Egypt’s Omar Mosaad produced the biggest upset of the quarter-finals of the METROsquash US Open when he outlasted veteran campaigner Thierry Lincou, the top seed from France, to claim an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the $80,000 5-star PSA World Tour squash event before a large crowd in the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park inChicago.
Still hampered by a knee injury sustained at last month’s British Grand Prix, former world number Lincou battled for 80 minutes against the sixth seed from Cairo before Mosaad eventually emerged triumphant in an 8-11, 11-3, 13-11, 10-12, 11-8 scoreline.
After one of the biggest wins of his career – and his first over Lincou – Mosaad will now face Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema after the third seed from The Hague defeated unseeded Egyptian Mohammed Abbas 11-5, 12-10, 11-6.
And there was further Egyptian disappointment when fourth seed Mohamed El Shorbagy failed to secure his anticipated place in the semi-finals. It was a second stirring performance by Olli Tuominen that caused the Alexandria teenager’s downfall – the ‘Flying Finn’ beating El Shorbagy 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10.
The 31-year-old from Helsinki will take on new event favourite Wael El Hindi, the second seed from Cairo who beat rising Swiss star Nicolas Mueller 15-13, 11-9, 11-8.
Quarter-finals:
[2] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [13] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 15-13, 11-9, 11-8
[8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [4] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 11-5, 12-10, 11-6 (51m)
[6] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 8-11, 11-3, 13-11, 10-12, 11-8 (80m)
Abbas Marches On In Chicago
Egypt’s former world No13 Mohammed Abbas scored another notable win in his comeback bid after a long injury layoff when he beat fifth seed Alister Walker to reach the quarter-finals of the METROsquash US Open, the $80,000 5-starPSA World Tour squash event at the University Club of Chicago in Chicago.
Walker, the world No17 from England, took the opening game – then had to save two match balls in the fourth to take the match into a decider.
But unseeded Abbas was more mentally solid in the fifth and closed out the match 3-11, 11-4, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9 to reach the last eight of a major PSA World Tour event for the first time in more than two years.
The 29-year-old from Giza now faces Laurens Jan Anjema after the third-seeded Dutchman also survived a five-game battle, beating Germany’s rising star Simon Rosner 11-6, 7-11, 11-1, 9-11, 11-2.
There will be unexpected Swiss interest in the quarter-finals after 13th seed Nicolas Mueller upset Hisham Mohd Ashour, the No7 seed from Egypt, 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7.
Following some disappointing recent results, the 21-year-old from Zurich will be pleased to have made the last eight of a five-star PSA Tour event – where he takes on a second Egyptian, Wael El Hindi.
New York-based second seed El Hindi defeated Canada’s Egypt-born Shahier Razik 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3 to move one step closer to his anticipated place in the final.
Flying Finn Olli Tuominen ended US interest in the event when he beat 12th seed Julian Illingworth. Hoping to become the first American to reach the last eight of his country’s leading international event since 1993, New Yorker Illingworth went down 14-12, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9.
2nd round:
[2] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [9] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3
[13] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [7] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7
[4] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [10] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [12] Julian Illingworth (USA) 14-12, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [5] Alister Walker (ENG) 3-11, 11-4, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [11] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-6, 7-11, 11-1, 9-11, 11-2
[6] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-3
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-1
Abbas & Waller Oust Seeds In US Open
Adrian Waller, a former England junior international, produced one of a pair of upsets on the opening day of main draw action in the 2010 METROsquash US Open when he ousted Brazil’s 14th seed Rafael F Alarcon to reach the last 16 of the $80,000 5-star PSA World Tour squash event at the University Club of Chicago in Chicago.
The tall 20-year-old from Enfield, near London, recovered from a game down to topple Alarcon – ranked more than 20 places higher in the world – 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5.
Waller will now face French favourite Thierry Lincou after the world No8 saw off US hope Christopher Gordon 11-9, 11-9, 11-9.
Julian Illingworth, the 12th seed from New York, now carries American hopes singlehandedly. The Portland-born 26-year-old became the first American to reach the last 16 since 1993 when he beat South African qualifier Clinton Leeuw 11-6, 11-6, 11-4.
Illingworth will now face Finland’s 8th Olli Tuominen for a place in the quarter-finals.
Egypt’s experienced Mohammed Abbas also caused an upset when he defeated England’s No15 seed Chris Ryder 11-8, 12-10, 11-8. The unseeded former world No13 is making his Tour comeback after a long-time foot injury. Abbas, one of five Egyptians in the second round, will now take on England’s fifth seed Alister Walker.
1st round:
[2] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [Q] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7
[9] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [Q] James Snell (ENG) 7-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-3
[7] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Tom Pashley (ENG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-7
[13] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-4, 11-9, 11-6
[4] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Gilly Lane (USA) 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6
[10] Tom Richards (ENG) bt [Q] Robin Clarke (CAN) 11-4 ret.
[8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-4, 4-11, 11-5, 8-11, 13-11
[12] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [15] Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-8, 12-10, 11-8
[5] Alister Walker (ENG) bt Zac Alexander (AUS) 11-6, 17-19, 11-6, 11-5
[11] Simon Rosner (GER) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-3, 11-7, 11-2
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6
[16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5
[6] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 12-10, 11-8, 11-8
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [14] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
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