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Beng Hee stuns top seed Shorbagy

Will meet two-seed Ashour in final

by A.J. Hakim
TheMotorCityOpen.com

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. —  Thirty one-year old World #34 Ong Beng Hee may be in the twilight of his career but the veteran still has some gas in the tank. The Malaysian shocked the Motor City Open, presented by The Suburban Collection, Sunday by upsetting defending champion and top seed Mohamed El Shorbagy, 11-9, 11-7, 13-11.

He will face another Egyptian, two-seed Hisham Mohd Ashour, in Monday's finals.

The first time Beng Hee competed at the MCO in 2000, he was a 19-year-old up-and-comer on the Professional Squash Association circuit. That year, he advanced to the semifinals, losing to then-World #9 Alex Gough in four games. Since then he has risen as high as #7 in the world rankings and been a steady presence in the Top 20 before injuries slowed him up in the last year.

He won Sunday playing a fresher, younger Shorbagy.  Beng Hee was playing just 24 hours after a five-game, 122-minute marathon quarter against Cameron Pilley - and two nights after another five-game endurance-test against Gregoire Marche.

“I’m extremely happy I made the finals this time,” Beng Hee said. “I’ve been struggling the last season, so to start this year being in the finals - I’m extremely happy.”

After executing his game plan, pushing the shot-making Egyptian deep in the court, and playing a near-perfect first two games, Beng Hee started to feel fatigue late in Game Three.

“I don’t think Shorbagy played his best, maybe a bit nervous because he’s the defending champion and I had no pressure,” Beng Hee said of his opponent, the World #6. “When I went 10-7 up, I got a bit tired because I think I played really well until then. And Shorbagy started to pick up his momentum. He's a young guy, so he’s obviously extremely fit and very strong. And he started to play a lot better."

“I think towards the end I got a bit lucky," continued the Malaysian. "Eleven-all is anyone’s game. Had he won it, it would have definitely gone to five because I was getting a bit tired.”

His opponent in the final, Ashour, was also feeling tired with legs heavy from competing in his third straight tournament. Still, Ashour defeated Stephen Coppinger in four, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9.

“I know he’s been playing really well lately,” Ashour said of Coppinger, ranked #34. “The thing is, my legs are so heavy today, and he takes the ball so early too. He’s a half-volleyer. He takes the ball early so I knew my legs are not super fast, so I had to hold the ball a lot and try to always keep him behind me."

The 29-year-old advances to his second final in 2012, having reached the championship at the Comfort Inn Open in Vancouver. He hopes his fast start in 2012 — and possible MCO championship — will help him achieve a childhood dream.

“I’m pretty happy I’m in the finals,” said the current World #14. “If I win this tournament I think I move from 14 to into the Top Ten, which has been my dream since I was 10 years old. I’m almost 30 now.”

Ashour and Beng Hee met previously in November at the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open 2011, with Ashour winning in four.  “May the best player win," said Beng Hee. "I think it’s going to be a tough match.”

The championship match begins at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday’s semifinal results:

• Ong Beng Hee def. Mohamed El Shorbagy 11-9, 11-7, 13-11
• Hisham Mohd Ashour def. Stephen Coppinger 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9

Championship match, Monday:

Beng Hee vs. Ashour

MCO Quarters: Egyptians Shorbagy and Ashour roll

Beng Hee and Coppinger await them in semis

by A.J. Hakim
TheMotorCityOpen.com

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. — Defending champion and top seed Mohamed El Shorbagy and #2 seed Hisham Mohd Ashour swept their quarterfinal opponents Saturday, putting them on course for an all-Egyptian final at the Motor City Open, presented by The Suburban Collection. But standing in their way will be two formidable semifinal opponents in Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee and Stephen Coppinger of South Africa.

World #30 Coppinger looked strong in pulling off an upset of World #15 Alister Walker. The South African won in four games: 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7. World #34 Beng Hee's path to the semis came via a grueling, cramp-inducing, five-game marathon versus Cameron Pilley, with Beng Hee outlasted the Aussie: 8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5.

At one point during the match - after another in a seemingly endless series of lets - the visibly fatigued 31-year-old Malaysian jokingly asked: “How much is the Rolex again?”

The 1:42-minute match pleased top-seed Shorbagy, who will face the fatigued winner 24 hours later on Sunday. “It’s very, very good for me, I can say that,” said the World #6 who bested Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-5, 11-9, 11-8. “I was enjoying watching that match.”

Shorbagy and Beng Hee are familiar foes, having met 10 previous times - more than anyone else Shorbagy has played in his young career. He holds an 8-2 edge, the last meeting a two-hour survival contest at the November Macau Open. The 21-year-old Egyptian won that outing: 9-11, 12-10, 12-10, 15-17, 11-9.

“It’s going to be a good match,” Shorbagy said. “He has a 24-hour rest - maybe it’s not going to be good enough for him for tomorrow - but I’ll just try to get the job done and focus and try to win again in three if I can."

Coppinger semifinal opponent is the entertaining World #14 Ashour, an 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 victor over qualifier and World #39 Max Lee. The Hong Kong native, in top form in recent months, upset Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan the previous night. But he was little match for the crafty Egyptian.

“I went on the court today, knowing I had to be super solid,” Ashour said. “I cannot go for any lazy, bad shots. I could not be soft. I was so on today, and he played so good, but I was still there every time. We had some massive rallies in the second game, but I think I’m happy to win in three because I felt really solid. It was a good game of squash.”

Ashour has won both his previous meetings against Coppinger. The semifinals begin at 4 p.m. with both matches on Court 3.

Saturday’s quarterfinal results:

• Shorbagy def. Rodriguez 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
• Beng Hee def. Pilley 8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5
• Coppinger def. Walker 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7
• Ashour def. Lee 11-9, 11-8, 11-5

Sunday’s semifinal matches:

• Mohamed El Shorbagy vs. Ong Beng Hee
• Hisham Mohd Ashour vs. Stephen Coppinger

MCO Round One: Shorbagy cruises, Qualifier Lee shocks

Walker and Beng Hee survive five-set marathons

by A.J. Hakim
TheMotorCityOpen.com

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. — Defending champion and top seed Mohamed El Shorbagy cruised as expected, but qualifier Max Lee shook up the 2012 Motor City Open, presented by The Suburban Collection, with the  lone upset in Round One Friday night.

Hisham Mohd Ashour, Cameron Pilley, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, Stephen Coppinger, Alister Walker, and Ong Beng Hee also advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals - with Walker and Beng Hee both winning in grueling  five-game matches.

Qualifier Lee continued to be the talk of the tourney as the World #39 from Hong Kong upset World #32 Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan in three straight (11-7, 12-10, 11-5) - also his first career victory over the Malaysian.

“Same court, same time,” Lee said jokingly about his lucky Court #2 where he has won all his matches this week. “This is just a really great start for me. The first time getting to [Tournament of Champions] last week and now this tournament, getting into into the second round.”

Lee, who trains with Adnan in London, England, said his friend wasn’t playing at his usual level. “He made too many unforced errors. I just keep it simple, and when the space came, I take it in.”

World #6 Shorbagy appeared in top form against feisty qualifier Mathieu Castagnet of France. The Egyptian swept (11-4, 11-9, 11-9) the World #46 in a tight, often testy match. A determined ball hound, Castagnet lunged and dived at every possible return, even after suffering a hamstring injury midway through Game Two.

“I’m really happy I won today,” Shorbagy said. “I wanted to win 3-0 and I did. Normally, it’s 3-1, 3-2. I mean, you saw the way he was in the second and third games - he was almost killing himself.”

Despite the injury, Castagnet acknowledged, Shorbagy’s skills were too much. “I’m disappointed in my hamstring,” he said. “It was difficult for me to push off on my forehand. But if I was in good shape, it still would’ve been difficult for me. He was better than me today.”

Gregoire Marche nor Aamir Atlas Khan nearly pulled off Day One upsets, as both were within a few points of victory against Beng Hee and Walker, respectively.

World #34 Beng Hee jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the final game before narrowly escaping defeat, beating his French opponent, 3-2 (10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8). Khan has had past victories against World #1s like Gregory Gaultier (current World #3) and Nick Matthew (soon to recapture World #1), and gave Walker a battle. The dreadlock-sporting star from Botswana eked out a 3-2 (8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8) victory.

“The depth in squash at the moment is really, really something special,” Walker said afterwards. “I don’t think there’s ever been as much quality and depth as there is now. Aamir - he’s ranked between 20 and 30, but he’s beaten everyone. I didn’t play that well in New York last week, so this is a bit of a relief."

“I just had to be consistent in trying to keep the ball straight because he’s very good with the angles," he continued. "When you sort of think he’s getting a bit dejected, suddenly he goes for a few shots and rolls a few, gets some winners and suddenly he’s back in it. It’s just about mentally being steady, but I managed in the end.”

Quarterfinals start at 4 p.m. Saturday, January 28.

