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HERE WE GO…
 This
is a funny place you know, so well designed… You have two air
con courts – on which we are playing the qualifiers and the
first round – and four courts that are “outside”, under a lovely
gallery.
And between those four courts, a stunning square, with tables,
little food shops, and the lovely breeze that comes from being
away from the main city. Here, the temperature is acceptable. In
Cairo, I’m told it’s not…
Like I told you, we’ll be playing on two courts, from 12noon,
and four matches less than planned, as Yasir, Tarek, Jan and
Julien get byes – so many people didn’t show up.
 I’ll
cover one court, while Marwan, whose brother, Mohamed El
Shorbagy, is in Zurich having fun with boys of his age for once,
will cover the other one.
Marwan, who's been helping SquashSite a lot, now has a new
camera, same as mine. So, he means business, I tell
you!!!!!!!!!!
So good luck to you all, guys… |
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Qualifying Round One :
Yasir Butt (Pak)
bye
Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy) bt Wade
Johnstone (Aus) 11/7,
9/11, 8/11, 11/8, 11/9 (61m)
Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) bt
Se Hyun Lee (Kor)
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (21m)
Simon Rosner (Ger) bt Ali Amr Farag
(Egy)
11/8, 11/3, 11/9 (37m)
Jan Koukal (Cze) bye
Ahmed Hawas (Egy) bt Domagoj Spoljar (Cro)
11/7, 11/3, 11/8 (25m)
Amr Swelim (Egy) bt Islam El Feky (Egy)
11/4, 11/9, 11/8 (20m)
Badr Abdel Aziz (Egy) bt Hatham
Efat (Egy)
11/7, 11/3, 11/5 (20m)
Stephane Galifi (Fra) bt Mohd
Abdel Maksoud (Egy)
11/2, 11/4, 11/5 (17m)
Tom Richards (Eng) bt Mohd El Kady
(Egy)
11/4, 11/6, 11/8 (26m)
Amr Mansi (Egy) bt Mostafa Bayoumi (Egy)
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (21m)
Julien Balbo (Fra) bye
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Mohd Aboul
Gahr (Egy)
11/3, 11/6, 11/6 (31m)
Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Ahmed Abdel
Latif (Egy)
11/0, 11/3, 11/1 (16m)
Steve Coppinger (Rsa) bt Basem
Makram (Pak)
11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (26m)
Tarek Momen (Egy) bye |
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Stephane Galifi (Fra) bt Mohd
Abdel Maksoud (Egy)
11/2,
11/4, 11/5 (17m)
An Easy Start for Galifi
Marwan reports
Galifi played the Local player Mohamed Abd el Maksoud, 16 years old,
in his first round match. It was the first PSA Tournament for him so
of course it was such a good experience for him. He did his best and
of course he enjoyed it, but Galifi was moving well today
controlling the game, getting ready for his match tomorrow.
I heard a lot about the Frenchman's squash and about his footwork,
so I hope to watch him tomorrow ...
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 "It's
always nice to play with kids, he is a very good junior player, very
good for just 16 years old.
"I am playing well anyway, moving well and I am looking forward to
my match tomorrow ...
 "It
was a very good experience for me, my first PSA tournament. I did my
best but he killed me .. I wish him good luck for his match tomorrow
..."
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 "I
couldn’t move well at all or hit the ball, but at 4/6 down in the
first, I thought that if I was going to lose, I might as well give
it my best!
"He is such a tough opponent, he plays the ball so well, in
particular on the backhand, and he hits some great crosscourts too.
And as he returns with a really deep crosscourt, it was hard for me
to volley.
"I played a few PSAs, and was supposed to go some juniors opens, but
I slipped the day before my first match in Kuwait, and got myself 15
stitches. Only lost 3/2 still!
"I wish I could play more, but as I’m studying to become a dentist,
it’s hard for me to get free time.
"I know, I don’t look like a dentist, but I am!!!!!!"
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Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy) bt
Wade Johnstone (Aus)
11/7, 9/11, 8/11, 11/8, 11/9 (61m)
GOOD START…
Framboise reports
Two similar types of player, both physically – strong and tall – and
game wise, both loving to drop nicely at the front but having some
great powerful crosscourts. And both prone to unforced errors at the
wrong time…
In short, a tough opening of the day, with the 20 year old Egyptian
from the Gazira club a bit nervous at the start, but whose
determination and retrieving qualities – although he is maybe asking
for a few lets too many bless him – pushed the Australian to 9/9 in
the fifth. A nice backhand dropshop and a tin later, and Omar was
walking away with a nice first round of the qualifiers upset…
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Tom Richards (Eng) bt Mohd El Kady
(Egy)
11/4,
11/6, 11/8 (26m)
Richards in control
Marwan reports
Tom Richards was controlling the match today against Mohamed El
Kady, playing in his first PSA tournament. El Kady tried very hard
but Richards didn't give him any chance today - in the first two
games Tom was just playing basic to get into the game and El Kady
was making the mistakes so Richards was taking advantage from that
and was volleying everything and El Kady got very tired.
