Hi-Tec 2008 World Squash Championships
Manchester, England
Photos by Fritz Borchert
Ramy Ashour vs. Karim Darwish
By ZeeShaan Jamal
The Egyptian domination of the international squash scene has never been more prominent and underscored than it was in this tournament.
At first it was Shabana vs. El Shorbagy (the reigning world junior champion) in round three. Then it was Shabana vs. El Hindi in the quarter-final. To top that we had Shabana vs. Ashour in the semi-final and just to drive the point home, we had Ashour vs. Darwish in the Final of the World Open of 2008.
To further signify the regal status of the Egyptians players, I would also like to inform the audience that both the finalists have also been world junior champions, (Ramy actually won the world junior championship twice, making him the only player ever to do so). No matter who won this final, history was in the making, not for the obvious reason of crowning a new world champion but also for the fact that since both of the players have been world junior champions, whoever won tonight would engrave his name in the history books next to only the legendary Jansher Khan of Pakistan, as the player who has won the world junior championship and the world open championship.
What a match, what an occasion, what a glorious prospect and what a wonderful mention in the history books. So off we go.
Darwish came out of the gates all guns blazing and playing immaculate squash, containing Ramy’s explosiveness with supremely tight drives and drops and as a consequence Ramy was seen entirely in reaction mode. Add to this control, the flash of brilliance that only a skillful Egyptian racquet can bring & u have a recipe for total domination and that’s what Karim managed in the first game over his opponent. Karim only hit one tin in the entire game and nullified Ramy’s attempt at a steady comeback by closing the game out at 11-5 with a stroke in his favor.
Second game saw Ramy step up to the challenge forwarded by Karim and he began to display just why he has been such a sensation in the squash world. At 4-3 in Ramy’s favor, he played an exceptional straight backhand volley drop which met the nick and at 6-all, Ramy played a forehand trickle boast with lighting speed which left Karim stranded. Playing steadily from this point onwards he went on to claim his first game ball with an overhead backhand cross court nick which absolutely carpeted the squash floor. In the next rally, Karim tinned a simple forehand drop to gift the game to Ramy at 11-8.
In the third game, Ramy again started very strongly with a forehand straight drive kill which he dispatched with complete authority. Karim resisted again with tight play and drew level at 1-all with an immaculate backhand straight drive which remained glued to the wall, but unfortunately that was the best of Karim’s quality in this game as Ramy took over and flew to a 4-1 lead with an amazing boast on the forehand side and then a superbly delayed flick cross court to send Karim scurrying. Ramy then proceeded to play as Karim did in the first and exerted total control by playing tight to the side walls and going for the shots when the opportunities arose. Karim fought back with some valiant play of his own and managed a few winners with a cross court drop into the nick and a deep cross court drive which died in the back of the court, but the result of this game was never in doubt as Ramy closed it out 11-4 with a sharply executed deceptive boast from the deep forehand corner which Karim failed to read in time.
Ramy started the fourth game a bit nervy perhaps, as he tinned in two consecutive rallies but quickly gathered himself and went back to his winning ways as he managed an exquisite backhand volley drop straight and maneuvered himself quickly into position to claim a stroke off of Karim’s loose drive. Karim again utilized his length and width to fight back and took the lead at 4-3. Ramy then unleashed five unanswered points and took a 9-4 lead which proved to be decisive. Karim claimed a stroke to make it 9-5 but now the outcome of the match was very clear to one and to all and even Karim’s body language spelled out signs of submission. Ramy registered the next point with a crisp backhand drop tight to the wall which Karim couldn’t scrape off the wall and then in true ‘Ramy Ashour’ fashion, claimed the world open championship with a volley backhand cross-court nick. What a way to finish.
A wonderful match put on by these two amazing athletes and congratulations to Ramy Ashour for not only winning his first world open championship but for also joining the mighty Jansher Khan in the elite group of world-junior + world open champions. I am sure he will do justice to his title and continue to win major championships all around the world.
Well done Ramy…
Tournament Photos
Slideshow of Photos
Botwright To Face David In Dream Manchester World Final
After consistently failing to live up to expectations on her 'home' court at the National Squash Centre in Manchester for the past ten years, Vicky Botwright provided the dream outcome for the organisers of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships by earning a place in tomorrow's (Sunday) women's final in the English city.
The world's leading players from more than 30 countries have been competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.