Friday’s results:

• Mohamed El Shorbagy def. Mathieu Castagnet 11-4, 11-9, 11-9
• [33] Miguel Angel Rodriguez def. [31] Alan Clyne 11-8, 11-6, 11-5
• Ong Beng Hee def. Gregoire Marche 10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8
• [16] Cameron Pilley def. [27] Shahier Razik 11-6, 11-3, 11-9
• Alister Walker def. Aamir Atlas Khan 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8
• [30] Stephen Coppinger def. [35] Mohammed Abbas 11-5, 11-13, 13-11, 11-5
• Max Lee def. Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 11-7, 12-10, 11-5
• [14] Hisham Mohd Ashour def. [17] Adrian Grant 11-6, 11-4, 4-11, 11-5

Saturday’s Quarterfinal matches:

• Shorbagy v. Rodriguez
• Beng Hee v. Pilley
• Walker v. Coppinger
• Lee v. Ashour

Four Qualifiers advance to Main Draw

French filet Aussies: Abbas in fine form

by A.J. Hakim
The MotorCityOpen.com

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan - Four qualifiers advanced in convincing fashion Thursday night to take their place in the main draw of the 2012 Motor City Open, presented by The Suburban Collection. Frenchmen Mathieu Castagnet, World # 46, and Gregoire Marche (#45), Hong Kong’s Max Lee (39) and Egyptian Mohammad Abbas (35) will play in the first round which begins Friday at the Birmingham Athletic Club (BAC).

Hong Kong's Lee never escaped the qualies in his first two MCO appearances (2010 and 2011). Turns out, all he needed was a court change.

Lee lost both his previous matches on Court 3, but this year his two matches on Court 2 yielded positive results - including Thursday's 3-0 (13-11, 11-8, 14-12) victory against World # 48 Siddharth Suchde of India.

“Last two times I lost in second round qualifying in the same court, so this time I changed the court,” Lee said afterwards. Who says athletes aren't superstitious?

Also making their debut in the main draw are Frenchmen Castagnet and Marche who defeated Aussies Ryan Cuskelly, World #36, and Zac Alexander (43), respectively.

Unlike his two-hour marathon against Cuskelly at last year's North American Open in Richmond, Virginia, Castagnet needed only 45 minutes and three games to down the Aussie (11-8, 11-7, 11-5).

“I’m really happy to win my match today,” said Castagnet who let out a whoop after taking match point. “Ryan Cuskelly is one of the top players in the world. I was happy to win 3-0 because normally we are supposed to play 122 minutes like last year.”

Neither competitor was 100 percent for the match, with Castagnet recovering from a hamstring injury suffered last week and Cuskelly from mental and physical exhaustion after a grueling 19-tournament tour last year. The combination of Castagnet’s return skills and the ball’s lively bounce off the BAC courts proved the difference.   

“He gets the ball back all the time,” Cuskelly said after the match. “It’s like you’ve got to get four or five winners just to win a point. I just didn’t really feel all that fit or strong, just a little flat. I had a big year last year, so I haven’t got that big push at the moment like I had last year. The body just feels a bit run down.”

Cuskelly's fellow Aussie, Alexander, struggled with fitness too in his match against the sharper, stronger Marche who won in three (11-4, 11-3, 11-8). “He was too sharp at the start,” Alexander said. “I always felt like I was going to need a bit of luck to get through this week, just the way I was feeling, and he was too sharp, too good.”

Egyptian Abbas, playing his third MCO, ended 18-year-old Aurangzeb Mehmund's Cinderella run, defeating the Pakistani 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-5). Mehmund had upset Jan Koukal in round one of qualifying.  Abbas’ experience and craftiness in the short game trumped Mehmund’s aggressive, hard-hitting style.

“He's really fast and hits it really hard and always aiming for the nicks inside,” Abbas said. “What I’m trying to do all the time is try to get it back to the wall and limit a little bit his shots and wait for any opening so I can go short with it. Most of the time I was defending, waiting for a mistake or an opening so I can go at it with a winner.

Friday's First Round play at the BAC begins at 5:00 p.m.

Thursday’s final qualifying results:

• Marche def. Zac Alexander 11-4, 11-3, 11-8
• Lee def. Siddharth Suchde 13-11, 11-8, 14-12
• Castagnet def. Ryan Cuskelly 11-8, 11-7, 11-5
• Abbas def. Aurangzeb Mehmund 11-5, 11-2, 11-5

Friday's Round One matches, main draw:

• [6] Mohamed El Shorbagy (defending champion) v. Mathieu Castagnet
• [16] Cameron Pilley v. [31] Alan Clyne
• [34] Ong Beng Hee v. Gregoire Marche
• [27] Shahier Razik v. [33] Miguel Angel Rodriguez
• [15] Alister Walker v. [26] Aamir Atlas Khan
• [30] Stephen Coppinger v. Mohammed Abbas
• [32] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan v. Max Lee
• [17] Adrian Grant v. [14] Hisham Mohd Ashour

MCO Qualifying: Rookie Mehmund stuns Koukal

Other top seeds advance; Local hero Wellings falls

by AJ Hakim
TheMotorCityOpen.com

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan — Playing in his first major Professional Squash Association tournament, 18-year-old - and World No. 229 - Aurangzeb Mehmund stunned the capacity crowd at the 2012 Motor City Open by scoring a major upset, a five-game victory over World No. 47 Jan Koukal.

The Pakistani’s epic, five-game victory (11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7) was the highlight of an otherwise routine first round of qualifying. Presented by The Suburban Collection, the MCO is in its 13th year at the Birmingham Athletic Club (BAC).

In other matches, Aussie Ryan Cuskelly dashed local favorite and BAC pro Julian Wellings' hopes in three games. Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet, Hong Kong’s Max Lee, Indian Siddhartha Suchde, Frenchman Gregoire Marche, Aussie Zac Alexander, and Egyptian Mohammed Abbas also advanced into the second - and final - round of qualifying to be played Thursday.

“I’m very happy,” Mehmund said after his win over Koukal, a veteran of the MCO. “First time is very big upset, first time is very big tournament.”

Mehmund countered Koukal’s strong backhand attack throughout, playing longer shots and forcing the Czech to his forehand. But Koukal was clearly frustrated by Mehmund’s blocking off the ball.  Mehmund often positioned himself in the ball’s trajectory, making retrieval difficult for the Czech. Midway through the decisive game, a visibly distraught Koukal nearly tackled Mehmund while returning a volley - resulting in a conduct stroke against Koukal.

“The referee, he can get the guy in line, and he wasn’t doing that,” Koukal said later. “He was the one blocking and I was getting punished for it, even getting a conduct point which is ridiculous. It should happen to the guy blocking.

“There’s nothing you can do," continued the Czech veteran. "You try to get to the ball, try to get no lets, and it’s obvious what the guy is trying to do, and he’s just doing it well so he’s not letting you go to the ball. So he hits a bad shot - it’s a let; he hits a good shot - it’s a no let. It’s a win-win situation for him.”

There was no win-win for World # 124 Scott Arnold of Australia. Against Indian Siddharth Suchde, World # 48, the Aussie fell in three games (12-10, 11-9, 11-8). He admitted afterward he lacked mental focus.

“I don’t know where my head was,” Arnold said. “I only got the call up last night to come and play. I was in Toronto, ended up driving this morning, blew a tire halfway and got stuck for two hours. I got stuck at the border for an hour, and literally drove in to the minute at the start of my match."

“Considering that I started pretty well, but I think I was just mentally exhausted," he added.

Suchde, playing the MCO for the first time, played a patient first game, allowing himself time to adjust and adapt his style to the fast club courts.

“The first round is always tricky because you play so many events and the courts are different,” Suchde said. “These are particularly fast. And it was quite difficult to control the ball when it’s flying around everywhere and Scott gives it a good punch. What you do is elongate the rallies and get a little more comfortable. That was the game plan. After the second game, I started to calm down a bit.”

The final qualifying round begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, January 27.

NOTES: Sadly, the MCO crowds won't get a look at the world's top-ranked American player, Julian Illingworth. The World #28 was a last minute scratch due to injury. Young Egyptian - and World #15 - Omar Mosaad will also miss the tourney due to travel complications.

RESULTS, Qualifying Day 1:

• Aurangzeb Mehmund def. Jan Koukal, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7
• Siddharth Suchde def. Scott Arnold, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8
• Zac Alexander def. Fred Reid 11-7, 11-9, 11-6
• Gregoire Marche def. Keith Pritchard 11-1, 11-4, 11-3
• Max Lee def. Wade Johnstone 13-11, 11-6, 10-12, 6-11, 11-5
• Ryan Cuskelly def. Julian Wellings 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
• Mathieu Castagnet def. Matthew Kawalski 6-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-5
• Mohammed Abbas advanced on a bye  

Scedule, Qualifying Round 2, January 26:

• [43] Alexander v. [45] Marche
• Suchde v. [39] Lee
• [36] Cuskelly v. [46] Castagnet
• Mehmund v. [35] Abbas

Strongest Field Ever to Contend for the 2012 Motor City Open

Birmingham, Mich. – World number 6, Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt leads six of the world’s Top 20 in pursuit of a record purse at the 2012 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. The tournament's main draw begins Friday, January 27 with the final set for Monday, January 30 at Michigan’s premier squash facility, the Birmingham Athletic Club, north of Detroit.

