Finns Flourish In Mikkeli
by Howard Harding
9 February 2013 - The opening day's action in the Savcor Finnish Open produced the dream quarter-final clash when the two top-ranked Finns Olli Tuominen and Henrik Mustonen prevailed in the first round of the long-established PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at Shopping Center Stella in Mikkeli, Finland.
Top seed Tuominen was tested by qualifier Aqeel Rehman from Austria. "It took four hard-fought games before Tuominen secured the victory," said event spokesman Poku Salo of the 15-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 victory in 48 minutes which takes the defending and four-time champion through to meet Mustonen, the Finnish number two.
Mustonen, ranked almost 30 places below his Helsinki rival, faced lucky loser Joan Lezaud - and beat the Frenchman 11-2, 15-13, 11-6 in 19 minutes.
Nordic interest was unexpectedly boosted by Rasmus Nielsen, a qualifier from Denmark who upset England's Eddie Charlton 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 in 65 minutes.
A second qualifier made it through to the last eight when 19-year-old Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar recovered from a game down to beat experienced Englishman Chris Ryder, a 32-year-old former world No33, 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-0.
Nielsen moves on to face fourth-seeded Czech Jan Koukal, while Abouelghar now takes on fellow countryman Karim Abdel Gawad, the No2 seed who ousted compatriot Andrew Wagih Shoukry 11-8, 11-6, 11-5.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Savcor Finnish Open, Mikkeli, Finland
1st round:
[1] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [Q] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 15-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (48m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-2, 15-13, 11-6 (19m)
[Q] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (65m)
[4] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-6 (44m)
[3] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (46m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Evan Williams (NZL) 11-9, 4-11, 11-3, 11-3 (37m)
[Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-0 (30m)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (28m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Henrik Mustonen (FIN)
[4] Jan Koukal (CZE) v [Q] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN)
[3] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v Steven Finitsis (AUS)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
by Howard Harding
9 February 2013 - The opening day's action in the Savcor Finnish Open produced the dream quarter-final clash when the two top-ranked Finns Olli Tuominen and Henrik Mustonen prevailed in the first round of the long-established PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at Shopping Center Stella in Mikkeli, Finland.
Top seed Tuominen was tested by qualifier Aqeel Rehman from Austria. "It took four hard-fought games before Tuominen secured the victory," said event spokesman Poku Salo of the 15-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 victory in 48 minutes which takes the defending and four-time champion through to meet Mustonen, the Finnish number two.
Mustonen, ranked almost 30 places below his Helsinki rival, faced lucky loser Joan Lezaud - and beat the Frenchman 11-2, 15-13, 11-6 in 19 minutes.
Nordic interest was unexpectedly boosted by Rasmus Nielsen, a qualifier from Denmark who upset England's Eddie Charlton 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 in 65 minutes.
A second qualifier made it through to the last eight when 19-year-old Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar recovered from a game down to beat experienced Englishman Chris Ryder, a 32-year-old former world No33, 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-0.
Nielsen moves on to face fourth-seeded Czech Jan Koukal, while Abouelghar now takes on fellow countryman Karim Abdel Gawad, the No2 seed who ousted compatriot Andrew Wagih Shoukry 11-8, 11-6, 11-5.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Savcor Finnish Open, Mikkeli, Finland
1st round:
[1] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [Q] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 15-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (48m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-2, 15-13, 11-6 (19m)
[Q] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (65m)
[4] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-6 (44m)
[3] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (46m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Evan Williams (NZL) 11-9, 4-11, 11-3, 11-3 (37m)
[Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-0 (30m)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (28m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Henrik Mustonen (FIN)
[4] Jan Koukal (CZE) v [Q] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN)
[3] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v Steven Finitsis (AUS)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
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