Shabana Back To His Best In Vancouver
by Howard Harding
photo courtesy Steve Cubbins
14 January 2012 - After suffering the first whitewash game loss in his career in the previous round, Egypt's former world number one Amr Shabana was back to his spectacular best in the quarter-finals of the Comfort Inn Open in Canada when he despatched Australian Cameron Pilley in straight games to reach the last four of the PSA World Tour International 50 event at the Evergreen Squash Club in Vancouver.
The top seed will be joined by three fellow countrymen in an all-Egyptian semi-final line-up - the first in the event's eight-year history.
Winner of last week's ATCO PSA World Series Finals title in London, Shabana took some time to settle into his opening match when he had to fight back from 2/1 down against New Zealand wildcard Martin Knight after losing the third game 11-0!
The 32-year-old from Cairo has not lost to Pilley, the world No16, since their first meeting seven years ago. And Shabana maintained his unbeaten record to defeat the tall Australian 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 in 45 minutes.
"The Shabana magic was on full display tonight and it will be interesting to see if any of his countrymen are up to knocking him off the top of the pyramid," said tournament organiser Paul Marley.
Shabana will face Tarek Momen, the only unseeded player to make the last four.
The 23-year-old from Cairo needed 50 minutes to see off 18-year-old compatriot Mohamed Abouelghar, a qualifier, 11-9, 11-13, 11-4, 12-10.
Last year's runner-up Hisham Mohamed Ashour moved one step closer to his second successive final after beating Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda 11-9, 11-8, 11-9.
The 29-year-old No2 seed will face Omar Mosaad after the third seed defeated Finland's Olli Tuominen - one of only two non-Egyptians in the last eight - 11-9, 11-3, 11-1.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 Comfort Inn Open, Vancouver, Canada
Quarter-finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (45m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-9, 11-13, 11-4, 12-10 (50m)
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-9, 11-3, 11-1 (30m)
[2] Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 (38m)
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Tarek Momen (EGY)
[2] Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) v [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
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