El Shorbagy will have stiff competition for the $50,000 in prize money - and a Rolex watch presented by Greenstone’s Jewelers. The draw boasts two other top Egyptians in World #14 and second seed Hisham Mohamed Ashour, and World #13 and last year's finalist Omar Mosaad. The draw also sports MCO regulars Cameron Pilley of Australia and Englishman Adrian Grant, the 2009 MCO finalist.

Other top players include Alister Walker of Botswana, Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan, top-ranked North Americans Julian Illingworth of the USA and Canadian Shahier Razik, Scotland's Alan Clyne, Malasian Ong Beng Hee, and South African Stephen Coppinger.. 

Top seed El Shorbagy will lead off the Main Draw First Round on Friday against a qualifier. But the first round match to watch is a showdown between the Egyptian Ashour and Englishman Grant - the World’s #14 and #17 players. Due to new Pro Squash Association rules, tournaments are limited to four seeds, making for intriguing first-round draws.

Tournament qualifying begins Wednesday, January 25, and the draw will feature Birmingham Athletic Club pro Julian Wellings. Wellings is a former World #46 who is now one of the top junior teaching pros in the U.S.

In addition to the world’s top players, the Motor City Open offers kids clinics, sponsored by the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, with guest appearances by the touring pros, and a pro-am doubles tournament. The MCO sponsors a charity auction benefiting The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Presented by the Suburban Collection, the Motor City Open is in its 13th year. The six-day tournament, Michigan’s only pro racquets sporting event, typically attracts more than 1,500 spectators. The winner earns a cash prize, a Rolex chronometer donated by Greenstone’s Fine Jewelry and a replica vintage steering wheel trophy.

Shorbagy Supreme: Young Egyptian rolls over tough field for second career win

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – David Palmer. Jonathon Power. Gregory Gaultier. That’s the short list of talent that went on to World #1 after winning a Motor City Open trophy. Current World #9, Mohamed El Shorbagy, may soon join them. The talented, 20-year-old Egyptian demonstrated on his run to this year’s title that he has the stuff to compete at the world’s highest level.

After downing Aussie legend Palmer in the semis, Shorbagy dispatched countryman and  World #15 Omar Mosaad 3-1 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5) Monday night to win the 12th annual Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. With the win, Shorbagy pocketed the top prize: a $8,200 paycheck and a Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

“I’m just over the moon at the moment, just so happy right now,” Shorbagy said of winning the second tournament of his young career. “This is a very, very special tournament to win. I won my last tournament in last April. This time I’m getting a Rolex watch, and it’s like: ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m really wearing a Rolex watch!’”

Egyptians currently hold six of the top 15 spots in the world rankings, making for competitive, constructive training sessions back home. It also means the inevitable final between friends who know one another’s games all too well.

“This match today is different because I play against an Egyptian,” Mosaad said. “I play with him all the time in training, so he knows all my strong points and weak points.”

Shorbagy entered the match – the pair had split two previous meetings - with a plan to work the long game, to exhaust the 6’3” “Tower of Power” and - once fatigued - to close him out with the short game.

“The match was very, very tough,” Shorbagy said. “I wasn’t too sad when I lost the first game because I knew it was a long game, and it took lots of energy out of him. He’s a big guy, and I’m just trying to make the rallies long, long, long. And once I felt he’s tired, I started taking him short. I could see he was tired and couldn’t concentrate that much.”

The pace of Game One was indeed torrid with both players firing hard rails mixed with daring drops. But Shorbagy’s speed, fitness, and exquisite racquet control began to take its toll. By Game 4, the personable Egyptian was joking with the referee, his confidence swelling as the finish line loomed.

Monday’s victory capped a tough week for Shorbagy. The final featuring two Egyptians was an impressive feat at a time when the Egyptian players – there were five in the MCO field – were worried about family members back home in a chaotic Egypt. Title sponsor and Suburban Collection CEO David Fisher praised the players for their concentration in the trophy ceremony.

And then there was the draw itself - made tougher by new PSA rules that only seeded four players. Shorbagy entered the tournament as the two-seed, and drew Borja Golan — 2009 MCO champion and former world #10 — in the first round. Waiting in the quarters was another Egyptian, the swift Tarek Momen, who had been a giant-killer in last year’s MCO. Then came ex-Motor City champ Palmer – on the downside at 34 of an extraordinary career – but still dangerous and eager to add a second MCO crown to his stuffed trophy case. Shorbagy was up to each challenge.

 “I had quite possibly one of the toughest roads of the tournament,” Shorbagy said afterwards. “I was really unlucky to get (Golan) in the first round. He runs a lot and that took me a lot of energy to beat him. (Tarek) was another tough match for me mentally because he’s another Egyptian player.”

“And then the semifinal against Palmer,” he continued. “That was a very tough match for me mentally because it was the very first time I play him. So, I think to win this tournament, when you have such a tough road as this, it’s just something to give you really big confidence.”

Defeating Golan, Momen, Palmer and Mosaad in a single tournament. Winning an International 50 event at just 20 years-old. What’s next?

“I’m just happy to be with all these names up there,” the Egyptian said pointing to the banner on the Birmingham Athletic Club wall of previous tourney winners. “They are all really big names. Gaultier, Palmer, Power, John White, Darwish. So, just to win a tournament like that is something to make me proud.”

MCO semis: Egyptian youth rules

Shorbagy downs Palmer in a thriller; Will meet Mosaad in final

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – Experience gave way to youth Sunday at the 2011 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. Young guns Mohamed El Shorbagy and Omar Mosaad advanced past veterans David Palmer and Adrian Grant, respectively, to set up an All-Egyptian final. On another tense day for Egyptian youth in the streets of Cairo, Egyptian youth reigned supreme on American squash courts.

Shorbagy and Mosaad will compete Monday night for a piece of the $50,000 prize money and a Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

Shorbagy, only 20 years-old and ranked #9 in the world, held his own against the big 34-year-old Palmer – a former world #1 and current #16 – in a fast-paced affair that ended in a 3-1 (11-5, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10) result. It was the first time the two competed against each other, and the idea of playing against such a decorated squash player left Shorbagy in awe.

“I’m so proud to play with someone like David Palmer,” Shorbagy said of the Aussie who has won 26 career titles and been a mainstay in the Top Five for the better part of a decade. “It’s the first time I’ve ever played him, and I’ve always wanted to play him. I didn’t care about winning or losing. I was just enjoying every single second of that match.”

“Playing him and beating him, that’s something that makes me proud and something I’m going to tell my kids one day,” he added. “I played David Palmer once and beat him once. I know he was thirty-four years old but still I will say I beat David Palmer!”

For two games, the two big hitters sized each other up. Each game went quickly, one game each.

“I didn’t have a game plan in the beginning,” Shorbagy said. “All I did know was that he has the best backhand volley in the world. So I was just trying to keep it away from him.
The first two games we were trying to know each other’s game, and then in the third and fourth, it was tight all the way.”

Indeed, games three and four were enthralling – the best squash of the tourney. Two top players at the top of their games. Drives, drop shots, lunging defense, spectacular kills, subtle boasts. It was textbook stuff and the capacity crowd at the Birmingham Athletic Club loved it.

“I was trying to be patient, not going for silly errors,” continued Shorbagy after the match. “I could see in his face that he was really tired, but because he has so much experience, he knows how to play tired.”

The crowd rallied behind Palmer at the end – eager to see a fifth game of this wondrous squash. But this was Egypt’s day.

Shorbagy’s opponent in tomorrow’s final - countryman Mosaad – is big, 22-years old, and ranked world #15. And he held his ground against the physical, 30 year-old Grant, who was coming off back-to-back, five-game marathons on Friday and Saturday. The strain of those two matches - along with the fact that the Englishman is still is recovering from a hip tear - worked to Mosaad’s favor, as he recorded his first win against Grant in four tries.

“I remember what I do wrong,” Mosaad said of his strategy since the two last met in Spain in November. “Today, I made the tactics to win this game. He played two matches before me - difficult matches. So I tried to make the game quick. The difference between this match and the others (I lost) was I make this game quicker, a little more volleys and I get the win.”

Monday’s final marks the third meeting between Mosaad and Shorbagy, with their series tied 1-1. Shorbagy won in Spain in 2008 and Mosaad took the most recent encounter in Finland in 2009.

