Malaysians Ousted In Day Of KL Upsets
by Howard Harding
22 July 2011 - In a day of shocks in the CIMB Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, defending champion Mohd Azlan Iskandar crashed out in the quarter-finals to extinguish Malaysian interest in the last four of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event at the Curve Shopping Mall.
In one of his best victories in recent months, Pakistan's unseeded Aamir Atlas Khan toppled the third-seeded Malaysian 11-5, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6 in 56 minutes. It is only the second time in eight years that three-time champion Iskandar has failed to reach the semi-finals.
Khan, the 20-year-old world No28 from Peshawar, now faces fellow non-seed Cameron Pilley after the world No17 from Australia produced the event's biggest shock yet by beating Egypt's No2 seed Mohamed El Shorbagy, ranked nine in the world, 11-6, 11-6, 14-12.
Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne continued his impressive run in the event by beating fellow qualifier and higher-ranked Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad 11-6, 11-6, 11-4.
The 24-year-old from Edinburgh - at 49, the lowest-ranked player to qualify - will now face top-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier for a place in the final.
Gaultier, the world No6 in his maiden appearance in the event, denied three-time champion Ong Beng Hee his fourth appearance in the semi-finals since 2000 by beating the former Malaysian number one 12-10, 11-2, 11-7.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 CIMB Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Quarter-finals:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 12-10, 11-2, 11-7 (54m)
[Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (39m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-5, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6 (56m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 14-12 (55m)
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
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