French
number three seed Mathieu Castagnet capped a brilliant week in London by beating
the top seed Omar Mosaad to win the Canary Wharf Squash Classic final.
Before a packed crowd in the stunning East Wintergarden venue, both players
served up a superb display of high-quality squash.
In each round the 5ft 10in tall Castagnet overcame giant opponents, Joe Lee (6ft
3in), James Willstrop (6ft 4in), Cameron Pilley (6ft 3in) and finally blunting
the blows of Mosaad (6ft 4in).
It was Castagnet who walked tall after a dynamic performance in which he
recovered from losing the first game and dominated long spells of the match.
For Mosaad, it was his 12th match in less than three weeks, having finished
runner-up in Colombia and reaching the semi-finals in Chicago.
Understandably,
he occasionally looked a little tired but still summoned up the enormous power
which has earned him the nickname of The Hammer Of Thor.
Castagnet had one simple game plan: to keep getting back as many balls as
possible.
In several rallies, Mosaad fired in a succession of attempted kill shots only to
find Castagnet returning his efforts with interest. He is more, much more, than
a simple runner and retriever.
He has improved his quality in all areas of the court and his counter-drops
often caused Mosaad problems.
Castagnet began brightly and raced into a 6-2 lead only for Mosaad to win nine
points in a row to win the game.
The
29-year-old Frenchman quickly regrouped and built a 6-1 lead in the second. This
time he withstood all that Mosaad could throw at him and drew level at one game
all.
The crucial third game was even all the way but Castagnet won four points in a
row from 8-7 down to strike a major psychological blow to the 27-year-old
Egyptian.
Mosaad led 4-3 in the fourth game but Castagnet broke his spirit with a massive
run of six consecutive points.
After a flurry of exchanges, Mosaad claimed one more point and the outcome was
decided on a penalty stroke with a tired shot down the middle of the court.
A delighted Castagnet followed French legend Thierry Lincou to have his name on
the Canary Wharf trophy.
It was a milestone performance in a career that clearly promises so much more.
Josh Masters and Lyell Fuller meet in a Wild Card Shoot-Out ahead of tonight’s
Canary Wharf Squash Classic final between Omar Mosaad and Mathieu Castagnet.
Fuller is back for a second attempt, having lost to Ben Coleman in last year’s
shoot-out.
Both players are gaining valuable experience in the PSL and competing in front
of a full house at the East Wintergarden provides more significant exposure.
Both players are part of the England Squash Development Squad.
Tournament Director Tim Garner said: “The Canary Wharf Squash Classic is
committed to the development of the sport at all levels and this is a wonderful
way to helping talented young players gain experience on the world stage.
Top seed Omar Mosaad fought back from two games down to win a bruising
semi-final against Spain’s Borja Golan. In the final he meets French No.3 seed
Mathieu Castagnet, who won a tremendous battle against Australia’s Cameron
Pilley.
The
6ft 4in tall Mosaad, known as the Hammer of Thor, finally wore down Golan to win
8-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 after 98 minutes of brutal combat on court.
In a match with more than 50 decisions from referee John Massarella, Mosaad
finished the stronger of the two players, despite a punishing recent schedule
that has included finishing runner-up in Colombia and reaching the semi-finals
in Chicago.
With the temperature inside the East Wintergarden slightly cooler than in
previous evenings this week, Mosaad struggled to find his normal length.
Golan played inspired squash, was faster around the front of the court, but
ultimately caused his own undoing by losing his focus and spending too much time
in debates with the referee.
He was warned about delaying the serve, received a conduct warning, and finally
a conduct stroke as Massarella lost patience with the endless stoppages.
Mosaad made a number of errors early in the match, some caused by Golan’s tight
play and others totally unforced.
Golan closed out the first game from 8-8, and held his nerve to win the second
13-11.
From 5-5 in the third, Mosaad strung together a dominant phase to win it 11-6.
The tables were turning but in the fourth Mosaad let slip an 8-5 lead and Golan
was two points away from winning the match at 9-9. This time Mosaad finished the
game with purpose and precision to take it 11-9.
In
the fifth, Mosaad moved ahead from 4-4 as Golan’s outbursts grew more frequent
and the tall Egyptian closed out the match with a six-point cushion.
After the match Mosaad admitted he was feeling tired after his recent
international travels but was sure he would be able to rise to the occasion in
the final.
