Champion Frost Fights Through In Kriens, Switzerland from PSA Media 24 May 2013
- Defending champion Kristian Frost Olesen battled his way through to
the quarter-finals of the Sekisui Open in Switzerland after stemming a
courageous fightback by German qualifier Andre Haschker in the PSA
World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at Sportpark Pilatus Kriens in
Kriens.
Olesen, the No2 seed, took the first two games before German No4 Haschker raised his game to draw level.
But the Dane - champion of last year's inaugural event - held his nerve
to close out the match 13-11, 11-8, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7 after 105 minutes.
"I knew it was going to be a tough match," said the 24-year-old from
Odense. "André is very steady and we sort of play the same game. I got
a bad start to every game, which I really need to work on for tomorrow.
"All credit to the old man. He made it very hard for me!"
Olesen now plays Aqeel Rehman, the Austrian number one who beat Roman
Svec, a lucky loser from the Czech Republic, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2.
Event favourite Julian Illingworth also had a 'lucky loser' in his path
to the last eight. And local hero Lukas Burkhart, a 22-year-old from
Luzern, took a game from Illingworth before the world No55 from the USA
stormed through to win 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 11-3.
"I was able to put him under some pressure - but only in patches," said
Burkhart, ranked more than 100 places lower. "In the fourth game he
lifted the pace and I was struggling with it."
Zahed Mohamed became the only Egyptian to make it through to the
quarter-finals after producing the day's only upset. The unseeded
20-year-old from Alexandria defeated fourth-seeded German Jens Schoor
11-8, 12-10, 11-7 - and will now line up against Swiss hope Reiko Peter
for a place in the semi-finals.
Peter punished Dutch qualifier Sebastiaan Weenink 11-1, 13-15, 11-7, 11-8.
"I am happy to win against Jens - it was a tough match," said Mohamed.
"I was 1/0 up and Jens leading the second game 8-6 - so I returned back
to win the game 13-11. I hope to play the other matches as well!"
Home hero Peter was delighted with his performance: "Happy to win
against a tough opponent. It's the first time I have beaten him and
that's even better if you play in your hometown.
"It got a bit physical but I guess that's just the way it is when two
tall players play each other," added the 24-year-old. "Looking forward
to play Zahed again tomorrow."
1st round:
[2] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt [Q] Andre Haschker (GER) 13-11, 11-8, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7
Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [LL] Roman Svec (CZE) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2
Reiko Peter (SUI) bt [Q] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-1, 13-15, 11-7, 11-8
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt [4] Jens Schoor (GER) 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-9, 8-11, 11-1, 11-3
Kevin Moran (SCO) bt [Q] Rory Pennell (ENG) 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-0
Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [WC] Patrick Miescher (SUI) 7-11, 13-11, 11-3, 11-5
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [LL] Lukas Burkhart (SUI) 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 11-3
Quarter-final line-up:
[2] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) v Aqeel Rehman (AUT)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v Reiko Peter (SUI)
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) v Kevin Moran (SCO)
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) v Nathan Lake (ENG)
