04-Oct, Final:                            Gallery & Slideshow

 [6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [5] James Willstrop (Eng)     11/7, 11/4, 11/7 (54m)
 

"I was here last for the Village Open and that was great, and this is ten times better. New York is a fantastic squash community.

"James has been a massive rival over the last few years, and he wasn't quite on top of his game tonight."

03-Oct, Semi-Finals:                  Gallery & Slideshow

[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [10] Karim Darwish (Egy)  6/11, 12/10, 11/2, 9/11, 11/6 (98m)

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [2] Ramy Ashour (Egy)         9/11, 16/14, 11/6, 11/6 (69m)

[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [10] Karim Darwish (Egy)  6/11, 12/10, 11/2, 9/11, 11/6 (98m)

James digs in ...

The match started with both players trying to establish length, and waiting to go short until just the right moment. Darwish played just a little better to take the first 11-6, helped by five Willstrop tins.

The second game saw more all-court squash, both players using the front-court now to construct opportunities. Darwish was still playing just that little bit better, able to respond to what Willstrop tried, and playing good straight length to lead 9-6 and 10-8. But three Darwish tins and a Willstrop nick turned the tables quickly and levelled the match.

James came out for the third retrieving with added intensity and looking to close the door. When a no-let went against Karim, the Egyptian was visibly angered and unnerved, stopped moving for balls, and dropped the game 11-2 in just a few minutes. But the battle wasn't over.

The fourth was a bit scrappy but close, with several mishits and sixteen appeals, all by Darwish. At game ball down 10-11, Willstrop made a "shocking error" and hit the tin. Game five to follow ...



James outplayed Karim in the fifth by "digging in" which means scraping balls off walls and digging them out of corners, and coming up with winners when he had the chance. It's not that Karim played badly, or didn't try, but James was able to bring balls back from nowhere, and only made two errors on the way...a tough act to follow.

"I pushed and pushed as hard as I could. There were really hard patches in the first two games, and love-two down is so much worse than one-all. That was the deciding phase, game two.

"I thought he was just sticking his leg out a few times on some of those lets. We had a go at each other, but that's squash. Most of the problems were caused when I volleyed into the front left. I wanted to cut out his angles as much as I could because his forehand is very good and he likes to drop off a crosscourt.

"I'm very confident in my body. I'll forget about dead legs and count on adrenaline for tomorrow. I'm hoping for Nick Matthew for an all English affair. That would be great for our country."

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [2] Ramy Ashour (Egy)
         9/11, 16/14, 11/6, 11/6 (69m)

Matthew has a plan ...

Ramy is a quick starter, has a great sense of depth and width, and always seems to be able to come up the exact shot that will keep his opponent out of his comfort zone. And so it went to 9-4 in the first, aided on the way by three Matthew tins.

In the next rally Nick appealed for a let, some words were exchanged between the players and the referees, which appeared to unsettle the Egyptian.

Nick started to claw his way back against a now rattled Ramy. Two tins from the Egyptian gave 6-9, but a backhand, crosscourt volley nick gave game ball, 10-6. Two more Ramy tins and a great crosscourt from Matthew, 9-10, but another crosscourt volley nick, this time from the forehand, gave Ramy the opening game.

The Englishman clearly change his strategy for the second. Instead of conventionally hitting with a lot of pace, he started hitting high crosscourts, especially lobs, as much as possible. Not only did this keep Ramy behind him with nothing to do (and Ramy likes to do things), but it made his straight shots more deceptive. Ramy trailed the whole game until he tied it at ten all. Ramy saved seven game balls, but never got one of his own and finally went down 16-14.

Matthew continued to keep the ball high in the air in game three, adding more straight lobs to the plan, apparently willing to deal with whatever Ramy could deliver from overhead. It worked well, giving Ramy very little to work with in the back corners, and forced six tins from the 20 year old, 11-6.

Ashour tried to respond with added pace in the fourth, but Nick retrieved well, kept lobbing, and poached many of Ramy's crosscourts into the nick, an even more convincing 11-6.

So that's how to beat Ramy - hit lots of great lobs, retrieve balls out of the nick, and be prepared to hit winners yourself. Also, it will help if you're really good ...
 

"Last time I played Ramy he won, and the hard rallies were all consecutive, so it was very tiring.

"Tonight the hard rallies were separated by easier ones, so I stayed fresher.

"I learned a lot from watching Lee last night and tried to adopt similar tactics, although I'm not saying what those tactics are.

"Peter and Lee was the last all-English, major final. James and I know each other inside and out, and we'll enjoy it - The All-Yorkshire Final of the US Open."