In the third game Richards had a very bad start and El Kady stopped
the errors and took the lead 7/4, but after that Richards got back
to the game to finish the match. El Kady had a good experience from
the match and Richards is ready for the match tomorrow against
Galifi - it will be a very TOUGH match.
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 "I
am happy to win my first match, I hadn't played him before so I
tried to get into the game, to get used to the court.
"I am so looking forward for my match tomorrow, it will be very
tough ..."
"It's my first PSA tournament. I played very well, but he was
playing at a very fast pace and I got very tired."
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"I’m from Korea, and I train in Seoul. I came to Cairo because I
want to play and train here for a year, I should be working at the
Cairo Stadium.
"I’m happy with my match, Ritwik was just too good, he’s got a
perfect balance, a good movement, and he is so calm…"
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Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind)
bt Se Hyun Lee (Kor)
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (21m)
"We had a good match, I didn’t play so many matches in India
recently, so I was happy to rally a bit, and not finish the points
too early, as I need a bit of match practice.
"I’m so happy to be back here, I spent a whole month last year, and
I just love it here in Cairo, it’s so beautiful…"
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Amr Mansi (Egy) bt Mostafa Bayoumi
(Egy)
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (21m)
An easy throw for Mansi
Marwan reports
Amr Mansi played the local player Moustafa Bayoumi, just 14 years
old from Heliopolis Club. It is such a good experience for him
before the British Junior Open to play and to watch the top players
like Shabana, Ramy and Gaultier.
He enjoyed the match, and tried very hard. Mansi was getting used to
the court, played well and moved well. He will play against Julien
Balbo for a place in the main draw. Balbo beat him two months ago,
12/10 in the fifth. That was very tough match but this time they
will play in Egypt.
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 "I
am happy to get an easy match at the start of the tournament, to get
used to the court.
"It is a very good experience for him to play in a Platinum event
and to watch the matches, he is a good junior player.
"I have a very tough match tomorrow against Julien Balbo he beat me
3/2 last time in France but this time we will play in Egypt so I
hope I will win. I am so looking forward for my match tomorrow ..."
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 "I
played very well today, I was playing long rallies to get used to
the court, the court is quite strange but it's alright.
"He is a very good player, he played very well he did lots of good
shots."
"I was very nervous at the start of the match. After that I said to
my self I am not going to lose anything, so I started to play and I
did very good shots.
"All credit to him he is very experienced, I wish to him good
luck for his match tomorrow..."
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Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Mohd
Aboul Gahr (Egy)
11/3, 11/6, 11/6 (31m)
Safe Start for Reda
Marwan reports
Reda was in control today for most of the match against the 14 year
old Mohamed Abo El Ghar who won the Pioneer Cup under 15. It is his
first PSA Tournament so ff course very good experience for him to
play in this tournament. He played very well and played lots of good
shots but Mohamed Anwar Reda - himself a British Junior Open
champion - has the experience, he knows how to play against the
junior players.
Reda is now preparing him self for his match tomorrow against the
Indian Saurav Ghosal, it will be very interesting to watch ...
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Simon Rosner (Ger) bt Ali Amr
Farag (Egy)
11/8, 11/3, 11/9 (37m)
GOOD LITTLE RUNNER!
Framboise reports
The top boys have got to worry, I tell you, as this little boy –
both by age and size – is really something. He is only 16, he trains
at Heliopolis, and gave Tall Simon Rosner, one of the nicest well
mannered players on the circuit, a freeking good run.
You can’t believe the score, yes it was a three love, but a tough
one, as that boy hit, and drop, and counter attacked, and placed
nicely at the front and at the back. Simon had to use his best game
to beat young Aly Amr, and he must have been quite happy to win the
third, the score being so close, 6/6, 8/8, 9/9.
What struck me mostly was the absence of the “junior game” in Aly
Amr. He played like a senior, making less than five unforced errors
the whole match, kept the rallies going, and never gave up.
As Simon said at the end of the match, “he is on his way”…
 "The
pace was so fast, and he is so tall, I had a problem getting my
shots to the back, he was cutting me off so well…
"But I’m happy with my match, and particularly with my third game,
which was the only game I led, and kept on coming back.
"Yes, I would like to become a professional, maybe next year…"
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 "How
old is he?????? 16?????