“Me and Mosaad are really good friends off court,” Shorbagy says. “When people see us playing, they actually think we hate each other. But me and Omar are good friends and are really close from when we were really, really young. So, it’s going to be fun tomorrow.”

“I’m just happy to reach the final,” says the rising Egyptian star. “Whoever’s going to win, it’s going to be a good day because it’s going to be an Egyptian.”

MCO quarters: Grant survives another 5-set marathon

Englishman will face Mosaad; Vet Palmer vs. young gun Shorbagy in other semi

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – England’s Adrian Grant has a knack for playing emotional, physically grueling, marathon matches at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

In the 2009 Motor City Open final, he suffered a deep scrape to his knee and took a racquet to the shoulder before falling to Spain’s Borja Golan in four games. This year – 24 hours after outlasting Mohd Ali Anwar Reda in a two-and-a-half hour, five-game thriller – World #17 Grant was taken to the limit again by fellow Englishman, Jonathon Kemp. Grant came from behind to win in the quarterfinals of the 12th annual Open presented by the Suburban Collection.

The favorites all advanced Saturday with veteran Englishman David Palmer and Egyptian youngsters Mohamed El Shorbagy and Omar Mosaad joining Grant in the semis. But none of the other semifinalists have had a match as physically taxing match as Grant’s - let alone two of them in two days.

Grant - in only his second tournament back since suffering a five-centimeter tear hip tear that sidelined him for three months - acknowledged he’s only at about 80 percent fitness. He’s still working off the rust. He entered the MCO as the four seed, without any expectations other than playing himself back into form.

“I’m really lacking the games and the sharpness, so to go through something like this is a good tester for me,” Grant said of his battle with Kemp. “I’m coming into this tournament not hoping anything. Obviously I want to win, but I’m just glad on the court.”

“I played the Tournament of Champions before this in New York,” he continued, “and that was my first match in three months. And I was lost! I was so bad and off the pace. I’m training hard, but I wasn’t match fit. So, now that I’m getting matches day in and day out, that’s what I need, and that’s what I’ve come for.”

His 3-2 (5-11, 16-14, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9) victory over Kemp - and his aggressive play on the court - showed his recovery might be further along than expected.

“(Kemp) had some tactics to try to slow the game down, which worked pretty well because it stopped me from attacking,” Grant said. “I think at the end it was just pure guts and determination. Sometimes you’ve got to win ugly, and that’s what I’ve done. But I know I’m still coming up to my best and I’m still looking forward to that.”

Grant’s opponent in Sunday’s semi, World #15 Omar Mosaad, defeated the surprise Englishman, Tom Richards, who was looking for another upset after ousting top-seed Laurens Jan Anjema in Round One. Mosaad jumped out to early leads in each game forcing Richards to play catch-up. The big Egyptian eventually won in four: 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

“I went up 6-1, then lost my concentration and he started to play well,” Mosaad said of his recovery from Game One. “So, I changed my tactic, started to take more volleys, change the pace, and I started to play well.”

“Every game - every game - was a bad start, and you can’t give somebody who’s as much quality as him a start like that,” Richards, World #30, reflected afterwards. “I was moving him around well, I thought he was pretty tired. It’s quite disappointing - I’d like to be able to go play those points again and just push him.”

The other semi will pit Aussie David Palmer, a former World #1 and 2000 MCO winner, against Egyptian World #9 Mohamed El Shorbagy. At 34, Palmer is in the twilight of a great career, while the 20-year old Shorbagy is on the cusp of greatness. The rangy Egyptian won after fellow Egyptian Tarek Momen retired due to injury at the start of the third game. Palmer had little problem with qualifier Alan Clyne, World #51, as he cruised in three: 11-3, 11-9, 11-4.

“I’m happy to win,” Palmer said. “This is the first time I’ve played him. He’s tough, he’s very fit, one of the fastest guys around the court. I thought I played pretty good, except for maybe a lapse in the second. I knew I really had to focus in the third game.

Of his semifinal match against the up-and-coming Shorbagy, Palmer said “it’ll be a new experience. I’ve seen him play. He’s very good - like all Egyptians. He’s got great shots, he’s very fast, tall. He’s gonna be a handful, that’s for sure.”

It should be a dandy.

Sunday’s first semifinal begins at 4 PM, with both matches taking place on Court 3.

Saturday’s results:

• Omar Mosaad def. Tom Richards, 3-1 (7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5)
• [2] Mohamed El Shorbagy def. Tarek Momen, 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, retired)
• [3] David Palmer def. Alan Clyne, 3-0 (11-3, 11-9, 11-4)
• [4] Adrian Grant def. Jonathon Kemp, 3-2 (5-11, 16-14, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9)

Semifinal matches, Sunday:

• [4] Adrian Grant v. Omar Mosaad, 4:00 PM
• [2] Mohamed El Shorbagy v. [3] David Palmer, 5:00 PM

Round 1: Top seed Anjema falls

Grant survives scare; Other seeds advance

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – David (Tom, actually) slew Goliath in the opening round of the 2011 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection.

For the first time in the tournament’s 12 years, the top seed was ousted in Round One, as world #9 Laurens Jan Anjema fell in consecutive games to England’s World #30, Tom Richards. And though the other seeds advanced according to form, it wasn’t without more drama.

Mohamed El Shorbagy (#2), David Palmer (3), and Adrian Grant (4), all advanced – but Grant was stretched to the limit against Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda in an epic 5-gamer that lasted over 2 hours. And in an opening round match-up that might have spelled trouble for the 2000 MCO champ, Aussie Palmer looked impressive in holding off countryman – and World #15 - Cameron Pilley. Unseeded Jonathon Kemp, Alan Clyne, Omar Mosaad, and Tarek Momen all advanced as well.

Richards, in his first appearance at the MCO, stunned the crowd at the Birmingham Athletic Club with the ease in which he handled Anjema. The Englishman kept the tall Dutchman on the defensive throughout, scoring a quick 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-7) victory. It was Richard’s first win over Anjema in four matches.

“I’ve been moving well and hitting it real well, not making too many errors,” Richards said of his recent form which has him playing the best squash of his young career. “I’m an attacking player - so if I’m not making errors, hopefully I’m making them work hard. I haven’t beaten him before, but I knew, with the way I’ve been playing, I had a good chance.”

Richards next opponent will be Omar Mosaad. The 6’ 3”, 198-pound Egyptian looked in good form Friday, defeating Aussie Ryan Cuskelly 3-0 (14-12, 11-7, 11-7). Mosaad and Richards have met only once previously, with Mosaad the victor at the 2010 KIG Open.

In other matches of note, Alan Clyne advanced to the quarters for the second straight year after defeating BAC Club pro and crowd-favorite Julian Wellings in three games, 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-8). Despite the loss, Wellings - at 38, the tourney’s oldest entrant - played light on his feet and with superb shot placement. He had the sold-out crowd cheering loudly throughout.

Two-seed El Shorbagy, just 20 years-old and already World #9, eliminated 2009 MCO champion Borja Golan 3-1 (11-8, 11-8, 2-11, 11-7). The defeat is a temporary pothole on Golan’s road back from seven months on the disabled list due to a torn ACL. The pair put on an exhibition of marathon rallies which, in previous years, might have resulted in El Shorbagy losing his patience.

But a more seasoned, mature El Shorbagy maintained a slow pace and held back on forcing kill shots until he was 100 percent sure he had one.

“The first two games I just slowed down the pace, and it was working very well today,” El Shorbagy said after his win against the speedy Spaniard. “The third game I completely lost my concentration, found myself down five-love, so I just let the game go. I played my best in the fourth, and I think he played his best. I was just trying to get everything back, be patient, and to just dig in, dig in, dig in.”

The tournament continues Saturday afternoon with the quarterfinals set to begin at 3 pm.

Friday’s results:

• Tom Richards d. Laurens Jan Anjema 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
• Omar Mosaad d. Ryan Cuskelly 14-12, 11-7, 11-7
• Alan Clyne d. Julian Wellings 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
• Johnathon Kemp d. Mohammed Abbas 11-5, 11-6, WD
• Mohamed El Shorbagy d. Borja Golan 11-8, 11-8, 2-11, 11-7
• Tarek Momen d. Chris Ryder 12-10, 12-10, 12-10
• David Palmer d. Cameron Pilley 11-9, 11-9, 11-7
• Adrian Grant d. Mohd. Ali Anwar Reda 10-12, 11-5, 11-4, 10-12, 11-4

Saturday’s match-ups:

• Tom Richards v. Omar Mosaad
• [4] Adrian Grant v. Jonathon Kemp
• [3] David Palmer v. Alan Clyne
• [2] Mohamed El Shorbagy v. Tarek Momen

MCO Qualifying: Abbas, Golan, Clyne, Cuskelly advance to Main Draw

2009 champ Golan gets #2 seed El Shorbagy

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – The top seeds held their ground and advanced out of the qualifying round Thursday night at the 2011 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. Four familiar faces to Motor City fans will be heading into Friday’s first round Main Draw.

