Tamimis Tear Up Form Book in Manchester Worlds
by Howard Harding


photos courtesy Squashpics.com

26 October 2013 - Kuwaiti Ammar Altamimi and Qatari teenager Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi tore up the form book in today's first qualifying round of the AJ Bell PSA World Squash Championship in England after major upsets in the sport's biggest event of the year at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.

Altamimi, a 25-year-old from Kuwait ranked outside the top 100, defeated Mexican Alfredo Avila - ranked more than 50 places higher - 11-9, 2-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 in 62 minutes.

"This is my best win on the PSA - Alfredo is 55 in the world, I have never beaten somebody that high," said the delighted Kuwaiti (pictured above in world championship action with Avila) afterwards. "Plus, I had a lot of tournaments in my country and only arrived yesterday in Manchester, so I was only trying to do well, but never thought I would win really.

"It's only after taking the first game I started to think hey, I can do that. In the third, I managed to be patient, I was more accurate, and pushed him to do a few unforced errors. And I realised that I had a big opportunity there.

"But it was close, really close. All the games I won, were 11/9 ... It could have gone either way!"

Unrelated Al Tamimi, an 18-year-old from Doha, also prevailed in a dramatic five-game encounter, beating Scotland's world No86 Greg Lobban 4-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6 in 51 minutes.

But Fares Mohamed Dessouki became one of the youngest players to make it through to the qualifying finals when he fought back from 2/1 down to upset Rex Hedrick, the world No68 from Australia, 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-5 in 91 minutes.

The Egyptian, who has just turned 19, was so overjoyed he forgot his age: "I'm so happy to get to the finals of my first ever World Champs - I am still a junior ... no, I just turned senior, oops!

"In the third, I got tired, plus I felt my concentration a bit shaky in that game," continued the world No 111 from Alexandria (pictured above in world championship action with Hedrick). "But in the fourth and fifth, I somehow found my game again, and I'm glad as I was patient, found nice length in the back corners, so really happy.

"A big thank you to my fitness coach Walid and my squash coach Kaaey...."

The final match of the day provided another success for the home nation - but huge disappointment for a Brazilian veteran who was hoping to celebrate his 100th - and final - event on the PSA World Tour on a high.

But despite leading 2/1, 36-year-old Sao Paulo-born Rafael Alarcon was unable to stop England's 18-year-old Richie Fallows storming through to an 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 victory in 91 minutes.

The upset makes Londoner Fallows, the world No 168, the lowest-ranked player through to the qualifying finals.

There will be players from 16 nations fighting for the 16 qualifying slots in the main draw - with seven from England, from which two are already guaranteed places in the first round.

RESULTS: AJ Bell PSA World Squash Championship, Manchester, England

1st qualifying round:
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (33m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (80m)
Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) 12-10, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8 (60m)
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Matthew Sidaway (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (28m)
Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Bradley Smith (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (31m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Reiko Peter (SUI) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (25m)
Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 6-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-2 (34m)
Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Adam Auckland (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 (35m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt James Earles (ENG) 11-3, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7 (47m)
Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Lyell Fuller (ENG) 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (43m)
Declan James (ENG) bt Michael Harris (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Ahmed Atef (EGY) 11-9, 11-2, 11-2 (25m)
Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt George Parker (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 (39m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt Kevin Moran (SCO) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (38m)
Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt Julian Tomlinson (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (33m)
Shaun le Roux (RSA) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 11-4, 11-8, 12-10 (57m)
Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (22m)
Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt Robert Downer (ENG) 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 (45m)
Peter Creed (WAL) bt Steven London (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (33m)
Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-5 (91m)
Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-3 (75m)
Yousif Nizar Saleh (KUW) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) w/o
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Admire Magwaza (ZIM) 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (25m)
Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 11-9, 2-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 (62m)
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Kim Are Killingberg (NOR) 11-2, 11-5, 11-2 (21m)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt Connor Sheen (ENG) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (23m)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Thomas Ford (ENG) 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (37m)
Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt Claudio Pinto (POR) 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (37m)
Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt Ashley Davies (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (39m)
Richie Fallows (ENG) bt Rafael Alarcon (BRA) 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (91m)
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 4-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6 (51m)
Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 9-11, 11-6, 16-14, 11-3 (65m)

Qualifying finals line-up:
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v Jens Schoor (GER)
Joel Hinds (ENG) v Chris Ryder (ENG)
Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) v Raphael Kandra (GER)
Dane Sharp (CAN) v Matthew Karwalski (AUS)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) v Aqeel Rehman (AUT)
Declan James (ENG) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Charles Sharpes (ENG) v Paul Coll (NZL)
Geoffrey Demont (FRA) v Shaun le Roux (RSA)
Arthur Gaskin (IRL) v Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY)
Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) v Peter Creed (WAL)
Yousif Nizar Saleh (KUW) v Eddie Charlton (ENG)
Ammar Altamimi (KUW) v Yann Perrin (FRA)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) v Lucas Serme (FRA)
Richie Fallows (ENG) v Jaymie Haycocks (ENG)
Shahier Razik (CAN) v Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)