02-Oct, Quarter-Finals:                                       Full Draw & Results
 
[10] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [1] Amr Shabana (Egy)       11/9, 11/8, 2/0 rtd (28m)
[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)   8/11, 11/6, 11/9, 11/9 (76m)

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [4] Thierry Lincou (Fra)          11/5, 3/11, 9/11, 11/7, 11/7 (94m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [11] Lee Beachill (Eng)           11/6, 11/6, 6/11, 9/11, 11/7 (65m)

Night of shocks in New York

With three of the top four seeds failing to make the semi-finals, it was a night of significant shocks at the Roseland Ballroom where only rising star Ramy Ashour achieved his expected seeded position.

England's James Willstrop arguably scored the biggest scalp, recovering from a game down to beat defending champion Gregory Gaultier. The 24-year-old Yorkshireman's opponent in the semi-finals will be Egyptian Karim Darwish - who ousted compatriot Amr Shabana when the top seed and world number one retired injured after 28 minutes.

The other semi-final in the first US Open to be staged in New York since 1991 will also feature an Egyptian/English clash. In the longest match of the session, a second Frenchman made an unexpectedly early exit when Englishman Nick Matthew, the sixth seed, upset fourth seed Thierry Lincou in 94 minutes.

Matthew, the 27-year-old from Sheffield who surrendered his 2006 British Open crown to Gaultier last month, will now face Ramy Ashour for a place in the final. Ashour, the world number two who celebrated his 20th birthday this week in New York, was taken to five games by a determined Lee Beachill.

The departure of Gaultier and two-time champion Beachill leaves the long-standing US Open ready to hail a new champion from the final at the Roseland Ballroom ...

Quotes, Photos, Match Summaries from Jim Wellington in New York,
additional photos from Jos Aarts and SquashPics.com ...

[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [11] Lee Beachill (Eng)           11/6, 11/6, 6/11, 9/11, 11/7 (65m)

Ramy stretched to the end

Ramy started well and Lee didn't, which made the first two games quick, full of Ramy winners and Lee not keeping the ball out of the centre.

Game three saw a totally different Beachill return to the court, hitting tight to the back as well as front court winners.

He was moving well now, and able to compete in those front court gambits with Ramy that leave most waiting to receive the next serve.

Ramy seemed rattled to be on equal footing so suddenly and started making a few errors, looser shots, marginal let requests, dives, and was left standing on several occasions.

So it was that Lee took game three and was able to go toe-to-toe to nine all in the fourth. A nick from Lee gave game ball, and then a Ramy tin - game five to follow.

Five was well played by both, and fairly clean for two guys fighting this hard. In contrast to the normal game five conservatism and let fishing, this featured plenty of nicks and winners from both sides and one diving back wall boast.

Ramy came up with a few more great shots in the end and took the match, but it could have been different if Lee has started better ...
 

"I was thinking too, too, too, too much. At first he was slow, but then he got into his game. It was to win because I felt a lot of pressure.

"He really kept me going. If I hadn't upped the pace, he would have won. Just play the game man ..."



"It took a while for me to move properly, and by that time against a guy like Ramy, you're well on your way to being two-love down.

"To a certain extent you have to take him on at what he does, hit some winners, and be prepared to chase some balls."

[10] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [1] Amr Shabana (Egy)       11/9, 11/8, 2/0 rtd (28m)

Shabana limps out

Top seed and 2005 champion Amr Shabana definitely started on the offensive, keeping the rallies short, hitting as many low kills and nicks as he could.

These two know each other's games well, and Karim Darwish was matching him shot for shot by hitting good straight length with pace.

As the scoreline shows, Darwish won the first two games by narrow margins, and after making two quick errors to start the third, Shabana shook his opponent's hand and it was over.

"Yesterday I played really well, and I focused well tonight, which you have to do to beat the World #1.
He's the most attacking player on tour, so I had to play tight.

"James beat me last week, so I'll have to be more attacking and keep the pace up tomorrow."



"I slipped last week playing Nick Matthew at the British Open, and my Achilles tendon has been inflamed ever since.

"It hurts every time I push with my left foot. I don't want to put myself out for the whole season. One more tightening and you can tear it."

[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)   8/11, 11/6, 11/9, 11/9 (76m)

James dethrones Greg

Game one started with some quick errors by Gaultier and a 0-5 start, but then he got his movement going, as he does these days, especially to Willstrop's many crosscourts, and came back to take it 11-8.

Willstrop changed his strategy, hitting straight almost exclusively, many of these for outright winners, and others to create serious opportunities. It worked, and James took two and three impressively, but four got close with Greg going up 9-6.

James then hit a mishit winner, 7-9, Gaultier tin, 8-9, James devastating straight length, 9-9, Greg tin, 10-9, stroke to James, match to James.

"For two games it was testing squash. We are two players on form, so we had to work hard. Then it got scrappy and phasey. I just dug in in the fourth.

"He had a massive win last week, so I tried to bring him off his cloud by just digging and digging. I tried to keep it away from him, and off his volley. I'm not into antics, I just want to play squash."

