egyptian will have all the troubles in the world to close it
out. Simon, running on fumes since the beginning of the game, is
still fighting, and it’s only a backhand kill drive from Hell at
9/10 that will finally give Match to the Egyptian.
You know, I never thought that Mohamed could lose before the
later stages. But at 7/3 down, it dawned on me that he could
actually have lost in the 3rd round.
Yes. Simon was THAT good tonight. |
It was a high
quality match, he has put so much pressure on himself for the
past few months to get himself in the top 10, but he has proved
in the US Open against Greg and here against me that he is worth
much more than that.
And if he stops thinking himself as only a top 10, he’ll may be
surprise how high he can go.
Actually, I feel I had the
toughest draw of the Last 16, and he was unlucky too because out
of the 4 matches we played, 3 were in the World Champs. And I
truly believe he deserves to go much further in the tournament.
He surprised me today, I played how I normally play against him,
but it was not working and it’s the best he’s ever played
against me. I had to change my game, I picked up the pace, which
I normally would keep rather slow, I started to hit more
randomly.
I’m glad I manage to get through though, because even in the
4th, I could feel he was tired, but he kept pushing and pushing
and pushing. That’s why when I got those 2 points lead, I kept
pushing to make sure I’d keep them.
The match was 65m, but come on, I’m 23, and if someone can
handle playing those matches in a row, I should be the one!!.
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