US, Canada Advance In World Men's Teams Prelims; Lincou Leads Hosts France
by Howard Harding June 9, 2013
- Distinguished veteran Thierry Lincou, the former world number one and
world champion from France who is making his tenth successive
appearance in the biennial WSF Men's World Team Squash Championship,
led the hosts to a confident 3/0 win over Netherlands in today's first
qualifying rounds of the 24th staging of the event since 1967.
The championships are being held across two venues in Mulhouse - the
Espace Squash 3000 Centre and the Palais Des Sports where, in front of
a packed and partisan crowd, France took centre stage on one of three
ASB all-glass showcourts spectacularly lined up side-by-side for the
first time (see picture below).
Second string Lincou took just 35 minutes to overcome Dutchman
Sebastiaan Weenink 11-2, 12-10, 11-3 before French number one Gregory
Gaultier battled for 61 minutes to quash the challenge of eight-time
Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema 12-10, 4-11, 12-10, 11-3 to confirm
the French win. Third string Mathieu Castagnet made it a clean sheet by
beating Marc ter Sluis 11-4, 11-3, 11-7.
After retiring from the PSA World Tour last year, 37-year-old Lincou
made an impressive comeback at last month's European Team
Championships, chalking up five wins out of five, including the scalp
of England's world No3 James Willstrop.
"I really got back into shape for the Europeans - that was really the
tournament for me to show myself and my team-mates how good or bad I
was for a few matches," said the Boston-based Frenchman. "And it worked
pretty well, I feel.
"It was good to be back with my friends - and I'm happy to keep this going here."
When asked how to describe his feeling about competing in every world
team championship since 1995, Lincou said: "My longevity makes me feel
really proud - I feel really good and I hope that my fitness at my age
will be an inspiration for the guys.
"I think it's because I love the game - that's what keeps me going. I want to keep re-living the moment - it's unique!"
Australian David Palmer was another former great making an
international comeback in Mulhouse. Like Lincou, 36-year-old Palmer is
also a former world number one and world champion - and gave fourth
seeds Australia a solid start against Switzerland with an 11-9, 11-7,
11-3 win over 3/0 Reiko Peter.
"I didn't know much about my opponent, but the boys gave me some
background," said the US-based Aussie number two. "I must admit I was a
bit nervous, a bit edgy on there - but once it started I felt more
comfortable and got into a groove half way through the second.
"It was important to get the team off to a good start - and take a little pressure off Cam."
Team-mate Cameron Pilley went on to beat the highest-ranked Swiss
player of all-time Nicolas Mueller 11-6, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9, before
fellow New South Welshman Ryan Cuskelly wrapped up a 3/0 win for the
team.
But Ong Beng Hee, the Malaysian number one who shares Lincou's tenth
successive championship appearance achievement, was not so fortunate in
his 2013 campaign opener. Fifth seeds Malaysia took on championship
debutants Botswana, seeded in the 21/24 group.
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan put Malaysia into the lead with an 11-6, 11-4,
11-5 win over Lekgotla Mosope - but minnows Botswana fought back when
squad number one Alister Walker, ranked 15 in the world, beat Beng Hee
in straight games.
In the decider, experienced Muhd Asyraf Azan needed just 18 minutes to
beat tournament first-timer Koketso Ntshebe 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 to give
Malaysia a 2/1 victory.
Top seeds Egypt were given a stern test by Kuwait before beating the
17/20 seeds 3/0. Omar Mosaad, one of two members of the squad making
his world championship debut, beat Kuwaiti Ammar Altamimi 11-9, 11-4,
11-5 before former world number one Karim Darwish resisted the
challenge of Kuwait's top-ranked Abdullah Al Muzayen 11-9, 11-7, 11-8.
"It was my first match of the tournament, which is always a bit
special, so it was good to get a win," said 31-year-old Darwish after
beginning his seventh world teams campaign. "Abdullah is one of the
most gifted players on the Tour - one of the up-and-coming players -
and we know him well as he comes to train with us in Egypt.
"It's great to play for my country for the seventh time in the worlds - it makes me very proud."
But a major upset looked on the cards when 18-year-old Kuwaiti Yousif
Nizar Saleh twice led Tarek Momen, a late addition to the Egyptian
squad despite boasting a world No10 ranking. Momen ultimately prevailed
7-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 11-5 after 61 minutes.
"Yousif played really well and took me by surprise," explained the
25-year-old from Cairo afterwards. "He is so quick and good with his
racket - I really struggled. And I had no idea he was only 18!
"But I wasn't expecting to be here - and took a 10-day vacation
straight after the British Open," Momen continued. "This was my first
match since playing Greg Gaultier in Hull.
"We had to change the ball as the first was really bouncy - but then
the second was totally the opposite, all of which was quite
challenging. But I thought I played well enough to win."
Teenager Saleh was understandably delighted with his performance: "I am
very happy to have played that well - it was my first match against a
top ten player. I did my best - but I didn't expect to win two games!
"I hope I can continue to play well for my country over the next few
days - but my focus is on next month's world juniors in Poland and I
hope this will be good training for that.
"It's certainly the best match of my life so far," continued the world
No 129. "I want to thank the Kuwait Federation for helping me. I want
to be the best player in the world."