Botwright, the 11th seed, is bidding farewell to the WISPA World Tour after taking up the position of Head Coach at the Centre. But, in the second round, the Manchester-based 31-year-old stunned the squash world by ousting Australian title-holder Rachael Grinham.
The former England number one then clinched her first appearance in the world final when higher-ranked England team-mate Jenny Duncalf retired injured after two games.
" I don't know what to say - it's unbelievable," said the jubilant Mancunian afterwards. "I thought I could beat her - but I didn't want to do it like that.
"But even if I win the title tomorrow, I will still be back at work at the centre on Monday morning!"
Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate in Yorkshire, was devastated to have pulled out prematurely: "It was in the second rally of the match that something went in my right thigh - and I didn't know what to do. I took a three-minute injury break in the game, but the injury affected my movement and after two games I couldn't go on.
"I've never come off injured in my life before - it's not a great time to do it in a World Open!"
Botwright will face strong favourite Nicol David in the final. The world number one from Malaysia beat surprise opponent Madeline Perry, the 14th seed from Ireland, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 to reach her tenth successive Tour final since her shock second round defeat in the 2007 World Open a year ago in Madrid.
David acknowledged that she has raised her game over the past year: "Every tournament I play, I learn more about myself - and with this new scoring, you have to be sharp. You can't afford to lose concentration."
Later the capacity crowd in Manchester - which included two IOC delegates attending the event in the observation process for Squash's bid to become an Olympic sport in 2016 - witnessed a titanic all-Egyptian encounter in which 21-year-old Ramy Ashour beat defending champion Amr Shabana, the world No1, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7.
S habana, who celebrated his 31st month in a row as world number one this month and was looking to become only the fourth player in history to win a fourth world title, rued his missed chances when leading 5-3 and 8-6 in the fourth game.
"I had my chances and missed them - I should have won in the fourth," said the 29-year-old from Giza afterwards. "I played all right - he had to play well to beat me."
Fourth seed Ashour, who earlier in the tournament had admitted being nervous about being back in England for the first time since an injury-beset British Open in May, was delighted with his performance.
"I think that was my best ever match - I gave it all. I've never been so focussed."
In his first appearance in a World Open final, Ashour will face fellow countryman Karim Darwish, after the 27-year-old from Cairo beat Australia's former champion David Palmer 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in 46 minutes.
"I'm so happy to be in the final of the World Open - the biggest event of the year," said the seventh seed. "And I am so pleased to be in the final against my team-mate Ramy.
"Off court, we are really good friends, but on-court we don't think about it!"
Men's semi-finals:
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [1] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 (63m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [5] David Palmer (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (46m)
Women's semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [14] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (35m)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-3, 11-6 ret. (22m)
English Hopes Alive in Manchester
Story by Howard Harding
It was 13th time lucky for England's Jenny Duncalf in Friday's women's quarter-finals of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships when the world No5 from Yorkshire upset Dutch star Natalie Grinham to ensure the event's first English finalist for five years.
Domestic interest in the men's event expired when the English trio of Nick Matthew, James Willstrop and Adrian Grant all fell at the quarter-final hurdle - leaving Australian
David Palmer and three Egyptians Amr Shabana, Ramy Ashour and Karim Darwish to contest the semi-finals.
With 12 successive wins over Duncalf over the past four years, world number two Natalie Grinham was favourite to win their match en-route to her third successive appearance in the women's final.
But a resolute Duncalf, 25, from Harrogate, fought back from two games to one down to beat her Australian-born opponent 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 in 65 minutes to reach her first world semi.
"I played my best ever squash in the fifth game to get to 7-1, then got the tingles when she fought back to win the next four points. A certain English finalist? That's brilliant for English squash," said the former British National champion.
"I'm really happy to have finally beaten Natalie!"
Duncalf now meets England team-mate and local star
Vicky Botwright, the 31-year-old former England number one from Manchester who announced her retirement on the eve of the championships.
The 11th seed, who ousted defending champion Rachael Grinham in the previous round, continued her 'giant-killing' run by taking out seventh-seeded compatriot Alison Waters 13-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9.
"It really is unbelievable," said Botwright later. "The people you have to beat to get this far makes it so hard.
"But I think the scoring changed just in time for me!"
In an extraordinary match later in the day, Ireland's 14th seed Madeline Perry showed the guts that took her to six in the world over two years ago when she fought back from two games and 9-7 down to beat unseeded New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes 6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 in 66 minutes.
