Egyptians and Brits make a day; Second round ends with upsets – Hong Kong Open 2011
Mohamed Azlan Iskandar, Malay, shaped the upset of the day, Friday, 18th of November 2011, in the second round of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Finanacial Hong Kong Open when the 29-year-old outlasted the in-form Egyptian
Mohamed El Shorbagy, seeded seventh, to win his way into the quarter-final round of the seventh PSA World Series squash event of the year.
The Egyptian 20-year-old, world No.8, made his way to Hong Kong from his success in last week’s
PSA International 50 Macau Open. El Shorbagy had a 3-0 lead over the Malay, however, that was covered up as the match concluded. The 20-year-old took the lead pocketing the opening game, however, the tables turned next.
The 29-year-old world No.13, made a remarkable recovery as he blistered away the next three games to finish off the fixture,
6-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, claiming his first win over the top ranked 20-year-old in just 56 minutes.
In other fixtures, unseeded Australian, Stewart Boswell knocked out England’s Tom Richards 11-4, 11-9, 11-0 in 42 minutes. Formerly ranked world No.4, the 33-year-old for Canberra is current in best of his form considering his
recent performances.
Making his way previously into the last eight of a PSA World Series event in January 2008, Aussie bursted from first to last to the semi-finals of last month’s
Qatar Classic. At the moment, after making his Hong Kong infiltration beating world No.8 seed, Thierry Lincou, in round one, Boswell is through to his second quarter-final in a row.
“When I looked at the draw, I didn’t think I was that lucky, but it turned out to be good after all,” Boswell told afterwards. “I think I was again a bit lucky, like I was in Qatar. But then, yet again, I still had to play my best
squash to win today.”
With the unexpected knockout of Lincou, the French support now looks down to the fifth seed Gregory Gaultier, who has won the recent Qatar Classic Championship beating Egyptian, Omar Mosaad in the final 11-6, 4-11, 11-4, and 11-6.
The day, however, goes to the Brits and Egyptians. With Nick Matthew, Peter Barker and James Willstrop, Brits, approaching all the way through in the top half of the draw, and Egypt’s Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish prevailing on
the other side.
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