Dessouki Downs Mosaad In Sky Open Upset by Howard Harding 21 November 2013
- Egyptian teenager Fares Mohamed Dessouki, ranked outside the world
top 100, caused a major upset in the Banque Misr Sky Open when he
overcame third seed Omar Mosaad, a senior Egyptian international, to
claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour
International 50 squash event at the Sky Resort in New Cairo, Egypt.
The 19-year-old
qualifier, competing in his third Tour event since reaching the World
Junior Championship final in Poland in July, took the opening two games
before 25-year-old Mosaad, the world No 9, recovered his form to take
the next two games to level the match.
But Dessouki, coached
by his opponent's brother, maintained his composure to regain the upper
hand - and, after 83 minutes, celebrated his breakthrough 11-9, 12-10,
7-11, 6-11, 11-7 triumph.
"I really focused for
each point of the match," the delighted teenager told
www.squashsite.com later. "The court was very cold, and that really was
a big bonus for me, as I just went for shots and nicks. He made a lot
of errors, which is not like Omar. I know the pressure was on him, and
that's very hard when you are trying to play with that weight on your
shoulders.
"Omar is a very good
friend - he is a brother actually. And I need to thank my coach,
Mohamed Mosaad - his brother! Also, my dad and my family who are
watching me on the television, and my two other coaches, Mohamed Kaay
and Walid."
Dessouki will now take
on fifth seed Marwan Elshorbagy, the 20-year-old world No 32 from
Alexandria who guaranteed Egyptian interest in the final when he
defeated South African Shaun le Roux 11-6, 11-5, 11-3.
An even bigger shock
was on the cards when top seed Karim Darwish, the world No 5 from Cairo
who lifted the trophy in 2009, dropped the first two games to rising
Egyptian star Mohamed Abouelghar.
But the wily
32-year-old former world No 1 called upon his vast experience in the
game to recover to win 11-13, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 in 75 minutes.
"I just didn't want to
lose in front of my wife and my baby," said a relieved Darwish later,
watched by former international Engy Kheirallah and their son Omar.
"It's the first time I have played in front of him here in Egypt. I
played in front of him in Malaysia, and I won. I never want to lose.
And not here, in front of my wife and baby, and on Egyptian TV!"
Darwish's next
opponent Zahed Mohamed also survived a marathon. The 21-year-old from
Alexandria also pulled off a significant upset when he defeated eighth
seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda 13-11, 6-11, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9 in 94 minutes.
Alister Walker will be
hoping to extend overseas interest in the event when he takes on
Egypt's Omar Abdel Meguid for a place in the semi-finals. The No 4 seed
from Botswana, ranked 15 in the world, beat England's Eddie Charlton
6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-2 - while sixth seed Meguid also overcame English
opposition when he defeated Jaymie Haycocks 11-9, 12-10, 11-8.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 Banque Misr Sky Open, New Cairo, Egypt