A forty minute game for 3/0, that shows that it wasn’t an easy game
in any way, shape or form, and this boy is going to be very
dangerous in the years to come, he is on his way to get to the top,
if he keeps on playing like that!
"I was so happy that my new coach, Wael El Batran, an Egyptian
settled in Paderborn with his wife and children, could come here for
the tournament, and watch me play.
"We’ve been training together for about a week only, but he is my
personal coach too, and will supervise my diet, training, off court
training, etc, with three sessions per day.
"I hope that in the coming years, that will help me progress in the
rankings..."
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 "It
was quite an easy match, he is just 13 years old so very good
experience for him. I got used to the court I played all my shots
getting ready for my match tomorrow against Ali Anwar, I hope I will
win that match ..."
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Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Ahmed
Abdel Latif (Egy)
11/0, 11/3,
11/1 (16m)
Speedy Saurav
An Easy Start for Saurav against the
local player Ahmed Abd El Latif, just 13 years old.
The match was very quick, Saurav didn't give him any chance to play
as he used to the court and he tried his shots, getting ready for
his match tomorrow against Mohamed Ali Anwar Reda. |
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Steve Coppinger (Rsa) bt Basem
Makram (Pak)
11/5, 11/6, 11/1 (26m)
No Sweat for Steve
It was my first time to watch Steve Coppinger, I heard about him a
lot. Today he was playing very well, he didn't give any chance to
Bassem to play, he was controlling all the match. He was volleying,
hitting the ball very well from everywhere, moving very well, and
Bassem couldn't compete with him, putting the ball in the middle of
the court and he made lots of mistakes.
Coppinger will play Tarek Momen tomorrow, I think it will be very
tough match really very tough.
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 "I
feel very confident. I played very well, I was hitting the ball very
well today, I am really happy and I hope I can get to the main draw
so I am really looking forward for my match tomorrow ..."
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Amr Swelim (Egy) bt Islam El Feky
(Egy)
11/4, 11/9,
11/8 (20m)
SLOW STARTER BUT…
Framboise reports
 If
Islam El Fiky took a very bad start today against compatriot Amr
Swelim, he soon caught up and found his rhythm again, hitting the
ball very hard when needed, and finding some stunning winners,
crowned with some delicate top spin, “à la Goughy”…
Amr, a bit bunged up from a cold he’s had for a few days, was maybe
not at his best today, but was in control enough to play damage
control, and getting away with a nice 3/0.
He’ll probably need all his strength tomorrow…
 "He
made a lot of errors in the first, and then, I got a bit too loose.
And he started to play very well.
"I’m fighting with a cold, and my movement is slower, my squash is
slower, my head is slower.
"I hope I will play better against Badr tomorrow, as if I was to
qualify, this would be my first Super Series…"
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"I was too excited at the start of the match, being my first PSA,
you know, I lost a lot of energy there, which cost me a lot at the
end of the match.
"The pace is very high, I’m not used to that pace, not to shots I
think are winners which keep coming back!
"I’m 16, I train in Heliopolis, and I would like to get more serious
with my squash. My aim is to play in the World Juniors, I still can,
and I hope I can find a nice balance between my studies - I’m going
to College next year - and squash training…"
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Preview:
Ramy Inspires New Super Series Platinum Event In Egypt
The meteoric success of young Egyptian squash player Ramy Ashour
has inspired the launch of a new Super Series Platinum event on
the PSA Tour in his homeland.
The SKY Petrosport Open, boasting a $140,000 prize-fund, will
take place at the luxurious new SKY Club in Cairo. The 2008 championship will be the first of a planned
series of three annual events.
The event has been initiated by Ashour's coach Ahmed Matany,
in conjunction with Petrosport, the first Petroleum company
in the sports marketing business in Egypt and the Middle East.
"This is wonderful news for the ever-growing men's squash tour and
highlights not only the status of squash in Egypt, but also the
major impact Egyptian squash is having on the world stage," said PSA
Interim Chief Executive Ted Wallbutton.
The SKY Petrosport Open becomes the eighth PSA Super Series event of
the year, and the fifth to offer prize money in excess of $100,000.
Only 20 years old, Ramy Ashour made history in July 2006 when he
became the first person to win the biennial Men's World Junior
Championship for a second time. Within three months, he had reached
his first Super Series event final at the Hong Kong Open - since
when he has leapt to number two in the PSA world rankings with eight
major title wins from 13 final appearances.
Egypt currently boasts four players in the men's world top ten - led
by world champion Amr Shabana at No1 - and 12 in the top 50.
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"I
played ok today for my first match. He is very dangerous at the
front of the court so I kept him to the back all of the match. 
