Momen Momentum Downs Matthew In Qatar
by Howard Harding
18 October 2011 - Unheralded Egyptian Tarek Momen scored the best victory of his career when he crushed England's world number one Nick Matthew in today's second round of the Qatar Classic to claim an unlikely place in the quarter-finals of the sixth PSA World Series squash event of the year in the Qatar capital Doha.
The straight games upset brought to an end a remarkable run of ten successive PSA World Tour final appearances by the 31-year-old Englishman - which began immediately following Matthew's semi-final exit in last year's Qatar Classic.
Matthew led 6-1 in the first game and 5-1 in the second, but both times the confident 23-year-old from Cairo battled back. The out-of-sorts top seed recovered from 1-6 and 6-9 down in the third and went on to save two match balls - but it was third time lucky for Momen as the underdog raised in arms in triumph after his shock 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 victory after 44 minutes.
"I'm speechless," said Momen to www.squashsite.co.uk after his shock win at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. "I've been so inconsistent for the past three years, I had my upsets, but today is by far my best result.
"Today, everything was going my way, and I thought 'you've got to take the opportunity, it may never happen again'.
"Nick is such an amazing player - you just have days where you don't get it right, and I'm sure he'll be back very strong in the next tournament," added the world No26.
Matthew was happy to try and explain matters later: "He made me feel very slow today, he was so quick, and if anything, the score flatters me. Today, was not my day, but he was too good today.
"Players have no respect for reputation, you've got to go on there and play the ball, and that's exactly what Tarek did today - and maybe the English young players should take example on him, as they sometimes give too much respect to their opponent.
"But I'm getting older, I have to accept the fact that there will be days where hungry young players get the better of me - I did it when I was young, with David Palmer, Peter Nicol, John White, etc, when the adrenalin takes you to the finishing line. That's what happened today with Tarek.
"But don't you worry, I'll be back strong for the Worlds!"
Momen, celebrating his first appearance in a 2011 PSA World Series quarter-final, will now meet Gregory Gaultier after the sixth seed from France defeated Indian qualifier Siddharth Suchde 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 in the final match of the day.
There was disappointment for his compatriot Thierry Lincou earlier in the day. Unseeded on the PSA Tour for the first time for more than a decade, the 35-year-old former world number one faced Peter Barker, the seventh seed from England to whom he had never lost in four meetings since early 2006.
The left-hander from London looked to be heading for a comfortable win as he pulled clear from six-all in the first and took the second 11/3 - but, as expected, Lincou dug in and made the third tough.
At nine-all Lincou was annoyed to lose the point as Barker hit the ball from the back into the Frenchman's leg, and having used his video appeal fruitlessly on that one, had none left when Barker put in a tight forehand volley to win the match 11-6, 11-3, 11-9.
"Too many errors, unforgiveable," was the Frenchman's verdict.
Barker admitted that he had been pumped up by seeing his head-to-head record with Lincou before the match: "Just before going on the court, I saw the record on the screen, and thought, well, that's no good, is it!
"I didn't play badly yesterday, but I knew I had to step up today, and I'm very happy with my two games, I think I contained him quite well, prevented him to get in front of me.
"In the third, it was a different story - he used his experience and physicality to step in front, and to be honest, I feel that I was lucky to win the third.
"Thierry is a absolute living legend, and beating him while he is in the top 100 is such an honour, and especially 3/0. I'm very happy," added the world No7.
Barker will now face England team-mate James Willstrop for the fourth time this year - and the 15th time in his Tour career. The fourth seed from Leeds overcame German number one Simon Rosner 11-5, 11-2, 14-12.
Swiss star Nicolas Mueller continued his impressive Doha run. Two days after ousting Egypt's fifth seed and former champion Amr Shabana, the unseeded 22-year-old from Zurich upset higher-ranked Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6 in exactly an hour.
"In the US Open a few days ago, he beat me easily 3/0, so when I took the first game, it boosted my confidence," said Mueller.
Celebrating his maiden appearance in a World Series quarter-final, Mueller now faces third seed Karim Darwish. The defending champion from Egypt recorded the swiftest win of the day beating Finnish qualifier Henrik Mustonen 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 in just 29 minutes - in a repeat of their first round clash in the 2010 event.
Cameron Pilley guaranteed Australian presence in the semi-finals when he defeated England's Tom Richards 11-7, 11-2, 13-11 after saving two game balls in the third.
The world No16 from New South Wales will face Canberra-born Stewart Boswell, the world No19 who beat fellow countryman and eighth seed David Palmer - for only the second time in 15 career meetings - 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 in 80 minutes.
It was another match influenced by the pair's pre-match head-to-head record, spotted by underdog Boswell: "I was not too happy about the 13/1 stats," admitted Boswell, who is now in his first World Series quarter-final since January 2008. "David was over me for over a decade, so I'm happy to squeeze this one tonight."
RESULTS: PSA World Series Qatar Classic, Doha, Qatar
2nd round:
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [1] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 (44m)
[6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (44m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6 (60m)
[3] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (29m)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-5, 11-2, 14-12 (47m)
[7] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 (56m)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [8] David Palmer (AUS) 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 (80m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 13-11 (54m)
Quarter-final line-up:
Tarek Momen (EGY) v [6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
[3] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) v [7] Peter Barker (ENG)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Stewart Boswell (AUS)
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