He said: “I’m feeling tired right now – when I lost the first two games I
thought I had lost the match and I was already thinking about a flight home
tomorrow.
“But then I managed to get back into it and force it to 2-2 and I’m very happy
that I managed to push through and reach my first Canary Wharf final.
“I lost my concentration when I was up in the first game so I tried to push
myself concentration wise in the third and fourth. The important thing now is to
rest and prepare as best as I can for the final tomorrow.”
Castagnet looked fresh throughout his duel with Pilley and finished strongly to
win the deciding fourth game after Pilley had led 8-5 and held game ball at
10-8.
Earlier,
Castagnet had dominated the opening game before Pilley responded positively in
the second, scraping it 13-11 after holding game ball at 10-8.
Pilley loves to play with enormous pace, but perhaps Castagnet’s speed around
the court was the more significant factor.
He ripped through the third game 11-1 as Pilley took a breather and refused to
give up in the fourth when the Australian must have thought he had done enough
to take the match to five.
After 87 minutes, Castagnet clinched victory without needing to dive once. He
must be saving it up for the final.
Castagnet said: “I am feeling so good right now. He’s such a great player and it
was very stressful tonight.
“I was pushing so hard in that fourth to get to every ball because I knew going
to a fifth game would be a nightmare.
“I was tiring and he’s so skilled with the racket that the fifth game would have
been very difficult. I stayed focused and tried to replicate what I did in the
second game to save that one.
“I
have been working so hard for 15 years and to reach the Canary Wharf Classic
final is a great achievement – so many strong players have won the title here
and I will be pushing so hard to join them tomorrow.
“Tomorrow I know Omar will be a tough match. He has so much experience and I
remember a match in Hong Kong last year when he was 2-0 down and saved five or
six match balls to win so I will be preparing to play him at 100 per cent and
hopefully I can play well.”
For the first time in the event’s 13-year history, there will be no English
players in the semi-finals of the Canary Wharf Squash Classic.
Number
seven seed Daryl Selby lost an epic battle to top seed Omar Mosaad, but
four-times champion James Willstrop went down in straight games to French ace
Mathieu Castagnet (right).
Willstrop was suffering from a respiratory problem which explained his lack of
mobility at the end of each game. From 7-2 up in the third, he was unable to
finish off the task as
Mathieu Castagnet’s superior fitness enabled him to reel off the points
to complete an unexpectedly quick victory 11-6, 11-6, 11-9.
Germany’s
number two seed Simon Rosner was also feeling under the weather and retired
after losing the first two games to Australia’s Cameron Pilley
(left). A sell-out crowd at the East Wintergarden had hoped to see an
enthralling battle between two 6ft 3in tall hard hitters, but Rosner was always
slightly off the pace and called it a day as he began to feel sick.
Pilley meets Castagnet in the semi-finals and Mosaad faces Spanish number one
Borja Golan (below right), who beat Egyptian outside Fares Desssouki 3-1.
The
6ft 4in tall Mosaad had to battle to get past Selby, who twice fought back to
level the match by winning the second and fourth games. However, from 4-4 in the
fifth, Mosaad won six points in a row to advance to match ball. That sixth point
was the culmination of the best rally of the match as Selby flung himself around
the court to keep the ball in play.
Selby claimed one more point before Mosaad closed out the match to reach the
semi-finals for the sixth tournament in succession.
He said: “Playing Daryl here is very hard. I thought it was going to be easy
after the first game and I was up in the second as well but he started to play
really well. But after coming back from 2-2 I'm very happy to win.”
Mosaad
(left) flew into London after a busy tournament schedule, where he was
runner-up in Colombia and reached the semi-final in Chicago. He added: “I played
Colombia and Chicago and I know I need to be strong mentally as well as
physically. I'm very happy to reach the semi-finals here for the first time. I
know it will be a tough match against Borja.”
Selby admitted: “Omar is so powerful. The quality of his length and his hitting
has improved dramatically. Before he was powerful, but not 100% accurate,
whereas now, he is powerful AND accurate.
“It was a case of imposing our game plans. When he was overpowering me, he was
winning the game, but when I was imposing my game – taking away the pace and
forcing him to create his – I was wining the games.
