Defending KL Champion Mosaad Bows Out To Beng Hee, Darwish & El Shorbagy Advance
by Howard Harding
28 March 2013 - Local hero Ong Beng Hee, the Malaysian veteran who made his maiden appearance in the tournament in 1999, secured an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the 2013 CIMB KL Open Squash Championship after upsetting defending champion Omar Mosaad in today's opening round of the PSA World Tour International 50 event in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
A finalist three times and champion in 2008, unseeded Beng Hee showed signs of the form which took him to a career-high world No7 12 years ago when he recovered from a game down to open up a 2/1 lead over the Egyptian opponent who is ranked nine in the world.
And the Penang-born 33-year-old, currently ranked 22 in the world, led 9-4 in the fourth when Mosaad offered his hand to concede the match 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-4 (ret.) after 59 minutes.
Beng Hee now faces Swiss star Nicolas Mueller in a bid to extend Malaysian interest in the event through to the semi-finals. Mueller took out Malaysian Muhd Asyraf Azan 11-5, 11-6, 11-4.
An earlier upset balanced matters for Egypt when Karim Abdel Gawad, a 21-year-old from Cairo ranked 25 in the world, defeated experienced Australian Cameron Pilley, ranked seven places higher, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3 in 57 minutes.
"Pilley looking strong in the opening two games, leading 6-2 in both," said tournament spokesman Andrew Cross. "However he could only convert the second. Gawad went on to win the next two games to advance to the quarters."
Gawad will meet compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy after the No2 seed from Alexandria, bidding to reach the final for the second time since 2011, beat Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne 11-5, 11-9, 11-5.
With only eight ranking positions separating the pair, it was no surprise that the clash between Egypt's world No11 Tarek Momen and Indian Saurav Ghosal, the world No19, would go the full distance.
"In the battle of two of the fastest players on the tour, it was Momen that started the better to take the opening game," explained Cross. "Momen caught Saurav in the face mid way through the first game which forced a slight medical time out.
"Tarek again started well in the second leading 5-2 but Saurav won the next five points to advance to 7-5 before winning 11-8. The third was close all the way to 5-5 but then again Saurav put a little passage of play together to win the next six points.
"Tarek was now looking very animated between games but got it back in the fourth game winning it 11-6. In the fifth he was holding the ball so well in the front forehand racing out to a 7-2 lead and booking his place in the quarters with an 11-5 fifth game score."
Tarek now tackles Borja Golan, the No4 seed from Spain who defeated Malaysian qualifier Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 CIMB KL Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1st round:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (33m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [Q] Max Lee (HKG) 12-10, 11-8, 12-10 (40m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (35m)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-4 ret. (59m)
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4 (66m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 (57m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3 (57m)
[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (32m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) v Tarek Momen (EGY)
[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
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