US Open Day 7: Willstrop Secures First World Series Semi Spot Since 2014, El Welily Holds Off David by Nathan Clarke
photos squashpics.com
October 12, 2016
- England’s 33-year-old World No.19 James Willstrop will compete in the
semi-finals of a PSA World Series tournament for the first time since
2014 after he successfully navigated his was through a tough last eight
encounter with South Africa’s Stephen Coppinger at the 2016 Delaware
Investments U.S. Open today.
The former World No.1 hasn’t reached the latter stages of one of the
PSA Tour’s most significant events since undergoing surgery on a
potentially career-ending hip injury in the summer of 2014, but showed
signs that he’s approaching his best as he recovered form a slow start
to put together a standout performance to come through 11-9, 5-11,
11-8, 11-3 in just under an hour.
“I feel great right now - it’s such a pleasure to be out here at the US
Open and to reach a semi-final again feels very good,” said Willstrop.
“Each player on Tour is so different these days. I played well against
Omar (Mosaad World No.3) in the first round but it was completely
different type of test again today. Stephen puts so much pressure on
you and he was getting onto everything I played - so I had to think of
ways to switch him and move him around.
“I had to be very clear in what I was doing to open up the spaces and
at 1-1 there it was becoming a real battle - it was definitely a tough,
tough match.
“Experience was maybe the one card I had on him. I’ve been in that
situation before and I had to remind myself that I knew how to do it.
That can go out the window in play because there are so many tough
competitors out there - but in the end I just had to beat the guy and
thankfully that’s what I did.”
Willstrop will now face World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy - the man he
stunned during the 2015 World Championship - for a place in the final
after the 25-year-old Egyptian defeated his younger brother, and World
No.6, Marwan ElShorbagy in straight games.
“To be able to finish three-nil today is lucky because mentally it’s tough for us on there,” said ElShorbagy.
“I have such great memories of playing here at the US Open. It’s where
I got to the No.1 ranking for the first time and today was the first
time this season that I felt like I was moving and playing well and it
should be a good match against James in the next round.”
In the Women’s draw Egyptian duo Raneem El Welily, the World No.5, and
Nour El Sherbini, the World No.1, will face off in the semi-finals in a
rematch of the Al Ahram Open final after they came through their last
eight encounters in contrasting fashion.
El Sherbini put in a display of pure dominance as she out-muscled
Alison Waters of England 3-0 while El Welily had to produce some of the
best squash of her season to take out a hungry and fired up Nicol
David, the eight-time World Champion who came out with a point to prove
in what turned into an exhibition of squash at the highest calibre.
David, who scraped through 3-2 in her second round encounter with Nour
El Tayeb, played positive attacking squash from the off and, in a
feisty spirit not normally associated with the Malaysian, she took on
El Welily at her own free-firing game. Both players dragged each other
around in a blur of spell binding movement but it was El Welily who
sealed it when David showed the honesty and integrity befitting her
status as one of the all time greats by conceding a double bounce on
match ball.
“I’m so, so happy to win,” said El Welily.
“There were so many points when I didn't think I was going to make it -
she was playing so well. I think I was always behind and she was
controlling it so I just had to dig deep and keep on pushing to stay on
court as long as I could.
“I was so happy to finish that fourth game because I don’t think I
could have played a fifth one. I don’t know how I turned it around -
I’m so happy to be in the semis.”
2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open quarter-final action continues from
5:30pm local time at Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Centre on
Thursday October 13 when USA number one Amanda Sobhy will be in action
- with tickets for the PSA World Series tournament available to
purchase by visiting www.usopensquash.com
Draw – Men’s 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open: Quarter-finals
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Ali Farag (EGY) - the be played October 13
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) - the be played October 13
Results – Women’s 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open: Quarter-finals
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [8] Alison Waters (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-6 (27m)
[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [3] Nicol David (MAS) 3-2: 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 (57m)
Draw – Women’s 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open: Quarter-finals
[4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) - the be played October 13
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) v [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) - the be played October 13