“It all came down to a few points in the fifth game. I loved it today. It was a
great battle. His game has changed and I truly enjoyed playing against him.”
James
Willstrop, a former world number one and a four-times champion of the Canary
Wharf Classic, was a very relieved man after withstanding a ferocious onslaught
from New Zealander Paul Coll in the first round tonight.
The 22-year-old Coll, based in Amsterdam, is one of the fittest and fastest
players the game has ever seen.
Willstrop, a giant of an athlete at 6ft 4in tall, weathered the storm to win
14-12, 12-10, 11-8 as both players served up spectacular entertainment in front
of a sell-out crowd at the East Wintergarden venue.
Willstrop, the number five seed this year, repeatedly found his best shots
coming back as Coll raced around the court, with the first game alone lasting 26
minutes.
The New Zealander came desperately close in the first two games but the
33-year-old Englishman used his vast experience to contain his opponent and win
the vital points when it mattered.
Willstrop had more of a cushion in the third thanks to tight and disciplined
shot selection, and he joined the applause as the audience gave Coll a huge
ovation at the end of the match.
He said: “I know it sounds like a tired cliché, but that match clearly
illustrated that there are no easy matches in the first round of any tournament.
Everyone in the top 50 is capable of producing outstanding squash and when you.
“When this sport is played at the highest level, and audiences like this are
clearly enthralled by what they see on court, then you have to wonder why we are
not on prime time TV or in the Olympics. I would really like to know the answers
to those two questions.
“Paul
is an amazing player and I am delighted to be off the court in three games and
into the quarter-finals.”
Willstrop now faces another phenomenal athlete in Mathieu Castagnet (left). The
French national champion became an internet sensation after an astonishing dive
and retrieval against Willstrop’s England doubles partner, Daryl Selby, during
last week’s Windy City Open in Chicago.
Castagnet overcame talented qualifier Joe Lee, the world No. 62 from Weybridge,
and made similarly complimentary remarks to Willstrop’s about the depth of the
talent pool in squash right now.
Number
two seed Simon Rosner (right), from Germany, meets Australian Cameron Pilley
(below) after the two big hitters achieved a clean sweep of straight-games
victories over qualifiers Charles Sharpes (England) and Mohamed Reda (Egypt).
Pilley, who is based in The Hague, is a regular training partner of Coll and
lost to the Kiwi in the final of last year’s Australian Open.
He
said: “The way he played against James was no surprise to me at all. He plays
just like that in training every time we get on court. It’s full on, non-stop
aggression at a ridiculous pace.”
Fares
Dessouki (right) was in tears after knocking out No.4 seed Marwan
Elshorbagy in the first round at Canary Wharf.
The world No.21 was overcome with emotion after gaining his first
PSA victory since early January in front of a packed crowd at the
East Wintergarden.He spent a long time on the floor before composing
himself for his post-match interview.
This all-Egyptian clash was always going to be full of fireworks but
it ended up being a bitterly-contested match with both players
engaged in access issues.
It was a highly combative contest that lasted 81 minutes, with some
phenomenal, high-paced, attacking squash often interrupted by
debates over decisions.
It added spice to the occasion as the players tested the new PSA
trial of a single referee plus a video review official.
In the end, it all came down to who kept their cool better.
Elshorbagy, watched by his brother, world number one Mohamed, led
7-4 and seemed certain to book his place in the quarter-finals.
However, Dessouki refused to buckle and won seven of the final eight
points as his opponent clearly lost concentration.
Dessouki said: “I’m really happy to be back and to have my game back
again. I'm really enjoying the court here and my nicks were going
well.
“It was a tough match. I’ve been struggling for the past few months,
losing in the first rounds of my last events, and I think it’s my
first win of the year (since the first round in the Tournament of
Champions). It was a very tough match mentally.
“We were both a bit nervous. I was nervous in the first game, and
then he got nervous in the second, but it was high quality squash
and a high quality match.
“Marwan is a very good player. He is very smart on court. I had to
be focused and play at a high pace. He is top ten, playing great
squash and causing trouble for the top guys, too.”
Top
seed Omar Mosaad (left) had to fight off jetlag and a very
determined opponent in Chris Simpson to reach the quarter-finals of
the Canary Wharf Squash Classic.
Mosaad arrived in London from Chicago two days ago after reaching
the semi-finals of the Windy City Open and Simpson, the 28-year-old
world No.22 from Harrogate, was trying to catch him cold.
