World Champion And World No.1 Crash Out As Seeds Crumble In Hong Kong by Nathan Clarke
photos PSA
August 25, 2016
- World Champion Gregory Gaultier and World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy
both crashed out of the 2016 Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong
Kong Open during a whirlwind day of second round action that saw all
but one of the men's seeded players sent packing.
In a repeat of last year's title decider ElShorbagy - who claimed the
trophy in both 2014 and 2015 - went up against hard-hitting Cameron
Pilley but it was the 33-year-old Australian who enthralled the crowd,
saving match ball in the fourth game before sealing an impressive
victory 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 14-12, 11-9 after a punishing 91 minutes of
action.
"I have a decent record again Mohamed so I know how to play him," said
Pilley, who stunned World Champion Gregory Gaultier and then World No.2
Nick Matthew to reach the Hong Kong Open final last year.
"There are days, like the final last year, where players can just
completely out play you, so I knew I had to make sure I was sharp from
the first point and that I stuck to my game plan today.
"I didn't want him coming on and blasting me off court so I had to
stick in there and make it known that I was in for the long haul.
Getting that mental side right is huge, and I've managed to do that
pretty well over the past year.
"I had a great run here last year and when you have a run like that you
try and replicate the same things you did the year before - so I've
been trying to eat the same things, get on the same schedule and get
those same feeling and vibes. Hopefully I can get back into that
routine and leave it all out there tomorrow."
Pilley will now face World No.8 Karim Abdel Gawad, the only remaining
seed in the competition, for a place in the semi-finals while
21-year-old Fares Dessouky pulled off a huge upset against World
Champion Gregory Gaultier, coming from 2-1 down to knock the
32-year-old out of a PSA World Series event at the second round stage
for the first time since 2009.
Dessouki played a relentless attacking game from the off as he tested
Gaultier's traditionally impeccable movement and it was a tactic that
paid off, as sumptuous winner after sumptuous winner delivered the
victory after 83-minutes.
"To beat Greg feels amazing," said Dessouky.
"Most of the times we have played he has beaten me 3-0, but last time,
in El Gouna, it was much closer so I knew I could get to him. I trained
really hard in the summer for these kind of tough battles and I think I
played one of my best matches today.
"The pressure was all on his shoulders so I used that as an advantage.
I have worked hard on trying to kill the ball more and improve my short
game and it worked. It's great to be in the quarters so I'll try and
recover as best I can and come back for another big match."
Dessouki will now take on local favourite Max Lee after the World No.18
played with precision and confidence to outmanoeuvre World No.9 Ali
Farag and reach the last eight of his home event for the first time in
his career.
"I'm so happy," said Lee. "I was getting very excited towards the end
of the fourth game because I wanted to win here in front of my home
crowd - to be in the quarters is great."
In the women's draw Egyptian Nour El Tayeb stole the headlines as she
kept alive hopes of reaching a second consecutive Hong Kong Open final
by defeating best friend and number three seed Raneem El Welily - the
former World No.1.
The 23-year-old reached the title-decider on her last appearance in
Hong Kong in 2014 and she produced a performance of note to upset the
seedings and beat El Welily 3-1 in a replica of their last meeting
during the 2015 U.S. Open, when a thrilling encounter saw El Tayeb
triumph in five-games albeit at the expense of a shoulder injury that
ruled her out for the rest of the season.
"I can't really believe that I have won," said El Tayeb. "It just feels great to be playing pain-free and winning again.
"When I was 8-2 up in the fourth I couldn't really believe I was
winning. After the injury and being out for so long, it felt strange to
be playing well.
"I think I was maybe putting too much pressure on myself after the
surgery so yesterday, after my win against Donna (Urquhart) Ali sat
with me and gave me a few words to help me deal with the pressure.
Today I went out relaxed and didn't feel nervous at all.
"I knew to play smart and at my best I have to be relaxed. That was
easy today because she's my best friend and was bridesmaid at my
wedding, so I knew I was going to enjoy the match no matter what."
El Tayeb will now face American danger Amanda Sobhy for a place in the
last four while defending champion Nicol David survived a second
consecutive scare, this time against New Zealand's Joelle King, to come
through in five games.
World No.2 and 2015 runner-up Laura Massaro also kept her hopes of
improving on her finish last year with a 3-1 win over Emily Whitlock.
"I think I finished the match well but I was a little tentative at times," said Massaro.
"I feel like mentally I'm still not really firing on all cylinders but
I'm progressing each round. I was better than yesterday and if I can
move forward again for tomorrow then I should be in a good position for
that match."
2016 Hong Kong Open – Men’s Quarter-final Draw:
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
James Willstrop (ENG) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Simon Rösner (GER)
Max Lee (HKG) v Fares Dessouky (EGY)
2016 Hong Kong Open - Women's Quarter-final Draw:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [16] Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
[4] Nicol David (MAS) v [6] Camille Serme (FRA)
[5] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [2] Laura Massaro (ENG)