Hawkes, who had arrived in the first major quarter-final of her career after a shock defeat of fourth seed
Natalie Grainger in the previous round, failed to convert match balls from 10-5 in the fourth.
"It was pure determination, I guess," said the jubilant 31-year-old from near Belfast in Northern Ireland. "But I really felt uncomfortable out there - probably because I knew I had such a good opportunity."
14th seed Perry is fighting back up the rankings after suffering a serious head injury in a mugging attack in Milan exactly a year ago.
"What I went through last year got me through that match. I nearly died then. I was told I'd never be able to concentrate.
"I don't think I've ever made a come back like that," said the world No16.
Perry will now take on Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who recovered from 5-8 down in the first game to beat Egyptian rival Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-8, 11-1, 11-9.
After narrowly losing to David Palmer in the final of the British Open in May, Englishman James Willstrop failed in his bid for revenge when he went down to the Australian 5-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 in the men's quarter-finals.
Spurred on by the capacity partisan crowd, the third seed from Yorkshire led after the first and third games - but the experienced fifth seed Palmer romped to a 5-1 lead in the fourth, then a 4-1 lead in the decider before taking the match in 78 minutes.
"I'm so envious for players like James having the British Open and now the World Open here - we don't get tournaments like this in Australia." said the two-time champion from Lithgow in New South Wales. "That felt like a final. I can't imagine playing in front of a home crowd like this!"
"Perhaps he was under pressure. The key for me was the start of the fourth and fifth games.
"As I said at the British Open, he'll win that title one day - and he'll come back to win this one too," added the former world number one.
Willstrop was devastated by the loss: "He was awesome tonight - in those last two games he was better than me by a good distance.
"It was the most calm performance I've seen from him. He handled the pressure well.
"He's a smart guy," added the England number one. "He's managed to stay in excellent condition. I felt more in control in the British Open final."
Palmer will now meet Karim Darwish, the No7 seed who beat England's Adrian Grant 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 in 47 minutes.
Defending champion Amr Shabana was in stunning form to beat compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old qualifier, 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 in just 20 minutes.
In one of the most exciting 'draws' in squash, the world number one will face his country's newest star Ramy Ashour, the 21-year-old fourth seed 2-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 in 58 minutes.
Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 (20m)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [8] Nick Matthew (ENG) 2-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (58m)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 5-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 (78m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [14] Adrian Grant (ENG) 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 (47m)
Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-8, 11-1, 11-9 (30m)
[14] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 (66m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [3] Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 (65m)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [7] Alison Waters (ENG) 13-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9 (51m)
Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [4] Ramy Ashour (EGY)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [5] David Palmer (AUS)
Women's semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [14] Madeline Perry (IRL)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
Ramy Ashour vs. Nick Matthew
By ZeeShaan Jamal
Before this match, Ramy and Nick had played each other twice in the PSA sanctioned tournaments and both had one victory to their names against one another. So with such an evenly balanced record, Ramy was not the absolute favorite as he would be against most other players.
To make matters a little tighter, Nick has been playing some fantastic squash ever since he came back on the tour after a long lay off due to a shoulder injury, which obviously makes him hungrier for big wins as well.
All that said and done, one thing was for sure, this match was going to be a thriller, no matter which way it went. The first rally lasted 93 seconds which Nick closed out with a cross court flick which Ramy couldn't pick up and thus we were on our way to an intense match. Nick quickly jumped to a 4-1 lead after that and even though Ramy answered with a fantastic backhand width, Nick remained unfazed and closed the game out at 11-2, playing immaculate squash with absolutely zero errors and keeping everything tight.
The second game showed the urgent nature of Ramy, as though he knew that going two games to love down to Nick would be an absolute disaster, specially with him playing like he was. Nick on the other hand was unrelenting, and had the 2-0 games lead firmly in sight as he started off the second game, but this time the quality of the game from Ramy was a few notches higher and they both exchanged fantastic winners, dispatching every ball they could into the front court nicks to keep the game level at 8-all. At this point Ramy chooses to rely on his magic wand and produces two overhead backhands cross court volley nicks which prove to be unanswered winners and then closes the game out with a dying forehand deep length which Nick couldn't return.