Simpson worked hard to contain Mosaad’s phernomenal pace and was
ahead all the way through the first game. He reached game ball at
10-8 but the 6ft 4in Egyptian finished strongly to steal the game
13-11.
Mosaad dominated the second to win it 11-5 but he fell off the pace
in the third game as Simpson took control. He built a 7-3 lead and
although Mosaad fought back to level at 8-8 and 9-9, it was Simpson
who took the last two points.
The tall Egyptian found his length again in the fourth game and
earned a round of applause after sportingly conceding a point when
Simpson’s ball was wrongly called down.
Mosaad advanced from 6-3 to 9-4 and although Simpson produced a
determined resistance, Mosaad delivered those precious closing
points to book a quarter-final place against Daryl Selby.
Mosaad said: “Of course I'm very happy to win. I came here from
Chicago just two days ago and I am feeling a little tired, so I am
happy to come through.
“Chris played very well today, especially in the first and third
games. He is a hard player. I need to get through as easy as I can
to save energy from Chicago and I tried hard to push so I'm really
pleased to win and reach the quarter-finals for the second time.”
Simpson said: “To be honest, I’ve been feeling good today like I
have been feeling good for most of my PSA matches for the last six
months. I feel I’m actually getting closer, without actually
winning.
“It’s because players like Omar are classy players, and they have
that little extra in their game. And I’m trying to add that little
extra in my game…
“It was a very clean game. That ball at the end, I thought it was
100% up, and he thought it was 100% down, but still he gave a let.
That’s really a great sporting gesture, showing the classy player he
is, especially as it was at a crucial time of the match.
“I haven’t played at Canary Warf for a few years, and I must say I
love the intimate atmosphere, and I was really touched to have the
crowd supporting me, although I’m not from London. I really
appreciated it.”
His
quarter-final opponent, Daryl Selby (right), survived a bloody nose
inflicted (accidentally) in the very first rally against rising star
Declan James.
After a lengthy break to stop the blood flowing, the players
returned to court and in their second point they engaged in a huge
rally that showed how comfortable James was looking on the glass
court.
He won the opening game 11-9 after three fast, flat kills stayed low
on the floor and he unleashed a superb crosscourt volley nick on
game ball.
Selby got into his stride and powered through the second game 11-3,
and then fought back from 5-7 down in the third to edge it 11-9. The
33-year-old continued to play at a high pace in the fourth and took
it 11-4.
The highlight for Selby was a reflex shot from between his legs
(right) which sent the ball into the front right nick.
His opponent, 11 years his junior, can be pleased with his first
outing on the glass court at Canary Wharf since a junior clinic
several years ago.
Borja Golan overcame wild card Ben Coleman in straight games,
winning 11-4, 12-10, 11-2 in 44 minutes. But he was at pains to
point out that it was anything but easy against a young Englishman
with four more tournament wins this season.
Golan is a great pressure player, and he appeared to break Coleman’s
spirit with a strong recovery in the second game when he trailed 7-4
and was game ball down at 10-9.
Coleman may regret asking for a review of a let decision, which was
upheld, and the time that elapsed possibly caused the ball to cool
down.
If that was the case, it worked in Golan’s favour as he drew level
with a tight boast that Coleman was unable to reach.
Golan powered through the third and reached match ball at 10-1
before Coleman claimed a consolation point.
Golan now meets a fired-up Fares Dessouki in the quarter-finals, and
knows he will have to play exceptionally well to advance beyond that
stage for a first time in five attempts.
Lee Leads Trio Of English
Aces Into Main Draw By ALAN THATCHER
Joe Lee withheld a phenomenal fightback from Richie Fallows as a
trio of Englishmen made it through from the qualifying finals into
the main draw of the Canary Wharf Squash Classic.
Lee looked to be cruising as he dropped just five points in the
opening two games and seemed on course for a straight-games victory
before Fallows suddenly upped his game.
The 20-year-old from Stratford, east London, powered back into
contention as he rediscovered the form that helped him to knock out
the top qualifying seed, the experienced Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema,
the previous day.
Fallows won the third and fourth games and it was desperately close
all the way through the fifth before Lee finished strongly to win
11-1, 11-4, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9 in 68 minutes.
