Willstrop & Gaultier To Contest Qatar Climax
by Howard Harding
photos courtesy Steve Cubbins
20 October 2011 - Straight games wins in today's semi-finals of the Qatar Classic have taken England's fourth seed James Willstrop and Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the No6 seed, into the final of the sixth PSA World Series squash event of the year at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in the Qatar capital Doha.
Both players will be marking their first World Series final appearance this year - and, though both have reached the Doha climax before, only Willstrop has tasted success, in 2005.
The first semi was the third meeting in Doha between Gaultier, runner-up in 2007, and third seed Karim Darwish, the defending champion from Egypt.
The previous meetings had been shared, but today Gaultier turned in one of his best performances, taking a close first game, increasing his control in the second, and totally dominating the third.
"I was so comfortable on there," the delighted 28-year-old from Aix-en-Provence told www.squashsite.co.uk later. "I was happy to play, so happy to play, and I hope I can keep on playing like that."
Gaultier's success takes him into the 41st PSA Tour final of his career - bringing his tally level with his illustrious 35-year-old fellow countryman Thierry Lincou.
The final match of the day demonstrated a different way of winning three-nil as Yorkshireman James Willstrop recovered from early deficits against unseeded Australian Stewart Boswell in the first and third games, in between cruising through the second to win 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 in 56 minutes.
Willstrop, the world No4 from Leeds, had reached the last four after comfortable wins over a succession of lower-ranked players - while Boswell, a 33-year-old former world No4 from Canberra, had battled past two higher-ranked fellow countrymen, firstly eighth seed David Palmer, then world No16 Cameron Pilley.
"He's such a smooth operator, I had to be really dogged to get through tonight," said Willstrop of Boswell. "The score-line doesn't really do him justice, but I'm so pleased to get through to the final."
Willstrop is celebrating the 25th PSA Tour final appearance of his career - but the first since last December.
RESULTS: PSA World Series Qatar Classic, Doha, Qatar
Semi-finals:
[6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-1 (42m)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (56m)
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