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [4] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
      11/5, 3/11, 9/11, 11/7, 11/7 (94m)

Matthew comeback foils Lincou

Matthew simply outplayed Lincou in the first with superb accuracy and speed that would be tough for anyone to match.

Lincou was ready in the second with some offence of his own. With Lincou up 8-3 he hit Nick in the face with his racquet, and Nick dumped the rest of the game with three quick errors.

Game three was simply gritty squash between two fit, strong, elite athletes. Matthew looked like coming back from 7-10 down, but Lincou ripped a forehand, straight, volley nick and screamed in joy as it rolled out.

He used this energy to come out on top in the fourth, dropping with accuracy from front and back.

Matthew dug in and really fought, making desperate gets in all corners that made for crowd-pleasing squash.

Nick climbed back to take the fourth, and the fifth was close and brutal with neither player able to get more than a two point lead until 9-7.

There was much bumping and grinding and screaming with the crowd loving it. Each was willing to give everything, and that's a lot ...
 

"He's so calm that I tried to get some emotion out of him. I'm happy with the win, to finally get a win that will raise my ranking. Winning breeds winning and gives me confidence. I can't remember the last time I thought I didn't have at least a chance, but you have to covert, and I've done it.

"I've had many winning opportunities, but not been able to convert, and now I've done it. I hope I'll continue.

"I'd like to say a big hello to EIS because they've been behind me all along, and that has made me more confident under pressure. If you can beat Thierry Lincou, you can beat anybody.

"I changed one of two things today that I won't divulge, but I didn't want to play the same way I played him in the past because he's beaten me more often than not."

01-Oct, Round Two:                                                Full Draw & Results

[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [13] Peter Barker (Eng)                11/9, 11/5, 10/12, 11/7 (60m)
[10] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (Egy)              11/7, 11/8, 11/8 (57m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [15] Adrian Grant (Eng)           11/7, 11/5, 11/9 (56m)
[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [15] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)        11/9, 11/9, 11/3 (48m)

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [12] Mohammed Abbas (Egy)       11/3, 7/11, 11/6, 11/7 (55m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [9] Stewart Boswell (Aus)           11/6, 6/11, 12/10, 11/9 (75m)
[11] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [Q] Omar Mosaad (Egy)               11/8, 11/6, 11/8 (42m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [16] Olli Tuominen (Fin)               11/6, 11/8, 11/8 (40m)

On to the Ballroom ...

After a final session at the Printing House Squash & Fitness Club the US Open moved to the Roseland Ballroom for the last four second round matches.

The afternoon session saw France's British Open finalists Gregory Gaultier and Thierry Lincou safely through, joined by Englishmen James Willstrop and Nick Matthew, who face the French pair in the last eight.

On to the glass court - 45 minutes late as final preparations were completed - and Egypt's top seeds Amr Shabana and Ramy Ashour went through to the quarters without too much trouble, where Shabana will face compatriot Karim Darwish who caused a minor seeding upset in ousting Wael El Hindi, and Ashour faces Lee Beachill, the other quarter-finalist outside the top eight, who ended the run from qualifying of Omar Mosaad.

Quotes, Photos, Match Summaries from Jim Wellington in New York,
additional photos from Jos Aarts and SquashPics.com ...

[11] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [Q] Omar Mosaad (Egy)    11/8, 11/6, 11/8 (42m)

Beach stops Omar's run

Beachill was able to use his strength of solid length and width to force errors, and also hit some creative winners from loose mid and front court balls.

Mosaad was up and down mentally, with runs of great shots, followed by silly errors. At the start, one wondered if Mosaad might make a Ramy-like run deep into the draw, but it was not to be.

"He had a great result last night and was very impressive in the way he did it, because John's quite a player.

"After the first three or four rallies, I started seeing the ball quite well and moving it around and forcing some errors.

"That way, if he was going to hit good shots, he would have to do it from difficult positions. I know what it's like as a youngster to have a big win and try to progress in a big tournament.

"The referee's decisions were fairly good tonight, but I still like one of the refs to be a player. The player-ref gives the others confidence when they see that their decisions are matching up.

"Technology has gotten so good now that we should start using video replay as a way of getting the crowd involved more, and that's important.

"I'm currently trying to get on the PSA Board, as a way of trying to help squash use what's out there to bring the game to the place where we all think it should be. Television should play a bigger role."

[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [16] Olli Tuominen (Fin) 11/6, 11/8, 11/8 (40m)

Plan Z for Ramy

To have total control over someone as fit and complete as Olli Tuominen is amazing, but that's how it went. Ramy made it look easy and fun.

"Olli's game is so high pace, like a marine fighter, so it's all about breaking the pace. 

"I just play naturally. He gets to every ball and never gives up, and will kill himself until the last breath. I learned from him because the first time he beat me in four. 