His reward is a place in the first round against the flying
Frenchman, Mathieu Castagnet, whose incredible retrieval against
Daryl Selby in Chicago last week became an internet sensation.
The 26-year-old Lee, the world No.62 from Weybridge, said: “The
first two games were so good and it’s always difficult to handle
when your opponent suddenly responds. I don’t think I did anything
wrong but Richie definitely stepped up the pace.
“At 9-9 in the fifth it’s anybody’s game, and I did just enough to
win. It’s nice to play someone different (after two draws against
Selby) and I hope the crowd will be on my side."
Lee acknowledged the improvement in his game since spending time on
court with Peter Barker, the former world No.5 who retired before
Christmas to take up a coaching position with England Squash.
Lee added: "I think my game has improved significantly after working
with Peter. I like to play in a rhythm and he has helped me to see
more options and introduce a little more variety into my play."
Selby himself is a crowd favourite at Canary Wharf and he opens
proceedings tomorrow (Monday) evening against Declan James, who came
through qualifying without dropping a game, largely thanks to an
error-strewn performance from Josh Masters.
Completing a trio of English qualifiers was Charles Sharpes, who
battled his way through a physical encounter with Finnish veteran
Olli Tuominen.
Sharpes meets Germany’s No.2 seed Simon Rosner, while Egypt’s
Mohamed Reda, who beat Robbie Temple in straight games, has been
drawn against Australia’s Cameron Pilley.
It was a great day for the English in the qualifying competition for
the Canary Wharf Classic. Six of the eight spots in Sunday’s finals
have been filled by players from the home nation, with one or two
shocks along the way.
Four
of the winners are London boys. They were led home by 20-year-old
east-ender Richie Fallows (right), who knocked out the top
qualifying seed Laurens Jan Anjema.
This highly entertaining match illustrated why squash is such an
addictive and intoxicating sport at the top level.
The combination of astonishing skill and the breathtaking brutality
of close combat were in evidence throughout this compelling
encounter.
Fallows won a tough opening game 11-9 but was completely overwhelmed
as Anjema took the second 11-2.
The tall Dutchman stayed on top to win the third 11-6 and Fallows
had a real battle on his hands to stay in the match.
He led 5-2 in the fourth but Anjema’s quality and experience shone
through as he worked his way back into the proceedings and he held
match ball at 10-9. But Fallows recovered to win three points in a
row to take it to five.
Fallows opened up a solid lead in the fifth as the rallies became
intensely physical. It was clearly hurting both players as they were
forced into some gut-wrenching retrievals, followed by moments of
exquisite skill.
Anjema saved two match balls but, after 71 minutes, Fallows finally
ended the hopes of the man he once idolised as a junior at Connaught
Squash Club on the edge of Epping Forest in east London.
Fallows said: “I used to watch players like LJ train at Connaught
under Neil Harvey. It was just before Peter Nicol moved on when I
got my chance to join the squad.
“That was one of the best performances of my career and certainly
the best mentally. I felt close to boiling point at the end of the
second game but kept my feelings under control.
“It was a fantastic match to play in. LJ is physical but fair and
you have to expect one or two knocks in this game. There was nothing
dirty at all. We both wanted to play the ball.”
Robbie Temple’s weekend plans go haywire
Robbie
Temple (left) is an occasional player these days. He stepped in to
the qualifying competition at short notice after a couple of
withdrawals and instantly had to rearrange his plans for the
weekend.
First of all, he had to tell his football manager (he is a flying
left winger for Chessington in the Combined Counties League) that he
couldn’t play for them today.
So, instead of a 3 o’clock kick-off, he was starting a squash match
at the same time against Henrik Mustonen at Wimbledon Racquets and
Fitness Club.
He was on the verge of an early bath, too, facing match ball in the
third game. However, he rescued the point and then won some quick
points to win the game 12-10.
Suddenly the momentum changed and Temple took control against a
rapidly fading Mustonen.
After 53 minutes he had completed a stirring victory, winning 3-11,
7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 to win through to the qualifying finals
tomorrow against Mohamed Reda.
However, that’s not the end of an amazing story.
This evening, Robbie is playing former world No.2 Peter Marshall in
a battle of the two handers in an exhibition evening at Middleton
Squash Club in West Sussex!