The third game started again pretty evenly but Nick managed to carve out a 7-4 lead with the help of some very carefully placed drops and some inventive flicks to keep the ball away from Ramy's impressive reach. But at this point, Ramy picked it up again to level it 7-all with 3 fantastic winners. They both exchanged points till 9-all and then horror of all horrors Nick tinned a forehand drop in the front corner to give Ramy a game ball and then Ramy dispatched another backhand volley crosscourt into the nick to claim the game at 11-9.
Nick again came out fighting in the fourth and jumped to a quick 4-1 lead, but Ramy as he usually does at such junctions in a game, fought back to level it 4-all and then took the lead at 5-4, but this time Nick leveled and things were getting tenser by the second. Ramy although, took control from this point onwards and even though Nick kept fighting, he made a few crucial errors which Ramy was only too happy to accept and then ran away with the game and match at 11-7 and visibly extremely happy with the end result.
All in all, a great match by two great players and I am sure Nick will resurface once again real soon, it's all about getting a few more matches in and staying injury free for him. Ramy on the other hand books his place in the semi-final of the World Open.
Grant Takes Greg In Major World Championship Upset
Story by Howard Harding
England's Adrian Grant upset the form book in dramatic style in today's (Thursday) third round of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships after saving three match balls to beat France's No2 seed Gregory Gaultier to reach the men's quarter-finals at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.
"My best result by far," was how Grant described his sensational five-game upset over the Frenchman who was runner-up in the last two World Opens. The left-hander from London saved three game balls in the third game before taking a 2/1 lead in the match.
But Gaultier, the world No2 from Aix-en-Provence, struck back in the fourth to level the match for the loss of just a single point. It was nip and tuck throughout the decider before the match favourite reached match-ball at 10-8.
But Grant saved this, and two further match-balls, before clinching his career-best result by beating Gaultier 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 1-11, 13-11 after 98 minutes.
"This is a massive step for me - definitely my best result by far," said the 28-year-old 14th seed. "His record here is unbelievable.
"He came out firing in the fourth - and, before I knew it, it was all over. But he's two in the world, so he must have felt the pressure towards the end," added the Leeds-based England international after his first ever win over the Frenchman.
It was a 'very, very upset' Gaultier that spoke to the press afterwards. "I lost my head. He played better - he's a much better player than me, that's it. Good luck to him."
When asked if it was true that the pair were good friends, the Frenchman replied: "Yes, but there are no friends on court."
Hopes of a completely unexpected all-English quarter-final were dashed in the final match of the day when Egypt's seventh seed Karim Darwish recovered from a game down to beat Gloucestershire's unseeded Alister Walker, based in Leeds, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.
Englishman James Willstrop will be after revenge when he faces Australia's former world champion David Palmer in the quarter-finals.
Palmer, a two-time winner of the World Open title, was extended for 83 minutes by unseeded Englishman Daryl Selby before beating the world No36 from Essex 11-5, 11-13, 11-3, 12-10.
"It's pretty hard to believe he's 36 in the world," sighed Palmer afterwards. "It seems that all the young guys in the world have stepped up. It's been a great tournament for him."
In a re-match of the British Open final in May in Liverpool, where Palmer saved match balls in the final to take the title for a fourth time, the 32-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales will face England's James Willstrop
The Yorkshireman had to play one of the rallies of his life to save a game-ball in the second before going on to stop Italian number one Davide Bianchetti 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 in 48 minutes.
"It's always good to get people off as quickly as possible in a tournament like this where there are so many matches," Willstrop, the England number one, explained. "It's extremely important not to waste energy."
When reminded that Palmer would be his next opponent, Willstrop said: "They don't come a lot bigger. It's never going to be easy, but I do urge the crowd to get behind me - it really does help!"
Malaysian favourite Nicol David cruised through to the last eight of the women's competition after beating Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed from Hong Kong, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 in just 24 minutes. It was David's 14th win in a row over her Asian rival since a shock defeat to Chiu in the Asian Games final six years ago.
In the biggest scoring match since the WISPA World Tour switched to Pro-Scoring (to 11 points per game) in July, Egypt's ninth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy upset England's Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, the eighth seed, 21-23, 19-17, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7 in 85 minutes.
But there were more significant upsets in the afternoon session - with mixed fortunes for New Zealanders: Unseeded Kiwi Jaclyn Hawkes began the second day of second round action with a stunning 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 defeat of Natalie Grainger, the fourth seed from the USA and a former world number one.
