Ashour, Willstrop Advance as Brits Waller & Simpson Score Hong Kong Upsets by Howard Harding
photos courtesy Steve Cubbins
3 December 2013
- Englishmen Chris Simpson and Adrian Waller claimed notable world top
20 scalps in today's men's first round of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung
Kai Financial Hong Kong Open to advance unexpectedly to the last 16 of
the eighth and final PSA World Series squash event of the year at the
Hong Kong Squash Centre.
Simpson, the World No.25 from Guernsey, took out in-form South African Stephen Coppinger 11-8, 12-10, 11-5 in 51 minutes.
"It was a very tough
match and I'm really pleased to win," said the Harrogate-based
26-year-old later (pictured above with Coppinger, foreground). "There
are no easy matches - Steve is ranked 16 so that's a big win for me."
In one of the final
matches of the day, Waller became the only qualifier to survive when he
recovered from a game down to beat Australian Cameron Pilley, the World
No.14, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 in 54 minutes.
"I'm pleased with how
I executed my game tonight and pleased to progress," said the jubilant
23-year-old from Enfield, ranked 31 in the world. "Cameron is a really
good player and you can never take a top 20 player lightly whether you
are above or below them so it's really pleasing for me to get through."
The pair will be
joined in the next round by fellow countryman James Willstrop, the
third seed who brushed aside England team-mate Adrian Grant, a former
World No.9, 11-1, 11-3, 11-1 in just 28 minutes.
Londoner Grant, a
Commonwealth Games gold medallist, summed up his game succinctly to his
Twitter followers later: "Wow that was bad," said the World No.23.
Former World No.1
Willstrop was delighted with his opening effort: "Sometimes you just
hit the mark. I played well today and it went my way but I have to
refocus now on the next round.
"I've had a few short
tournaments recently which adds a bit of perspective to me. I felt
fresh today and that's probably right as I've had a few more days off
than some of the other players," added the 30-year-Yorkshireman.
"Played an accurate game today and sometime it just works - very happy
to play like that today. I have a lot of respect for Adrian, we've had
some real tough games in the past but it all went my way today.
"Very pleased. When
you get to my age you know not to get carried away with it - you just
have to take confidence from it and refocus on the next game.
Much was expected of
top seed Ramy Ashour, the World No.1 from Egypt who was making his PSA
World Tour comeback after a hamstring injury brought to an end his
sensational 49-match unbeaten run in last month's PSA World
Championship semi-finals.
The 26-year-old from Cairo despatched Malaysian qualifier Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (both pictured in action above) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5.
"I will stay worried
for the rest of the tournament," admitted Ashour afterwards. "I'm not
going to be over cautious, but just cautious, and will stick strictly
to what the doctors have advised me to do, whether it's the practice
time, the warm up, the stretching. That way, if something happens - God
forbids - I know I would have done everything possible.
"Tomorrow, whoever I
play will be a tough match - whether Cameron, I just had a four-setter
with him, very tough, or Waller, same, he is a tough opponent, won't be
easy.
"I'm just happy to play, I want to enjoy my squash, and do my best."
Ashour was joined in the last 16 round by Egypt's Elshorbagy brothers Mohamed and Marwan.
Fifth seed Mohamed
Elshorbagy, fresh from lifting his career-first World Series title at
last month's Qatar Classic, disappointed the local crowd by beating
Hong Kong wild card Leo Au 13-11, 11-1, 11-5 (both pictured above).
His younger brother
Marwan Elshorbagy - fresh from winning the Edmonton Open in Canada at
the weekend - defeated Australian Ryan Cuskelly 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8.
For only the second
time ever on the Tour, the two Alexandrians will now face each other
for a place in the Hong Kong Open quarter-finals!
RESULTS: PSA World Series Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong
1st round (top half of draw): [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (25m) [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (54m) Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-8, 12-10, 11-5 (51m) [7] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (36m) [5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [WC] Leo Au (HKG) 13-11, 11-1, 11-5 (30m) Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8 (54m) Simon Rosner (GER) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (42m) [3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-1, 11-3, 11-1 (28m)