Each of the four — Mohammed Abbas (2004), Borja Golan (2009), Alan Clyne (2010), and Ryan Cuskelly (2007-present)—have competed previously at the Birmingham Athletic Club, with Golan having won the title in 2009. None of the four encountered much resistance Thursday, with Golan and Clyne each cruising 3-0 and Abbas and Cuskelly, 3-1.

Abbas, world #38 and one of five Egyptians in the Big Show, opened the day against England’s Adrian Waller. Coming off a first-round bye, the slim Egyptian needed little time reacquainting himself with the BAC’s bouncy court. He jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the first game and - despite a momentary third-game lapse - was in control throughout. Abbas closed it out in four: 3-1 (13-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6).

“The court in here is a little tough because it’s a little bouncy,” Abbas said afterwards. “So, I tried to make it tough, make him work a little inside, and I think I was doing all well until the I lost my focus. In the fourth I tried to keep him inside and it was okay.”

In a rematch of last year’s qualifying round, Scotland’s Clyne, world #53, outlasted Hong Kong’s Max Lee (#62) in three games: 3-1 (13-11, 12-10, 11-7). The games featured marathon rallies that worked against Lee, who struggled with his fitness. Lee squandered a crucial 10-4 advantage in Game Two.

“I was 10-4 up, it just made me crazy,” Lee said of the second game. “When I’m 8-4 up, I just really wanted to finish. He just started getting used to it and played fast, fast, fast and really picked it up. I just wanted to make one point. I can’t make it - just one point. Just keep making errors.”

Clyne also spoke of his key Game Two comeback.

“Comebacks are quite hard in this new scoring because you’ve got one point and that’s it,” Clyne said. “Just after I got the first couple of points, I thought, ‘I really have a chance here, and if I get this it’ll really shift the momentum.’ That was pretty crucial.”

In the night’s final match, Spain’s Golan, world #31 and on the comeback trail from an ACL injury, defeated Christopher Gordon (world #74) of the United States: 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-8. Looking to return to his 2009 MCO championship form, Golan enters Friday’s match against the #2-seed, Mohammed El Shorbagy, content with his improved performance.

“Of course I have different goals,” Golan said of the difference between 2009 and this year. “Two years ago I came in here to win the tournament, and this year, I just came to make the main draw.”

“I think today was much better than yesterday,” he continued. “Yesterday, I didn’t feel very comfortable. My shots weren’t tight enough. But I learned, and I put more pressure on Chris. He played very well, he’s a tough opponent, but I tried to play tighter, play good shots in the front, and so I’m happy.”

Aussie Ryan Cuskelly defeated Czech Jan Koukal in four games: 3-1 (10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7).

Friday’s opening round competition begins at 5pm on court 3.

Thursday’s qualifying results:

• Mohammed Abbas def. Adrian Waller 3-1 (13-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6)
• Ryan Cuskelly def. Jan Koukal 3-1 (10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7)
• Borja Golan def. Christopher Gordon 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-8)
• Alan Clyne def. Max Lee 3-0 (13-11, 12-10, 11-7)

Friday’s first round Main Draw matches:

• [1] Laurens Jan Anjema v. Tom Richards, 5:00 PM
• Ryan Cuskelly v. Omar Mossad, 5:15
• Alan Clyne v. Julian Wellings, 6:00
• Jonathon Kemp v. Mohammed Abbas, 6:15
• Borja Golan v. Mohamed El Shorbagy [2], 7:00
• Ong Beng Hee v. Tarek Momen, 7:15
• [3] David Palmer v. Cameron Pilley, 8:00
• Mohammed Ali Anwar Reda v. Adrian Grant [4], 8:15

Motor City Qualifying: 2009 champ Golan continues comeback

Lee upsets Mueller; Koukal survives

By A.J. Hakim

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – First round qualifying matches kicked off the 2011 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. The tournament - in its 12th year and recently designated as an “International 50” event under the World Professional Squash Association’s new tournament structure - features fifteen competitors ranked in the world’s Top 40, including two previous MCO champions, Spain’s Borja Golan and Aussie David Palmer.

The Spaniard returned to the Motor City in the unfamiliar position of having to qualify for the Main Draw. Still recovering from a torn ACL that sidelined him for seven months and dropped his ranking from world #10 to #103, Borja has climbed back to #31 and is in search of the form that won him this tourney in 2009. He showed signs of his old form in his opening match against 59th-ranked Gilley Lane of the USA. Golan cruised to a three-set victory, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8.

But it was Max Lee (world #62) of Honk Kong whose return to the Birmingham Athletic Club stole the spotlight from Golan on opening night.

Lee, who suffered a first-round exit last year to Alan Clyne, provided the night’s biggest upset by defeating World #39 Nicolas Mueller of Switzerland in four sets: 5-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9. Lee countered the Swiss players aggressive, fast-paced style with tight shots and quick rallies.

“I think the first game - why I lose - it was just too many errors,” Lee said. “In the following games, we keep a very good pace, and he just pick up everything. I feel like he wanted to keep a high pace and I can’t really afford his high pace, so I just keep a slow pace and just want to stay on the court as long as I can.”

“I don’t really like the bouncy court because it’s my fitness,” he continued. “I really can’t afford the long match, and the bouncy courts keep a high pace. The ball is bouncy and there’s long volleys and it’s very hard to finish the volleys.”

Just as Lee ended the night in dramatic fashion, Czech Republic’s Jan Koukal - World #54 - began the day with a come-from-behind, five-set victory over 47-ranked New Zealander Campbell Grayson. Koukal, recovering from the flu, dropped his first game 2-11 and failed to convert on several game point opportunities in the second, falling into an 0-2 hole. That’s when things started coming together.

Playing on the defensive for most of the match, Koukal started moving better – countering Grayson’s attack. The Czech swept the next three games, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7.

“He got a little tired, I started playing better and came back,” Koukal said. “I was sick last week in New York and pretty much just got out of bed on Monday. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Even though I wasn’t playing that well, I could fight it out.”

Other competitors advancing to Thursday’s final qualifier round:

• Scotland’s Alan Clyne (world #53) defeated MCO newcomer Stephane Galifi of Italy (world # 46) in three sets, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9
• England’s Adrian Waller (world #52) defeated Australia’s Zac Alexander (world #61) in straight sets, 11-5, 13-11, 12-10.
• Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly (world #42) - in the evening’s tightest match-up according to world rankings - easily defeated American Julian Illingworth in three sets, 11-5, 15-13, 11-4.
• And Christopher Gordon (world #74) of the United States defeated Canadian Keith Pritchard 11-7, 11-4, 12-10.

Thursday’s matches:

• Mohd. Abbas v. Adrian Waller, 6:00 PM
• Jan Koukal v. Ryan Cuskelly, 6:15
• Borja Golan v. Christopher Gordon, 7:15
• Alan Clyne v. Max Lee, 7:00

Top seed Anjema, former World #1 Palmer headline Motor City Open

By Henry Payne

Birmingham, Mich. – Top seed and World #9 Laurens Jan Anjema of the Netherlands leads nine of the world’s Top 25 in pursuit of a record purse at the 2011 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. Tournament qualifying begins Wednesday evening with the Main Draw final set for Monday, January 31 at Michigan’s premier squash facility, the Birmingham Athletic Club, north of Detroit.

Anjema will have stiff competition for the $50,000 in prize money - and a Rolex watch presented by Greenstone’s Jewelers. In addition to World #10 and second seed Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt, the draw sports former World #1 and 2000 MCO champion David Palmer of Australia and 2009 MCO finalist, Englishman Adrian Grant. Palmer and Grant are seeded #3 and 4, respectively.

Other top players include lanky World #11, Cameron Pilley of Australia, Egypt’s World #15 Omar Mosaad, England’s World #24 Jonathan Kemp, and yet another Egyptian, Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, World #25. World #18 Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia was slated to play but is a last minute scratch due to a back injury.

Palmer comes into the MCO in the twilight of his career at 34 years of age. Michigan squash fans last saw the Aussie superstar in 2000 when he defeated Alex Gough in an epic five-game final. A year later, Palmer was World #1, beginning a run of consistency that made him a Top Five mainstay for the better part of the decade – a run that brought him 26 tour titles in 53 finals.

Anjema, Grant and Pilley are also familiar faces having made multiple appearances in Detroit. Grant nearly added the MCO to his trophy case in 2009 when he reached the final as #1 seed. The fleet Englishman succumbed to Spain’s Borja Golan in a tough four-game finale.  

Top seed Anjema will lead off the Main Draw First Round on Friday against Englishman Tom Richards. But the first round match to watch is a showdown between the two big Aussies, Palmer and Pilley - the World’s #16 and #11 players. Due to new Pro Squash Association rules, tournaments are limited to four seeds, making for intriguing first-round draws. Pilley has been playing some of the best squash of his career and has moved up four places in the world rankings while Palmer dropped five since the MCO tourney entry was closed. This one should be a dandy.

