Farag Flourishes In Tournament Of Champion Qualifiers by Howard Harding 16 January 2013
- Harvard University senior Ali Farag scored the biggest upset in the
first qualifying round of the 2014 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions
when he defeated Australia's Ryan Cuskelly in three games at the
Princeton Club in New York to secure a place in the qualifying finals
of the first PSA World Series squash event of the year.
It was a tense,
hard-hitting match from the very start, marked by physical play. As
26-year-old Cuskelly, the World No.33 from Australia, grew increasingly
frustrated, young unranked Egyptian Farag capitalised to win 11-7,
11-7, 11-9.
Farag, a 21-year-old
from Cairo, now lines up against Cesar Salazar. The Mexican's attacking
game proved too much for the less experienced Princeton University
senior Samuel Kang as World No.43 Salazar clinched an 11-9, 11-7, 11-7
victory over the 23-year-old from Singapore.
Switzerland's Nicolas
Mueller needed just 20 minutes to overpower American Bradbury Thompson
and send the 23-year-old from Philadelphia packing. Leo Au of Hong
Kong, on the other hand, had his hands full with Canadian veteran
Shahier Razik in a 74-minute battle that ended in Au's favour after
four games.
Malaysian Mohd
Nafiizwan Adnan despatched his fellow countryman Muhd Asyraf Azan to
set up a qualifying final match with Alan Clyne, the top-ranked Scot
who eliminated Pakistan's Farhan Zaman.
US champion
Christopher Gordon dominated compatriot Mike Lewis in straight games at
the Harvard Club and will next play Omar Abdel Meguid of Egypt, who
eliminated American Adrian Leanza.
Three other Egyptians
moved into the second round at the Harvard Club: Marwan Elshorbagy,
whose brother Mohamed is the tournament's No.3 seed, defeated Joe
Chapman of the British Virgin Islands in three quick games - while Omar
Abdel Aziz battled back from two games down to overcome England's Eddie
Charlton.
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, a
former World No.23 now languishing outside the top 40, earned a
confidence-boosting 11-8, 14-12, 11-3 win over rising compatriot
Mohamed Abouelghar.
At the New York
Athletic Club, the highest-ranking American Julian Illingworth was
forced to retire due to injury after two games, leaving England's
Charles Sharpes with the win and a second round match against France's
Gregoire Marche.
New Zealand's Campbell
Grayson and Pakistan's Yasir Ali Butt were neck and neck until midway
through each of their games until the steady and resolute Grayson
pulled away to record a 3/0 victory. Grayson next plays England's
Adrian Waller, whose power and experience overwhelmed his younger
American opponent Faraz Khan.
RESULTS: PSA World Series JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, New York, USA
1st qualifying round: Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Bradbury Thompson (USA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 (20m) Leo Au (HKG) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9 (74m) Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (34m) Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Farhan Zaman (PAK) 12-10, 11-5, 11-2 (33m) Ali Farag (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (44m) Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Samuel Kang (SIN) 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (33m) Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Mike Lewis (USA) 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 (24m) Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Adrian Leanza (USA) 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (24m) Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (29m) Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-4 (74m) Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-8, 14-12, 11-3 (38m) Max Lee (HKG) bt Bradley Ball (ENG) 11-1, 13-11, 11-9 (31m) Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (28m) Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Yasir Ali Butt (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (36m) Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-2, 11-5 ret. Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (29m)
Qualifying finals line-up: Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Leo Au (HKG) Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v Alan Clyne (SCO) Ali Farag (EGY) v Cesar Salazar (MEX) Christopher Gordon (USA) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) v Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) Max Lee (HKG) v Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) Campbell Grayson (NZL) v Adrian Waller (ENG) Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Charles Sharpes (ENG)
