Clyne Claims Mighty Malaysian Open Upset
by Howard Harding
20 July 2011 - Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne claimed the biggest upset in today's first round of the CIMB Malaysian Open when he beat fourth seed Hisham Mohd Ashour to earn a surprise place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
After fighting back from 2/1 down, the 24-year-old from Edinburgh survived a lengthy tie-break decider to overcome the world No13 from Egypt 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 15-13 in 64 minutes.
World No49 Clyne, the lowest-ranked player to qualify, will now face fellow qualifier Karim Abdel Gawad for a place in the last four. The 19-year-old from Egypt, the youngest player in the draw, battled for 100 minutes to see off Pakistan's Farhan Mehboob 9-11, 11-6, 18-16, 9-11, 11-9.
There was better fortune for fellow Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan, however, when the 20-year-old from Peshawar survived a see-saw game with Chris Ryder, beating the Englishman 11-7, 3-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-7.
Leading Malaysian pair Mohd Azlan Iskandar and Ong Beng Hee delighted the home crowd by securing places in the last eight. Defending champion Iskandar, looking for his fourth title since 2004, defeated wild card compatriot Kamran Khan 11-5, 12-10, 11-7, while Beng Hee - also a three-time winner of the crown - beat Australian qualifier Ryan Cuskelly 11-6, 11-9, 11-5.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 CIMB Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1st round:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 (27m)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [Q] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (31m)
[Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 9-11, 11-6, 18-16, 9-11, 11-9 (100m)
[Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 15-13 (64m)
[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Kamran Khan (MAS) 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (47m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-7, 3-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-7 (60m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (65m)
[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (39m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v [3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS)
[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
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