Sandhu Sinks Sharpes In Kuwait
by Howard Harding
25 February 2012 - India's Harinder Pal Sandhu - competing in his first Tour event of the year - upset England's third seed Charles Sharpes to reach the semi-finals of the Kuwait Open Challenger, the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its second year at the South Surrah Ministries Complex in Kuwait City.
The 22-year-old from Chennai despatched world No87 Sharpes 11-7, 11-9, 13-11 in 55 minutes - and will now face another Englishman Joe Lee for a place in the final.
Second seed Lee dashed local hopes of representation in both semi-finals when he beat unseeded Kuwaiti Fallah Mohammed 11-3, 11-4, 11-4.
Australian Steven Finitsis became the second unseeded player to reach the last four when he overcame Kuwait's Ammar Al-Tamimi 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11.
The 29-year-old Queenslander, who made his breakthrough in the opening round where he removed fourth-seeded Hungarian Mark Krajcsak, will now meet local star Abdullah Al Muzayen, the top seed.
Left-hander Al Muzayen beat Egypt's Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry 11-13, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Kuwait Open Challenger, Kuwait City, Kuwait
1st round:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Amr Ramsy Swelim (ITA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 (35m)
Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt [Q] Nasser Al Ramzi (KUW) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (24m)
Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 5-11, 11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 14-12 (75m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [4] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (42m)
[3] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [Q] Mohammad Hussain (PAK) 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 (50m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [Q] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9 (57m)
Fallah Mohammed (KUW) bt [Q] Barrak Al-Mattar (KUW) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (29m)
[2] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Yousif Nizar Saleh (KUW) 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7 (39m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-13, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (47m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11 (46m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [3] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 13-11 (55m)
[2] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Fallah Mohammed (KUW) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) v Steven Finitsis (AUS)
[2] Joe Lee (ENG) v Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)
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