Asked how he turned around that third game, Robbie admitted: “I
can’t remember. Really, I can’t remember what happened. But, once I
got in front, I managed to build some momentum. That’s what helps
you to win matches: momentum. Suddenly it swung my way.
”I am hardly playing these days – maybe one league match a week. I
spend most of my time on court feeding when I’m coaching. So it took
me a while to get used to the pace at this level.
“I’m looking forward to playing Reda. He was the last player I
played, in the British Open, before I retired from the PSA Tour,
which he reminded me of when I arrived at the club today!”
Reda looked sharp against fellow Egyptian Mazen Gamal, winning
comfortably in four games. Gamal fired in some impressive boasts and
reverse angles, pacing his shots perfectly to match the cool
conditions on court.
However, his head dropped when he begun needlessly arguing with
decisions in the fourth game and his challenge soon evaporated as
Reda floated some beautiful lobs to the back corners which his
opponent declined to chase.
Declan James and Chris Fuller know each others’ games inside out, so
it was no surprise that large elements of their match were cautious,
close passages of play.
The second game was a brutal affair, with James squeezing home 18-16
after a lengthy tiebreak.
That seems to take the sting out of Fuller’s game and James went
through 11-8, 18-16, 11-5 in 53 minutes.
Joe Lee has been struggling for form in recent months.
He made a sluggish start against Lyell Fuller and was soon 8-3 down,
but he worked his way back to take control of the match.
After the first game he maintained the quality and ended up a
comfortable winner in straight games.
Fuller will be back on Friday, playing Josh Masters in the Wild Card
Shoot-out before the main final.
Squash can be a cruel game. Just ask young Irishman Sean Conroy.
Trailing 2-0 to the vastly experienced Finnish player Olli Tuominen,
he won the third to work himself bak into the match, and then seemed
to be in a strong position in the fourth.
At the midway point he slammed two crosscourt volleys into the nick,
and even tried some trickery and fakery in the front left corner.
But then he tinned his third volley-nick attempt, was unlucky to
float a backhand out of court, and was left down and out on the
floor as a very relieved Tuominen won through to the qualifying
finals.
Charles Sharpes always has a point to prove against fellow
Englishmen, having lost his funding from the national governing body
last year.
He looked impressive as he beat Eddie Charlton in straight games.
Sharpes kept it tight on the backhand and his disciplined approach
did not give Charlton anything loose to profit from, and he took
advantage of the openings when they came his way.
There were several long, competitive rallies where Sharpes looked
comfortable and although Charlton hung in, Sharpes was pleased to
get off in three.
Eddie, it must be said, looked slightly below his usual level. But
Sharpes was delighted to win, reversing a recent result in the
Swedish Open.
Sharpes said: “We played in the Swedish Open qualifiers and Eddie
took me apart. I was a bit slow off the pace after the Christmas
break and Eddie was well on top throughout that one.
“But today I felt good, stepped up the court well, and felt I
dominated large parts of the match.
“I was hitting through the ball well, it’s my home court, the crowd
are on my side and I’m looking forward to playing Olli tomorrow. I
have never beaten him so I hope tomorrow is the day. The closest I
have come to beating him was a 3-2 in Qatar.”
Canary Wharf Classic, PSA M70, qualifying first round, Wimbledon
Racquets Club, London, England:
R Fallows (Eng) bt LJ Anjema (Ned) 11-9, 2-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7 (71
min)
J Lee (Eng) bt L Fuller (Eng) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (40 min)
D James (Eng) bt C Fuller (Eng) 11-8, 18-16, 11-5 (53 min)
J Masters (Eng) bt J Schoor (Ger) 11-4, 11-7, 1-0 retired (31 min)
O Tuominen (Fin) bt S Conroy (Ire) 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (44 min)
C Sharpes (Eng) bt E Charlton (Eng) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (44 min)
M Reda (Egy) bt M Gamal (Egy) 11-5, 7-11, 11-3, 12-10 (54 min)
R Temple (Eng) bt H Mustonen (Fin) 3-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 (53
min)
Qualifying finals, starting 1pm:
Reda v Temple
Tuominen v Sharpes
James v Masters
Lee v Fallows
Egyptian
maverick Mazen Hesham has withdrawn from the upcoming Canary Wharf
Classic, PSA M70 tournament after continuing to suffer with the leg
injury that has plagued his 2016 so far.
