Marathon Day at Sheikha Al Saad Squash open 2007 8/4/2007
The final session on the glassback courts at the Qadsia Sporting Club in featured a series of marathon matches, the longest being Tania Bailey's victory over compatriot Laura Lengthorn in 104 minutes, and rounded off by a thrilling 13/11 in the fifth win for Karim Darwish over Peter Barker in 80 minutes of gripping play.
In between John White, Jenny Duncalf and Lee Beachill upset the seedings as they overcame Gregory Gaultier, James Willstrop and Vanessa Atkinson respectively.
The biggest drama of the round came when world number two Gregory Gaultier was forced to retire against Scotland’s John White with an ankle injury. Gaultier required medical assistance as he left the court in severe pain.
World number three David Palmer beat fellow Australian Stewart Boswell while England’s Lee Beachill forced an upset over his Pontefract club-mate James Willstrop.
Egypt’s talented crop of squash stars performed well today.
World number nine Karim Darwish had the toughest battle, grinding out a thrilling five game win against England’s Peter Barker in an intensely physical 80 minute marathon. “We were getting in each other’s way and that aggravated both of us,” Darwish said. “This is the world’s biggest tournament and everyone is firing up for it.”
World number five, Ramy Ashour won against Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee in three games while fellow Egyptian Wael El Hindi downed English qualifier Jonathon Kemp. World number one Amr Shabana and fellow Egyptian Mohammed Abbas play on centre court tonight after their round one victories in last night’s official tournament opening.
In the first round of the women’s WISPA event, Tania Bailey played the longest match of the day, beating fellow Englishwoman Laura Lengthorn in an exhausting 104 minutes, as Jenny Duncalf and Shelley Kitchen bot upsetthe seedings to move into the quarter-finals.
Men's Second Round:
[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [14] Adrian Grant (Eng) 11/7, 11/9, 13/11 (54m)
[9] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [7] James Willstrop (Eng)
14/12, 11/2, 11/6 (58m)
[3] David Palmer (Aus) bt [10] Stewart Boswell (Aus)
5/11, 11/7, 11/3, 11/6 (59m)
[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [13] Mohammed Abbas (Egy)
[12] Wael El Hindi (Egy) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (Eng)
13/11, 14/12, 11/7 (43m)
[4] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [15] Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
11/6, 11/3, 11/7 (29m)
[8] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [16] Peter Barker (Eng)
22/20, 4/11, 11/4, 8/11, 12/10 (80m)
[11] John White (Sco) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)
6/11, 12/10, 11/6, 4/0 rtd (43m)
Women's First Round:
Marathon Day at Sheikha Al Saad Squash open 2007