Other players to watch: Birmingham Athletic Club pro Julian Wellings will get a first round bid against one of the winners of the qualifier draw. Wellings is a former World #46 who is now one of the top junior teaching pros in the U.S.

In addition to the world’s top players, the Motor City Open offers kids clinics, sponsored by the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, with guest appearances by the touring pros, and a pro-am doubles tournament. The MCO sponsors a charity auction benefiting The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Presented by the Suburban Collection, the Motor City Open is in its 12th year. The six-day tournament, Michigan’s only pro racquets sporting event, typically attracts more than 1,500 spectators. The winner earns a cash prize, a Rolex chronometer donated by Greenstone’s Fine Jewelry and a replica vintage steering wheel trophy.

Imperious Darwish dominates Iskandar

In top form, Egyptian blitzes tournament without dropping a game

by A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – If there were any doubts about Karim Darwish’s form following a month off to nurse a sore back, they were quashed Monday night in the final of the 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo. Darwish, the tournament’s top seed, dominated three-seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar of Malaysia on the way to a 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 victory. The Egyptian’s supreme performance capped an event in which he did not lose a game.

Darwish dazzled a sold-out crowd at Michigan’s premier squash venue, the Birmingham Athletic Club, en route to taking home his $6,400 share of the record $40,000 purse and a Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

“Last time (I was here) was in 2004 and I lost in the semis,” Darwish said of his upset loss to Olli Tuominen in his last appearance at the MCO. “It’s such a great feeling to win this tournament.”

Darwish quickly found his rhythm, building a 9-2 lead in Game One. Dictating the pace, he forced Iskandar – coming off an exhausting five-game win over Thierry Lincou the night before - into a quicker game than he could withstand. The Malaysian’s lone opportunity was in the second game when he came out firing and jumped to a 6-1 lead. Sensing a momentum change, the crowd cheered on the underdog Malaysian. But four quick errors - combined with several quality shots from Darwish - and Iskandar’s lead evaporated to a 6-6 tie.

His opportunity erased, Iskandar turned defensive, allowing Darwish to re-establish his rhythm and take Game Two. “There were points in the second game where I thought I attacked a lot,” said Iskandar, whose record against Darwish in PSA-sanctioned events dropped to 0-5. “Then I really got defensive at 6-1, and that game was so important.”

“It’s those differences that make a match,” continued the World #20, “and someone like Darwish, who likes to keep a good rhythm, you need to keep (rhythm) with him - or break it. Today, I chose to keep it with him, which probably wasn’t the right thing to do.”

In an ending indicative of how the match played out, a mentally-fatigued and frustrated Iskandar stumbled and fell while retrieving a shot on the last point.

“Today I was really focused, and really wanted to finish it as quick as possible,” said Darwish, who improved to world #4 in the PSA’s February rankings. “I didn’t want to go in and play a long match, so I think I played really well today. I didn’t expect that I’d be that comfortable, but I know that he is a little bit tired from yesterday’s match. I took advantage of it, and I tried to play more offensive, tried to attack every ball and tried to get him to the back as much as possible.”

After the match, both players spoke admiringly of the tournament, the club, and their host families.

“The tournament has been really good,” Iskandar said. “Everyone has been so responsive with us, and it’s helped me to play good squash. The family I stayed with has been so good, and I felt really at home.”

“This is the second time for me here in Detroit,” said Darwish, his arms full of the tournament’s trophy, a check from David Fischer, Chairman and CEO of Suburban Volvo, and a dazzling Rolex watch from Robert Greenstone of Greenstone Jewelers. “I really liked the atmosphere here at the club. The people are so friendly. I really enjoyed it this week.”

Motor City Open Notes

By Henry Payne and A.J. Hakim

Welcome back, Karim

The last time Karim Darwish came to the Motor City Open it was 2004, he was a rising star at 23, #9 in the world, and the three- seed. And he was an upset victim - losing to Olli Tuominen in the semis. Olli, who was unseeded in 2004, was 25-years old and World #25. Fast forward six years, and Darwish has met expectations. He dominated the PSA tour in 2009, reigning atop the rankings all year until a back injury sidelined him in December.

Flying Finn

Of course, Olli hasn’t done too badly either. A Motor City regular, he lost to Greg Gaultier in that 2004 final, achieved his highest world ranking of #13 in 2006, then won the MCO in 2008. Now 31 years old, the Flying Finn was #4 seed this year as World #23.

It’s tough getting old

Squash is no friend to age. Finalist Iskandar – 27-years young -  wore down 33-year old Thierry Lincou, the #2 seed (and World #1 in 2004), in Sunday’s semi, making Lincou look every bit his age by Game 5. But on Monday, Azlan met the world’s best player - in his prime. Darwish is just a year Iskandar’s senior at 28, and moves like a cat.

Speedster-friendly

“I think Iskandar has a chance. These courts favor him,” said Olli before Iskandar’s upset of Lincou Sunday. The Finn should know. He too has benefited over the years by the BAC’s springy courts, which, like clay in tennis, favors speedsters. Unlike temporary glass courts at events like last week’s Tournament of Champions in New York Grand Central Station, the ball stays up longer on club courts.

American boy

The MCO faithful had hoped to get a good look this week at America’s highest-ranked player ever, Julian Illingworth. Alas, the #32-ranked player in the world was upset in the first round by Chris Ryder of England.

Alpena reunion

On Wednesday, qualifier Edward Marks had his own cheering section all the way from Alpena, Michigan. Spectators Darin Emery, Brent Evans and Alex Howison traveled five hours from Up North to cheer on their friend and former co-worker.

“He moved back to Connecticut and is always all over the place, so we thought this would be the only chance we’d ever get to see him again,” Emery said of Marks, who met the trio when he interned at an Alpena TV news station.

The group arrived without any knowledge of squash. “We always worked out together, and we wanted to play racquetball with him one time, thought we could beat him pretty bad,” Emery recalled. “He would skunk us four or five games in a row. And he says, ‘I play squash.’ No idea what he’s talking about. I thought he grew vegetables.”

So with the MCO in town, Marks invited his buddies to see how the game was really played. “About a week ago he called me,” Emery said. “He said, ‘I’m flying into Detroit. You guys gotta get down here and watch me play squash, so you can understand what it is.’”

Marks (ranked #263 in the world) was overmatched against Yasir Butt (World #55) and lost: 8-11, 3-11, 8-11, but was thrilled to see his friends in attendance. “It was awesome,” Marks said of the experience. “They got the whole crowd behind me. They’re some of my best friends.”

Thanks

Hats off to Suburban Volvo, Greenstone Jewelers and all our sponsors for a great tournament. And thanks to MCO co-chairs Mike Beauregard and Peter Schmidt and the entire Motor City Open committee for making the trains run on time.

Darwish v. Iskander in Motor City final

Malaysian wears down two-seed Lincou in five; Darwish rolls over Aziz

by A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – And then there were two. Top-seeded Karim Darwish and three-seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar reached the finals of the 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo in dramatically different fashion Sunday afternoon. Darwish swept through countryman Omar Abdel Aziz in 35 minutes, while Iskander upset #2 seed Thierry Lincou in a brilliant five-gamer.

The two will meet for the championship Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Birmingham Athletic Club, Michigan’s premier squash venue. The winner receives a portion of the tournament’s record $40,000 purse and a Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

Darwish no doubt enjoyed watching Iskander and Lincou take each other to the limit. The Egyptian enters the match in dominating form, not having dropped a game on his way to the final. His semifinal opponent, Aziz, was coming off a marathon quarterfinal upset of Olli Tuominen the night before. Worse, he was nursing a leg injury. Aziz went down quickly: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but I didn’t want to retire, to be rude,” Aziz said of his feeling before the match. “I wanted to give it my all, do my best and see what happened.”

To compensate for the injury, Aziz tried playing an all-out strategy, making risky moves and putting his shots to the front, which only allowed Darwish to recover easily and match the attack.

“Omar is a very good player,” said Darwish, who is trying to regain his 2009 form as World #1 after a back injury sidelined him in December. “His fitness is really good, but today he was a little bit tired from yesterday’s match, so I took advantage of it.”

“Overall, I’m happy with my performance so far,” he continued. “My confidence is coming back again. To be in the semis in New York (last week’s Tournament of Champions), and to be in the final here, it’s a great achievement and I’m looking forward to my match tomorrow.”

Waiting for Darwish in the finals will be Iskandar, who has found much success on the lively BAC courts where the ball stays up, complimenting his natural speed. Against Lincou, a former World #1 currently ranked #9, Iskandar used the court to his advantage, playing at a quick pace and forcing Lincou into long, exhausting rallies. Down 1-2 in games, Iskandar rallied to win in five: 5-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-4.

Lincou started strongly, building 5-2 leads in both the first and second games while hitting his kill shots with impressive accuracy.