Later Ireland's 14th seed Madeline Perry shocked Shelley Kitchen, the sixth seed from Auckland, 11-5, 11-6, 11-2.
"I just can't believe it - I wasn't expecting to come out here today and win," admitted Hawkes. "It is definitely my best win ever - in fact every time I've played her before she's chopped me 3/0!
"I didn't go on expecting to beat the world No4 - I've never been near her before," added the UK-based 25-year-old from Auckland.
Hawkes has been working with new national coach Anthony Ricketts, the former world No3 from Australia, since July. "I did a lot of good work with Anthony in the summer. And it's good having him here - he just knows what to do.
"He gave me a game plan - and I stuck to it," added Hawkes, now in her first quarter-final of a major WISPA event.
Madeline Perry, a former world No6 fighting back up the rankings after suffering a serious head injury in a mugging attack in Milan exactly a year ago, was back to bner former best against Kitchen, the world No10.
"It's only over the last couple of months that I've started to feel back to normal - it all went pretty well," said the 31-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, in Northern Ireland. "What happened last year was pretty traumatic - getting up the rankings again is probably more difficult than it was the first time."
Men's 3rd round (lower half of draw):
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-5, 11-13, 11-3, 12-10 (83m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 (48m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (61m)
[14] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 1-11, 13-11 (98m)
Women's 2nd round (top half of draw):
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [13] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (24m)
[9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) 21-23, 19-17, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7 (85m)
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [4] Natalie Grainger (USA) 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 (41m)
[14] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (34m)
Men's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [Q] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [8] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) v [5] David Palmer (AUS)
[14] Adrian Grant (ENG) v [7] Karim Darwish (EGY)
Women's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) v [14] Madeline Perry (IRL)
[3] Natalie Grinham (NED) v [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v [7] Alison Waters (ENG)
Local Star Botwright Beats Champion Grinham In World Championship Upset
Manchester squash star Vicky Botwright, who has always failed to live up to expectations on her 'home' court at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity, pulled off a sensational upset when she beat defending champion Rachael Grinham in today's (Wednesday) second round of the women's event in the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships in Manchester.
Botwright, the 31-year-old former world No5, recently announced her decision to retire at the world championships after accepting the role as Head Coach at the prestigious centre.
After dropping the first game, the local heroine battled back to beat the title-holder from Australia 5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8 in 47 minutes.
"That was certainly my best ever win," said the delighted 11th seed afterwards. "It's taken me ten years to get a result like this in Manchester.
"I've always under-performed here - I've been seeded in every position from one to eight in the Nationals here, but never got beyond the quarter-finals!"
The second-seeded Queenslander was almost speechless afterwards. "I just don't know what happened. I just didn't feel that comfortable - I never have easy games with Vicky, she's one of those players I've never really liked playing.
"I felt in control for parts of the game - but then I panicked, I just choked."
The former world number one admitted that she is still coming to terms with the new women's 'point-a-rally' Pro-Scoring system. "You start the game and, before you know it, it's half over - then you get into panic mode. I think it's going to take me a while to get use to it."
Earlier, on the first of two days of second round action, Botwright's two England team-mates Alison Waters and Jenny Duncalf eased into the last eight. Londoner Waters, the British National champion, crushed France's Isabelle Stoehr 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 in 25 minutes, while fifth seed Duncalf, from Harrogate in Yorkshire, defeated Australian national champion Kasey Brown 11-8, 11-2, 13-11.
England's Nick Matthew prevented it from being an all-Egyptian day in the four men's third round matches on the all-glass show court when he beat Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema 11-7, 11-6, 11-13, 11-4 in exactly one hour.
In only his third event following a nine-month layoff after shoulder surgery, the 28-year-old from Sheffield showed the form which won him the British Open title two years ago. "I felt pretty good - I feel I've been pretty well in the tournament so far, but not yet in a whole match.
"Physically, I'm better than I've ever been - because while I was recovering from the shoulder, fitness was all I could work on!"
In Friday's quarter-finals, Matthew will face Ramy Ashour, the fourth seed from Egypt who put paid to an all-English last eight clash by beating Londoner Peter Barker, the 12th seed, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6.
"I was up for it today - all the work I have put in in the last couple of months has paid off," said the exuberant 21-year-old afterwards. "But six days before the championships, I pulled a hamstring, and didn't play at all. It actually gave me a bit of a break."
