World Series Finals Main Draw Set by Nathan Clarke photos squashpics.com
May 26, 2016
- Cameron Pilley, the 33-year-old competing in the PSA Dubai World
Series Finals for the first time in his career, became the first
Australian since David Palmer in 2008 to reach the last four stage of
the lucrative season-ending tournament after defeating Germany's Simon
Rösner 2-0 in a crunch encounter during today's final round robin
matches.
Having only qualified for the tournament, which
brings the top eight players on the Road To Dubai Standings together to
compete for one of the sport's most lucrative titles, by the skin of
his teeth in eighth position, the hard-hitting man from Yamba took full
advantage of the opportunity presented to him, playing in relaxed
fashion to run out an 11-2, 11-7 winner and set up a last four meeting
with World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy.
"It's an understatement
to say I'm feeling pretty good right now - considering that I just
scraped in to this tournament and it's my first World Series Finals, I
am over the moon to be in the semi-finals," said Pilley.
"The
likes of Palmer and (Anthony) Ricketts have done well in this event and
I'm thrilled to follow in their footsteps and fly the Australian flag,
to a certain extent, and I'd be over the moon to get a win tomorrow but
I have to be delighted with how I played so far.
"I changed
a few things in my game and training last year and since then, baring a
few results, I've been very pleased with my form. I feel like I'm
playing the best squash of my career and physically I feel good.
Mentally I'm still keen which is a big thing when you've been on Tour
as much as me so I'm just looking forward to enjoying the match
tomorrow."
While Pilley will face ElShorbay, who lost a
dead-rubber encounter with Nick Matthew, the second semi-final will see
World Champion Gregory Gaultier take on Colombia's Miguel Angel
Rodriguez - the first South American ever to appear in the tournament's
semi-finals.
Rodriguez came through after opponent Mathieu
Castagnet was forced to concede their encounter with injury after a
brutal game and a half.
"That was a thrilling fist game and
it was very important to play the second different tactically but I
have no words now," said Rodriguez.
"Mathieu had an
amazing season and I know he achieved a dream by playing here - it was
the first time in the World Series for both of us but I hope he is ok.
"For
me reaching the semi-finals of this tournament is amazing - I have been
dreaming of this for a long time, ever since I was a kid. I have
friends and family here supporting me and this is an amazing way to end
the season for me. You have to be so consistent now and I'm improving
and happy with my performances this week and I can't wait to play the
semi-final here tomorrow and see how it goes."
In the
women's tournament Malaysian Nicol David kept alive her hopes of
winning the competition for a third time after defeating World Junior
Champion Nouran Gohar 2-0 to go through in second place in Group A.
David
required just one game to join group winner Laura Massaro in the
semi-final and duly delivered as she played with intent from the
opening exchanges, scampering around court with ease to take the match
and set up a semi-final with Raneem El Welily - the World No.3 who
topped Group B.
"This win meant a lot to me," said David, who won the 2011 and 2012 iterations of the tournament.
"If
you want to make the semi-finals you have to beat everybody else so I
wasn't thinking about winning one game, I was just focused on winning
the match.
"Nouran is fast and furious so I had to try and
impose my pace and was pleased to get the points when it mattered.
She's feisty and kept coming back so I'm really pleased to win 2-0 as
that second game could have gone ether way in the end.
"Now
I need to be ready for a big battle tomorrow as I know Raneem will be
another tough match. I'm just going to focus on my game. I know her
style of play and what to expect so I just have to make sure I go out
there and make it all count."
The second semi-final will see
Massaro and Nour El Sherbini locks horns just weeks after contesting
the PSA Women's World Championship Final - which El Sherbini won in a
thrilling five-game battle to become the youngest World Champion ever.
Results - PSA Dubai World Series Finals: Round 3 Men's Group A [3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 2-0: 12-10, 12-10 (28m) [5] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [7] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 2-0: 11-9, 6-4 retired (37m)
Men's Group B [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 2-1: 7-11, 11-8, 11-1 (38m) [8] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [6] Simon Rösner (GER) 2-0: 11-2, 11-7 (38m)
Women's Group A [1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [8] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 2-0: 13-11, 11-9 (31m) [3] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 2-0: 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
Women's Group B [4] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 2-0: 15-13, 11-9 (20m) [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [7] Camille Serme (FRA) 2-0: 11-4, 11-6 (20m)
Fixtures - Semi-finals:
Men [1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [8] Cameron Pilley (AUS) [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [5] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Women [1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) [3] Nicol David (MAS) v [4] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