”I was feeling really well, started really well,” said the Frenchman afterwards. “I had a good game plan. Then he started to pick everything up, limit his mistakes, so it was much harder for me to make a point. On the day, I think he was just fitter than me.”

That 5-2 lead in Game Two disappeared as Iskandar quickened the pace. It would prove a critical game for Iskander. “He was finding his length,” said the World’s #17-ranked player. “He was putting it away. The second game was very crucial. Of course, the third game I should’ve wrapped it up but I didn’t. I just said, ‘you know what, I’m feeling good, I’m just gonna step up now, you know.’”

Indeed, Game Three was Lincou’s undoing. Down 2-7, he rallied brilliantly to take the game 12-10 in overtime. But by winning the battle, he lost the war. The inexhaustible Iskander ran out the next two games and the match.

Monday will mark the fifth time Darwish and Iskandar have played in a PSA-sanctioned tournament. Darwish boasts a 4-0 record, with their most recent meeting ending in a 3-2 victory in the quarters in Hong Kong last October.

Semi-Final Results:     

• Karim Darwish def. Omar Abdel Aziz 11-4, 11-5, 11-3
• Mohd Azlan Iskandar def. Thierry Lincou 5-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-4

Motor City Open Final:   

• Karim Darwish (1) v. Mohd Azlan Iskandar (3)

Motor City Quarters: Aziz solves Tuominen, Darwish cruises

Lincou ends Qualifier Cuskelly’s run to set up semi against Iskander

By A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. –  Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz’ upset of #4 seed and 2008 Motor City Open champ Olli Tuominen highlighted quarterfinal play Saturday at the 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo. Aziz's victory set up an all-Egyptian semifinal with his good friend Karim Darwish, the #1 seed. In the bottom half of the draw, #2 seed Thierry Lincou will meet Maylasia’s Mohd Azlan Iskandar in the semis after surviving the tourney’s Cinderella story, qualifier Ryan Cuskely, in four tough games.

The players are vying for a record  $40, 000 tournament purse and  Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers. Sunday’s semifinals at the Birmingham Athletic Club, Michigan’s premier squash venue, will begin at 4 PM.

Aziz considers his countryman, Darwish, an older brother. The duo train together while also maintaining a close relationship outside of squash. “I’m going to play my big brother, Karim,” Aziz said of his semifinal match. “And I want to play a good match.”     

That brotherhood paid dividends in Aziz’ quarterfinal bout against Tuominen. Darwish warned Aziz of Olli’s volleying skills and advised him to work the Finn’s backhand. The result: a 11-3, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6 victory.   

 “I had to bring it to the back because Olli likes to volley it. So Karim told me: ‘You have to push the ball to the back of the court, and his mistakes will start to appear,’” said Aziz of his strategy afterwards. “So, I put the ball a lot to the back corner – one time, two time, three time. After that I start to volley.”

A frustrated Tuominen struggled to find his shot, nicking the tin with too many errors.

As the Aziz-Tuominen match played out on Court Two, Darwish took care of business on Court Three, disposing of Mark Krajcsak in convincing fashion: 11-7, 11-3, 11-2.

“I think Mark was tired from his previous match,” Darwish said of his Hungarian adversary, whose match the previous night extended to five games and two hours. “I tried to move him around for the first game because I knew he wasn’t in his best shape today, and I think my shots were pretty good.”

Darwish started by knocking the ball wall-to-wall in an effort to wear out his opponent. After Game One, Krajcsak had little left to defend against the Egypt’s best player.

Qualifier Cuskelly’s spirited play this week had won over the sell-out crowd at the BAC. And he put together another gem Lincou who needed four games to defeat the Aussie: 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6. Game Three proved decisive after the pair split Games One and Two. Cuskelly held an 8-6 lead but failed to close it out.

“I’ve been playing pretty well, so I figured I could push him a bit,” said Cuskelly, who upset eight-seed Aaron Frankcomb the night before. “Just in the third, when I was up 8-6, I went for some stupid shots. I should’ve stuck to the game plan and, had I won that one, things could’ve been different.”     

Feeling the momentum shift to his favor, Lincou cruised in the final stanza.

“He’s a strong player,” Lincou said of Cuskelly. “He’s really improved a lot. He gave me a hard time on the court, and it’s good I won in four. It’s pretty tough to play on these courts because it’s really bouncy. So it’s hard to be offensive too much, and you have to mix between patience and offense. You need to be precise, very accurate and save your energy as much as you can.”

If anyone has saved his energy, it’s Iskandar, who needed just three games to advance over Chris Ryder:11-4, 11-5, 11-1. “I had to slowball it and pick out my moments, really,” Iskandar said. “I found myself attacking and hitting really good lengths and picking my moment to inject the pace. It worked out quite well because I ended up breaking my opponent’s rhythm.”

Saturday results:     

• Karim Darwish def. Mark Krajcsak 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
• Omar Abdel Aziz def. Olli Tuominen 11-3, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6     
• Thierry Lincou def. Ryan Cuskelly 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6     
• Mohd Azlan Iskandar def. Chris Ryder 11-4, 11-5, 11-1

Sunday matches (4 PM start):   

• Karim Darwish (1) v. Omar Abdel Aziz (7)   
• Thierry Lincou (2) v. Mohd Azlan Iskandar (3)

Upsets mark Motor City’s opening round

Seeds five and six fall; Tuominen gets a scare from retired pro Wellings

By A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – A feisty old dog, a persistent qualifier, and a marathon upset provided color to the opening round of play at the 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo. On a day that top seeds Karim Darwish and Thierry Lincou cruised, a packed house at the Birmingham Athletic Club cheered on local club pro, Julian Wellings, a retired, ex-World #46 who gave #4 seed Olli Tuominen all he could handle. Qualifier Ryan Cuskelly surprised the current World #40, and Mark Krakcsak crafted a two-hour, come-from-behind upset of the #6 seed. 

In all, eight players advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal and a shot at a $40, 000 purse and Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

Showing flashes of the pro career that took him to the Top 50 ten years ago, Wellings – who now spends his days building one of the finest U.S. junior programs at the MCO’s host club north of Detroit – split the first two games against Tuominen, who won this tournament in 2008.

“Julian played pretty well, actually,” Tuominen said. “He still has it, and hit a lot of great shots and surprised me many times.” The fitter Flying Finn survived the early scare and went on to defeat Julian in four games, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6.

Qualifier Cuskelly (world #54), of Australia, proved that he had every intention of sticking around awhile after getting a birth in the main show. He was the only qualifier to move on as he quickly dispatched fellow Aussie and world #40, Aaron Frankcomb, 12-10, 11-3, 11-2.

The match’s start time was delayed over an hour because of the long five-game match prior between the Egyptian Reda and Hungarian Mark Krajcsak. Reda, the tournament’s #6 seed and world #33, built a two-game lead, but Krajcsak came all the way back to win 16-18, 10-12, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8.

“I was two-love lead in the beginning,” Reda said of his match in which all but the final game required a tiebreaker. “Then, I had 10-8 match ball and the next one 10-6 match ball, but I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t finish the games today. Mentally I wasn’t there at all. He was more prepared than me and was doing more than me, so he deserved to win.”

“This was my toughest so far,” said Krajcsak, who fell behind in the final three stanzas - 5-3, 5-2, 5-2 – only to work his way back and win each. “It was very long, very intensive and there was nothing between us. I think I was just a little fitter in the end.”

“I’m coming from Hungary, which is a small country with not too much squash there,” Krajcsak continued. “I’m much better than all the other Hungarian players, so when they go ahead (in the match), I can still come back. That’s when I work hard. I think I just get used to it, and when other players are leading, I can work hard to come back.”

Where Reda was an upset victim, fellow Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz (world #38) escaped an upset against Yasir Butt (world #55) after falling behind 0-2 in another five-game thriller: 10-12, 6-11, 12-10, 20-18, 11-3.

“I got so many match points, but couldn’t make it,” Butt said of games three and four. “In the third game, I lost concentration, and when I got match point, I should’ve gone for the attack, but I was playing defensive.”

It was the fourth game that proved decisive. The grueling, 20-point game exhausted the Pakistani and left him with little fight. The result was an easy 11-3 finale for Aziz. 

In another first round upset, England’s Chris Ryder downed the #5 seed – and the tournament’s top-ranked American - Julian Illingworth 11-4, 11-9, 11-7. Mohd Azlan Iskandar defeated Campbell Grayson 11-2, 11-5, 11-6. Top seed and World #5 Karim Darwish dispatched Alan Clyne 11-9, 11-7, 11-4. And World #9 Thierry Lincou, seede second, defeated qualifier Scott Arnold 11-5, 11-3, 11-6.