Later in the day, Mohamed El Shorbagy became the first qualifier for 22 years to reach the men's quarter-finals when he beat Hisham Mohd Ashour 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 13-11.
The 17-year-old Egyptian became event's giant-killer after battling through to the second round - then beating experienced Frenchman Thierry Lincou to reach the last sixteen.
"I've played five days in a row now - and tomorrow I get a day off. Now I will chill out," said the teenager.
Men's 3rd round (top half of draw):
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [9] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-9, 2-11, 11-4, 12-14, 11-6 (84m)
[Q] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 13-11 (45m)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [12] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6 (60m)
[8] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-6, 11-13, 11-4 (60m)
Women's 2nd round (lower half of draw):
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [12] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-8, 11-2, 13-11 (33m)
[3] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [Q] Annie Au (HKG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (27m)
[7] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [15] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 (25m)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8 (47m)
El Shorbagy Outshines Lincou In Major World Championship Upset
TUESDAY - A new world squash star was born in Manchester today when Egyptian teenager Mohamed El Shorbagy defeated France's world number eight Thierry Lincou in the second round of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships at Sportcity in Manchester.
The world's leading players from more than 30 countries are competing in the
Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.
The 17-year-old qualifier from Alexandria, who beat experienced Frenchman Renan Lavigne in the first round, shocked the crowd when he took the first two games against sixth seed Lincou, a former world champion and world number one.
But the seasoned Frenchman came back to take the third game and led 4-1 in the fourth. El Shorbagy, a pupil at Millfield School in the UK and coached by the British legend Jonah Barrington, defied his youth by fighting back to serve at match ball at 10-9.
However, Lincou again had to call upon his vast experience to keep the world junior champion at bay - forcing the match into a decider.
But still El Shorbagy battled on - and, after failing to convert two further match-balls, clinched his fourth of the match to record his stunning 12-10, 11-6, 7-11, 10-12, 13-11 victory in 81 minutes.
"He was playing really aggressively. I was always behind, chasing the ball - and this made me tired," said a disconsolate Lincou afterwards. "He showed that, at his age, he's able to produce a good pace - and he maintained it without making too many mistakes. He's potentially a top ten player."
El Shorbagy admitted that his first thought was to telephone his mother in Egypt: "I had promised her I would get into the last sixteen. She was crying on the phone!
"That was the best win of my career, for sure. I was playing to win each point - I didn't concentrate on the score at all. In fact the only time I heard the score was when I was 10-9 in the fourth.
"I had to make it tough for him. I had no pressure on me today - nobody expected me to win. I had to play more than my best to win - and I did.
"My aim is to be world number one, one day," added the young Egyptian star.
Later, fellow countryman Amr Shabana - the current world number one - eased into the last sixteen after beating Spanish number one Borja Golan 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 in 43 minutes.
The title-holder was full of praise for his teenage compatriot: "He had no pressure on him, and he's young and excited, and also has lots of confidence. I have played him before, and he's tremendous - really fast. I'm really happy for him."
While a new era in squash beckoned in the afternoon, an old one came to an end in the evening when former world number John White announced his retirement. The 35-year-old Australian-born Scot - who lives in the USA - extended James Willstrop for four games before the England number one prevailed to win 11-2, 3-11, 12-10, 11-9 in 49 minutes.
"It was as I shook James's hand at the end of the match that I decided, this is it," admitted the Tour favourite afterwards. "I've had a great career, but now have a full-time job as a coach in the US and a family of four.
"James and I have had some great matches - many of which have been finals and many on this court - and I feel it's time for it all to come to a halt here.
"Being number one in the world is something they will never take away from you - and I'll always be proud of that."
In an outstanding day for Egypt, El Shorbagy and Shabana's wins were followed by victories by Wael El Hindi, Karim Darwish and Cairo brothers Ramy and Hisham Mohd Ashour. Fourth seed Ramy Ashour punished Australian Cameron Pilley 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 in just 28 minutes, while his unseeded older sibling Hisham upset Malaysian Ong Beng Hee, the tenth seed, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 to earn an unexpected place in the last sixteen.
Main draw action in the women's World Open got underway today with world number one Nicol David confidently beginning her bid to reclaim the title she lost last year by crushing compatriot Sharon Wee 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 in just 19 minutes. David now goes on to face Asian rival Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed from Hong Kong who recovered from two games down to beat England's Lauren Briggs 8-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.
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