The World No.17, whose last PSA World Tour appearance came in
December’s Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open,
will be replaced as the event’s number eight seed by Spanish former
World No.5 Borja Golan.
Golan’s move up to a seeded position means that Pakistan No.1 Nasir
Iqbal moves into the main draw and he will face former World No.1
James Willstrop, who would have faced Golan prior to Hesham’s
withdrawal, in the opening round as the Yorkshireman looks to
kickstart his ambitions of winning this tournament for the fifth
time in his career.
Revised Main Draw - 2016 Canary Wharf Classic [1] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[Qualifier] v [7] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[8] Borja Golan (ESP) v [WC] Ben Coleman (ENG)
Fares Dessouki (EGY) v [4] Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY)
[3] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Qualifier]
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [5] James Willstrop (ENG)
[6] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [2] Simon Rösner (GER)
PSA To Trial
New Referee System At Canary Wharf Classic
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) have announced that a new one-referee
system, which will still incorporate a video referee, will be trialled at the
2016 Canary Wharf Classic, the PSA M70 tournament which takes place in London
this March, in place of the three-referee system currently in use.
The current system relies on a central referee working in tandem with two side
referees, with decisions on Lets, No Lets and Strokes, being made by all three
where the majority decision rules, but following a detailed feedback process
over the course of the past few months which has taken in surveyed responses
from both players and promoters, the decision has been made to trial the new
system, consisting of one main Referee who will be able to ask for support from
a Video Referee if he is unsure of a decision, to assist in eliminating errors
at the very top level.
This new approach has been developed with the primary aim of allowing referees
to have more dedicated support and control of matches while also providing a
cost effective way for promoters to appoint referees for their tournaments.
Players will retain their ability to review decisions via the video referee but,
in a new move, the central referee himself will be able to call on the
'eye-in-the-sky' if they feel unable to accurately make a call during crucial
moments of a match.
"We are grateful for the in-depth feedback we have received from players and
promoters and look forward to trialling a new one-referee system that looks set
to increase the influence and control of the central referee," said PSA
Refereeing Director Lee Drew.
"This trial event will give us the perfect opportunity to witness the impact of
the one-ref system at the highest level as we look to improve the
decision-making and consistency of refereeing across all PSA World Tour
tournaments. We are implementing this system with the dual goal of giving
players greater protection from the eradication of errors and improving the
sport as a spectacle overall."
Marwan Makes A Move On His Brother’s Place At World Number One
Squash star Marwan Elshorbagy is the younger brother of the world
number one.
Egyptian Marwan, 22, is the number four seed in the forthcoming
Canary Wharf Classic, and his ambition is to take over at the top of
the rankings from big brother Mohamed.
He recently reached the world top 10 after a phenomenal run of form
at the back end of 2015. He was runner-up in the China Open and the
Kolkata Open, reached the semi-finals of the Bluenose Classic in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, and reached the quarter-finals of the Macau
Open and Tournament of Champions in New York.
The Bristol-based Elshorbagy is looking forward to playing in the
PSA men’s $70k event at Canary Wharf.
In an interview he added: “All the players enjoy performing at
Canary Wharf. It is one of the best squash venues in the world.
“Every time I step on court in a wonderful venue like the East
Wintergarden I feel blessed to have this opportunity. I am very
excited to be back, and to play on front of such an amazing crowd
makes it more special for all the players.”
There are four Egyptians in the top half of the draw and Elshorbagy
meets compatriot Fares Dessouki in the first round. Elshorbagy
added: “Fares is a very good player and he is coming up very fast.
This could be the most exciting first round match and I am sure
Fares and I will give it everything to entertain the crowd.”
This week, Elshorbagy is competing in the new Colombian Open and is
seeded to meet his brother Mohamed in the semi-finals.
Marwan followed in his brother’s footsteps as world junior champion,
and has huge respect for Mohamed’s achievements. He said: “Squash in
Egypt is big. Trust me, as a junior in Egypt you go through a lot at
such a young age. The parents in Egypt push their kids all the time
to train while trying to make them get a degree at the same time.
For me things were different as I have been living in England for
the past nine years, and when I moved here I wasn't a top junior
player in Egypt.
“My brother went through a lot as a junior and it only made him
stronger and stronger. I respect him a lot as I know exactly what he
went through in Egypt.