"I don't usually have a plan, but adjust my level to the other's game and level. Outside, I look calm, but inside I'm burning."

"It's always hard to play with Wael because he's got good squash and he's well built.

"I try to move around him because he tries to slow the rallies when he's tired.

"I had to play deep against him because he cuts off anything he can, especially on the backhand.

"My shots were perfect I think because I didn't give him opportunity, and I finished when I could.

"Last two times he beat me, so I'm happy."

[10] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (Egy)       11/7, 11/8, 11/8 (57m)

Darwish Egyptian clash

Wael El Hindi definitely showed that he can play cleanly with some opponents, in contrast to the debacle with Golan two days ago. But cleanliness didn't save him, as Karim Darwish kept it deep and tight, and found the nick more often than not.

[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [13] Peter Barker (Eng)  11/9, 11/5, 10/12, 11/7 (60m)

Shabana safely through

Both players hit the ball hard and attacked as soon as possible, but neither was consistent, both bringing the ball to the centre, especially with wild crosscourts. Both had lapses in concentration, but you always felt Shabana would come out on top, and he did.

"I didn't play my best. It was very scrappy squash. I think he was injured. He won last time because he played well. I tried to get used to the court and play simple, I only played well in intervals.

"It's very tough with lefties because you're not used to it, and your strong points are the same. "I play Darwish next and he's a good player, and he beat me last time, so I'll look for my revenge."

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [12] Mohammed Abbas (Egy)   11/3, 7/11, 11/6, 11/7 (55m)

Matthew masters Abbas

Abbas hit six tins in quickly losing the first game, looking as though he didn't want be on court long, either way. It was Matthew who hit the tins in the second, as Abbas came out spot on, with an answer for everything and always on top, but it was not to last.

Consistent pressure from Matthew and another seven tins from Abbas made the third even shorter than the 11-6 score might suggest. The fourth was the most competitive of the match, but Matthew had most of the answers.

"Abbas is more patient than Hisham, he breaks your rhythm, and I like to play a rhythm game. My concentration was up and down and that's usually one of my strengths. I wanted to keep it simple really - deep and wide. His tins were from behind me because he went for it when he shouldn't have. Neither of us were at our best.

"It was good to have Paul Johnson in my corner because we were both coached by Dave Pearson growing up.

"I'm playing well, and I'm glad I'll be fresh for Lincou tomorrow. I'll be in trouble if I let my concentration lapse with him because if he gets up, he's relentless."

[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [15] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)   11/9, 11/9, 11/3 (48m)

James happy in three

Iskandar started slowly with errors, and quickly went down 7-1 in the first, but nearly drew even as he started to exert control. Willstrop was just able to close out game one with a few spectacular, timely, volley kills.

Iskandar kept pressing using low pace, forcing the "big bloke" to bend, twist, and scrape balls off the floor. Willstrop kept fighting though, and came up with a few big shots when he needed them most, narrowly winning the second as well.

James maintained the fight early in the third, breaking Azlan's concentration, and walked off much fresher than he might have expected.

"There aren't any easy draws these days, and Azlan is pushing top eight.

"It was top quality squash for two games at least. I tried to push on in the third and not give him a sniff. To get anyone off these courts in three is a relief. He's very focused and keen to beat people.

"He's added some nice kills to his game. All the boys know I'm a big bloke, and they try to exploit that."

[3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt
[15] Adrian Grant (Eng)
         11/7, 11/5, 11/9 (56m)

Greg at the finish

It started sluggishly, with each slowly trying to find their length and width. There were generally long rallies between players with similar styles, at least when they play each other, but Greg's speed and reflexes always left you with the feeling that he would come through in the end.

Up 9-3 in the third, Greg seemed to be thinking about the locker room, and made several errors in a row. Things got tense as Grant approached level, but the Frenchman reasserted to close out the match.

"I lost my concentration at 9-3 in the third. He played strong and tried to take that game.

"I played well, and I'm raising my game match after match. Sometimes he's better than me, but today I was better."

[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [9] Stewart Boswell (Aus) 11/6, 6/11, 12/10, 11/9 (75m)

Thierry in familiar four
(the last four matches between these two have all finished 3-1)

Game one saw Lincou start strongly, controlling the centre, volleying, and keeping Boswell off balance. Boswell took the second by playing tighter, preventing Lincou from volleying, and drawing him out of the centre.

The third and fourth were decided on sheer grit, Lincou showing a little more than Boswell, if that's possible.

"In the third, I was staying too far behind him, but at 9-4 I realized that I had to fight for every point. He made a few mistakes, that helped me. In the fourth we were both tired because this court is difficult.

"My front game wasn't as good as yesterday, but he didn't give me much. He's one of the most fair guys on tour, and very pleasant to play."