Favourites advance in top half of round two draw at Qatar Classic
Amr Shabana, James Willstrop, Gregory Gaultier, and Peter Barker all advanced to the quarter-final of the Qatar Classic by winning their second round matches against lower seeded opponents.
Egyptian-born Shabana needed just 36 minutes to dispose of Englishman Adrian Grant 11-7, 11-9, 11-9. Shabana showed consistency throughout the match while Grant was sharp at times, but seemed out of it
at others.
"I was playing well in patches, playing well for three or four rallies, pushing hard, and then sitting back for three or four," Grant told
www.squashsite.co.uk. "It's the consistency of the mental approach that I've still got to work on, to try and keep that level of game all the time."
Number six seed James Willstrop had no trouble dispatching Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema in straight games 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 after 45 minutes.
Jan Anjema was hard on himself afterwards, despite only making one unforced error the entire match.
"All I can say is I prepared well for this match, mentally, physically, tactically, but I didn't play at all what I had planned to do," he said. "It was a terrible, terrible
performance today. I made tactical errors, and it's my lack of accuracy that allowed him to play his good shots. I've got to improve, and I can tell you that I played terrible today."
Frenchman Gregory Gaultier defeated Egyptian Omar Mosaad in straight games as well, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 after 46 minutes. Mosaad battled through an injury the entire match and the Frenchman
did enough to come away victorious, but made plenty of errors along the way.
"I didn't play that well, but it will be coming," Gaultier, who has also been suffering from a thigh injury said. "It's so much better than the first match, it's all going to fall into
place."
The closest contest of the day was between Englishman Peter Barker and Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy with Barker emerging as the victor 4-11, 13-11, 14-12, 12-10 after 67 minutes. El Shorbagy
fought hard chasing down just about everything the Englishman could throw at him, while slipping all over a court wet from the sweat and the intense heat, but it wasn't enough.
"He played incredibly well in the first game, and made it very tough for then on," Barker said after the match. "I'm pleased I was able
to come back each time, I was down in every game, I didn't panic, I just kept to my game plan, and kept it straight. It's so unfortunate that he slips at the end of games. He is so tall, it's the same for James (Willstrop), they have bigger strides than I
have, that must come into it as well."
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