The long opening day finished with a thriller when eighth seeds India
were forced to fight back from a match down to beat 21/24 seeds
Argentina. It was outsider Robertino Pezzota who rocked the boat when
the 30-year-old ranked 159 in the world recovered from 2/1 down to beat
Indian number two Harinder Pal Sandhu - ranked almost 90 places higher
- 11-9, 2-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-6 in a 99-minute marathon.
It was midway through the match that all the lights in the venue failed, leaving the three glass courts in complete darkness.
"I was really focussed on this match as we felt we had a chance - and
needed to win at two and three," said Pezzota, from Rosario. "We don't
play regularly on glass courts so that took some getting used to.
"I didn't play well in the second and third games, but came back
strongly in the fourth, and saved two match balls before winning it
13-11 - just before all the lights in the arena went out!
"It was close to five-all in the fifth - then I raced away to win 11-6.
"It's my third time in the world teams - but that was certainly my biggest win.
"Living in Argentina, we're so far away from where the best squash is
played, so it's difficult. I've always thought I've been a good player,
but it's only recently - with funding from the government - that I have
been able to play more tournament, and get some good results."
RESULTS: WSF Men's World Team Championship, Mulhouse, France
[16] SCOTLAND bt [29/31] KENYA 3/0
Douglas Kempsell bt Hartaj Bains 11-3, 11-1, 11-4 (20m)
Alan Clyne bt Kenneth Mwangi 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (26m)
Chris Small bt Rajdeep Bains 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
Pool B:
[2] ENGLAND bt [17/20] COLOMBIA 3/0
Daryl Selby bt Erick Herrera 11-0, 11-0, 11-3 (18m)
James Willstrop bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 (27m)
Adrian Grant bt Bernardo Samper 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9 (54m)
[15] CANADA bt [29/31] NAMIBIA 3/0
Dane Sharp bt Norbert Dorgeloh 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (36m)
Shawn Delierre bt Marco Becker 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (40m)
Andrew Schnell bt Andrew Forrest 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (26m)
Pool C:
[3] FRANCE bt [17/20] NETHERLANDS 3/0
Thierry Lincou bt Sebastiaan Weenink 11-2, 12-10, 11-3 (35m)
Gregory Gaultier bt Laurens Jan Anjema 12-10, 4-11, 12-10, 11-3 (61m)
Mathieu Castagnet bt Marc ter Sluis 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (25m)
[14] PAKISTAN bt [29/31] RUSSIA 3/0
Farhan Zaman bt Aleksander Shilov 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 (16m)
Nasir Iqbal bt Valery Litvinko 11-6, 11-1, 11-3 (20m)
Muhammad Saqib Yousaf bt Dmitri Grishanin 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (37m)
Pool D:
[4] AUSTRALIA bt [17/20] SWITZERLAND 3/0
David Palmer bt Reiko Peter 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 (30m)
Cameron Pilley bt Nicolas Mueller 11-6, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9 (47m)
Ryan Cuskelly bt Jonas Daehler 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (33m)
Pool E:
[5] MALAYSIA bt [21/24] BOTSWANA 2/1
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan bt Lekgotla Mosope 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (19m)
Ong Beng Hee lost to Alister Walker 11-13, 8-11, 9-11 (41m)
Muhd Asyraf Azan bt Koketso Ntshebe 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (18m)
[12] NEW ZEALAND bt [25/28] POLAND 3/0
Evan Williams bt Marcin Karwowski 11-4, 11-4, 11-4
Martin Knight bt Wojtek Nowisz 11-1, 11-3, 11-5
Paul Coll bt Przemyslaw Atras 11-3, 11-5, 11-1
Pool F:
[6] GERMANY bt [21/24] IRELAND 3/0
Raphael Kandra bt Brian O'Brion 11-2, 12-10, 11-4 (29m)
Simon Rosner bt Arthur Gaskin 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (37m)
Jens Schoor bt Steve Richardson 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 (50m)
[11] USA bt [25/28] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/0
Gilly Lane bt Ondrej Uherka 12-10, 12-10, 11-5 (45m)
Christopher Gordon bt Petr Martin 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 (34m)
Dylan Murray bt Daniel Mekbib 11-4, 13-11, 11-6 (27m)
Pool G:
[7] SOUTH AFRICA bt [21/24] AUSTRIA 3/0
Clinton Leeuw bt Jakob Dirnberger 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (23m)
Stephen Coppinger bt Aqeel Rehman 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 (27m)
Rodney Durbach bt Marcus Greslehner 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (22m)
[10] HONG KONG CHINA bt [25/28] JAPAN 3/0
Leo Au bt Yuta Fukui 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (27m)
Max Lee bt Shinnosuke Tsukue 11-3, 11-7, 11-2 (26m)
Yip Tsz Fung bt Ryosei Kobayashi 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 (15m)
Pool H:
[8] INDIA bt [21/24] ARGENTINA 2/1
Harinder Pal Sandhu lost to Robertino Pezzota 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-13, 6-11 (99m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Hernan D'Arcangelo 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (44m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar bt Leandro Romiglio 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (51m)
[9] FINLAND bt [25/28] VENEZUELA 3/0
Henrik Mustonen bt Miguel Mendez 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 (18m)
Olli Tuominen bt Gabriel Teran 11-3, 11-1, 11-3 (17m)
Matias Tuomi bt Miguel Vallennilla 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (17m)