“I respect the fact that he’s gone through all that and now he's
dominating the sport. I’m so proud of him achieving so much at such
a young age and he’s still got a long time left in the sport, and
it’s exciting to think how much more he can still achieve.
“I have never seen someone as hungry as him before. He always keeps
working on his game and changing few bits, which makes a lot of
difference.”
The two siblings share an apartment in Bristol, and Marwan added:
“Luckily Mohamed is a good cook. That saves me a lot of stress in
the kitchen!”
Elshorbagy is happy to be playing with the Harrow Silk racket as he
powers his way up the world rankings. He said: “Harrow is a great
company. They take very good care of their players and they treat
players like family, especially when you are loyal to them.
“I use the new Harrow Silk racket. It has a teardrop shape, which is
different from most rackets. I like it very much because it’s light
and makes you able to play at a fast pace. The game is getting a lot
faster now and the racket gives me power as well, which is always
needed.”
Marwan Elshorbagy plays with the Harrow Silk racket. Harrow are the
official racket for the Canary Wharf Classic, when the Silk will be
on special offer at the Harrow stand. Please visit:
www.kbssquash.co.uk
Mosaad Aims To Take The
Title Back To Egypt
Top seed Omar Mosaad is aiming to become the first Egyptian winner
of the Canary Wharf Classic when London’s favourite squash
tournament returns to the East Wintergarden from March 7-11.
Mosaad began 2016 in his highest position of number four in the PSA
world rankings after a run of excellent form at the end of last
year.
His outstanding spell followed a devastating personal tragedy when
his mother and sister were killed in a car crash near the El Gouna
seaside resort.
After a spell out of the game to look after his family, Mosaad
returned to squash with renewed focus and determination and reached
the final of the US Open in Philadelphia in October and the World
Championship in Seattle in November.
In the US Open he beat England’s Nick Matthew, who has won the
Canary Wharf title a record five times, and in Seattle he took out
fellow Egyptians Ramy Ashour and Tarek Momen. In each final, he
finished runner-up to Gregory Gaultier of France.
This week, Mosaad succumbed to another Egyptian, world number one
Mohamed Elshorbagy, in the quarter-finals of the Tournament of
Champions in New York.
Mosaad meets England’s world No.24 Chris Simpson in the first round
at Canary Wharf.
The No.2 seed is Germany’s Simon Rosner, who was runner-up to
Matthew in 2015. Rosner is approaching Canary Wharf in excellent
form after beating England’s James Willstrop in New York and losing
a ferocious battle to Gaultier in the quarter-finals.
The top half of the draw boasts four Egyptians, with No.4 seed
Marwan Elshorbagy meeting Fares Dessouki, and No.8 seed Mazen Hesham
facing England’s wild card Ben Coleman.
Mathieu Castagnet (France) is No.3 seed with four-times winner
Willstrop at five, Cameron Pilley (Australia) at six and Daryl Selby
(at seven). Willstrop faces a tough first round clash with Spain’s
Borja Golan.
Host
Sponsor: Canary Wharf Group plc Official Event Partner: Brewin Dolphin Official Racket Partner: Harrow
Official Hotel
Partner: Radisson Blu
The Canary Wharf
Squash Classic at the East Wintergarden is jointly promoted by Eventis
Sports Marketing and SquashUK
Tournament Dates:
March 23-27, 2015
Venue: East Wintergarden, Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14 Corporate Hospitality: Superb packages are available, enabling
spectators to wine, dine and watch all the gripping squash action
from the Gallery restaurant within the East Wintergarden.
Full details from Tim Garner at Eventis Sports Marketing
Telephone: 07973 817468. Email:
tgarner@eventis-sports.com
Media information from Alan Thatcher
Text or telephone: 07971 639829. Email:
alan@squashuk.com
Tickets for the
2015 Canary Wharf Classic have sold out but a waitlist is open in case
any tickets are returned. Email
cw@eventis-sports.com
The fabulous East
Wintergarden also offers superb opportunities for corporate hospitality,
with the gallery restaurant offering “the best view of squash anywhere
in the world” according to former world champion Peter Nicol.
The qualifying
competition takes place at Wimbledon Racquets and Fitness Club over the
weekend of March 05-06 with four winners joining the top 12 seeds in the
main draw.