Friday results, First Round:

• Tuominen (FIN) def. Wellings (ENG) 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6
• Cuskelly (AUS) def. Frankcomb (AUS) 12-10, 11-3, 11-2
• Krajcsak (HUN) def. Reda (EGY) 16-18, 10-12, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8
• Aziz (EGY) def. Butt (PAK) 10-12, 6-11, 12-10, 20-18, 11-3
• Ryder (ENG) def. Illingworth (USA) 11-4, 11-9, 11-7
• Iskandar (MAS) def. Grayson (NZL) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6
• Darwish (EGY) def. Clyne (SCO) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4
• Lincou (FRA) def. Arnold (AUS) 11-5, 11-3, 11-6

Saturday’s Quarterfinal match schedule:

• (1) Karim Darwish v. Mark Krajcsak, 4:00
• (4) Olli Tuominen v. Omar Abdel Aziz (7), 4:30
• (2) Thierry Lincou v. Ryan Cuskelly (Q), 5:00
• (3) Mohd Azlan Iskandar v. Chris Ryder, 5:30

Four Qualifiers advance to Motor City main draw

Friday First Round will feature two former world Number Ones: Darwish, Lincou

by A. J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – The main draw is set for the 2010 Motor City Open, presented by Suburban Volvo, as qualifying concluded Thursday night with four players advancing into Friday’s opening round. With an upset and epic five-setter, the four matches provided a glimpse of the excitement, skill and speed that will be on display this weekend at the Birmingham Athletic Club. Michigan’s premier squash venue, the BAC is hosting the MCO for the 11th year, featuring a record $40,000 purse plus Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

Aussie Ryan Cuskelly, Pakistan’s Yasir Butt, Scott Arnold of Australia, and Scot Alan Clyne all posted victories.

The evening’s best bout featured Arnold (world #64) against Colombia’s Bernardo Samper (world #65). The pair occasionally train together in New York, and they seemed to anticipate one another’s every move in a match that became a five-game marathon. Arnold survived 4-11, 11-7, 14-12, 8-11, 11-6.

“When I go in there, I’ve got a good idea of what he’s going to do, he’s got a good idea of what I’m going to do,” Arnold said afterwards. “It’s just a mental battle more than anything, trying to stay focused on what I’ve got to do.”

Samper jumped on top early, winning Game One by controlling the pace and forcing Arnold into rushed decisions. But then Arnold composed himself, slowed the pace, and began to take control.

“I think when I got on top in the fifth, I slowed myself down a little bit,” Arnold said. “As opposed to a couple times when I got behind, I got caught up in just belting the ball about the court without thinking what I was doing.”

In the night’s final match, Scotland’s Clyne (world #68) served up the only upset against Jan Koukal (world #60) of the Czech Republic, 11-4, 10-12, 14-12, 11-5. Clyne began the match in top form, hitting his shots and taking control early.

“I knew he likes to play a slow pace, whereas I prefer to play at a higher pace,” Clyne said after his win. “So I was trying to push as much as possible and make the rallies tough. My shots at the front were working, straight from the off.”

Tied at one game apiece, the third frame proved the most critical. Clyne led 10-6 until a determined Koukal forced his way back with five straight points to tie. However, Clyne steadied the ship and prevailed, 14-12. Koukal’s comeback took its toll physically, and he had little left in the fourth.

“I think that was a really crucial one,” Clyne said of Game Three. “I think it took a lot out of him, and it took a lot out of me as well. But it was a good one to win; it was like a bit of a momentum, and it carried on into the fourth.”

Cuskelly (world #54) defeated England’s Adrian Waller (world #75) in straight sets, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7. The Aussie countered Waller’s size with speed and a good short game.

“He’s a big guy,” Cuskelly said later. “I just tried to move around the court a lot, move him short a bit more than I normally do. I think that worked out in the end, he got quite tired. I tried to keep the pressure on him, not give him a sniff.”

Yasir Butt (world #55) advanced over another Aussie, Matthew Karwalski (world #74), in straight sets, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11. Butt was concerned a long match might favor his very fit opponent, but his skillful play won the day.

“I played very well today,” Butt said. “Matthew’s an Australian, and Australian guys are already fit and really good, and most Pakistani guys rely on their skill and that’s what I did today.”

The main draw begins Friday at 5:00 PM with the following matches:

• (1) Karim Darwish v. Alan Clyne (Q)
• (6) Mohd. Ali Anwar Reda v. Mark Krajcsak
• (4) Olli Tuominen v. Julian Wellings (BAC pro)
• (7) Omar Abdel Aziz v. Yasir Butt (Q)
• (5) Julian Illingworth v. Chris Ryder.
• (3) Mohd Azlan Iskandar v. Campbell Grayson
• (8) Aaron Frankcomb v. Ryan Cuskelly (Q)
• (2) Thierry Lincou  v. Scott Arnold (Q)

MCO Qualifying, Round One: No surprises as favorites advance

Cuskelly, Butt, Koukal, Clyne are winners, local favorite Joint bows out

By A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – Round one of qualifying for the 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo, wrapped Wednesday night as higher-ranked favorites advanced with minimal resistance. Played at Michigan’s premier squash venue, The Birmingham Athletic Club outside Detroit, the MCO is in its 11th year and sports a record $40,000 purse plus Rolex watch from Greenstone Jewelers.

Only one match extended beyond three games as Scotland’s Alan Clyne (world #68) defeated Max Lee (world #87) of Hong Kong, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6. Also advancing into Thursday’s second qualifying round: Czech Republic’s Jan Koukal, Ryan Cuskelly of Australia, England’s Adrian Waller, Aussie Scott Arnold, Bernardo Samper of England,  Australian Matthew Karwalski, and Yasir Butt of Pakistan. The top four qualifiers will enter the MCO’s main draw which begins play Friday evening.

Clyne v. Lee was a succession of rapidly-paced, quickly-finished rallies. The torrid pace prevented either player from establishing a rhythm, which worked against Lee who prefers slower, more strategy-oriented games. Lee eked out a first-game win, but lost focus and dropped the next three.

“I find that he wanted to pace up the game more,” Lee said. “And all the games I wanted to slow down, slow down, attack, attack, slow down, slow down because my pace is actually slower.”

The pace took its toll on Lee as Clyne jumped out to leads of 8-1 and 5-0 to start the second and third games, respectively. Clyne took the match by the throat in the fourth by winning seven consecutive points and taking a 10-5 lead.

“The third game was very balanced,” said Lee.”But he’s fitter than me, actually.”

Koukal (world #60) and Hong Kong’s Dick Lau (world #97) met in the penultimate match of the night. From a tight, 11-8 opening game (won by Koukal), it appeared it would be a match of equals. Koukal’s 11-2 victory in the second set said otherwise.

“He beat me last time we played in China a couple months ago, so I was a little nervous in the beginning of the match because I didn’t know what to expect,” Koukal said afterwards. “I was surprised I was moving well, so I could make him work quite hard, and he ended up making a lot of mistakes which helped.”

Lau lamented his missed opportunities and shots and said he was out of form. “It’s the beginning of the year, and I find myself in not as good of shape,” Lau said. “I’m getting better, but he was too good for me today. I was a bit impatient, and he played well.”

Qualifying opened with a match-up of two Aussies, world #54 Ryan Cuskelly against world #85 Wade Johnstone. Cuskelly, who made it into the main draw last year, never took his foot off the gas pedal, controlled the “T,” and forced Johnstone to the defensive. Cuskelly prevailed: 11-5, 11-8, 11-5.

The rest of the scores:

• Waller (world #75) def. Christopher Gordon (world #79) 11-4, 11-3, 11-8
• Arnold (world #64) def. Fred Reid (world #219) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5
• Samper (world #65) def. Khawaja Adil Maqbool (world #91) 11-8, 13-11, 11-6
• Karwalski (world #74) def. Mick Joint (local pro at the Detroit Athletic Club and a crowd favorite) 11-8, 13-11, 11-6
• Butt (world #55) def. Edward Marks (world #263) 11-8, 11-3, 11-6

Matchups for Thursday’s second round of qualifying, which begins at 6 PM:

• Ryan Cuskelly vs. Adrian Waller
• Alan Clyne vs. Jan Koukal
• Scott Arnold vs. Bernardo Samper
• Matthew Karwalski vs. Yasir Butt

Former Number Ones Darwish and Lincou Lead 2010 Motor City Open field

Top-seeded Egyptian Darwish comes to U.S. to regain top ranking;  American Illingworth is highest-ever ranked American player

By Henry Payne

Birmingham, Mich. – World #5 Karim Darwish and #9 Thierry Lincou headline a strong international field for the 11th annual Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo, January 29-February 1. The tournament will be hosted by Michigan’s premier squash facility, the Birmingham Athletic Club, north of Detroit.

The dominant player in the world for the last year, Darwish was sidelined at the end of 2009 with a sore back and comes to the Motor City seeking to regain the #1 ranking. As the second seed behind Darwish, Lincou himself is a former number one who has had prior success in Detroit. He was a finalist here in 2003.

Also vying for a tourney-record $40,000 purse and a $7000 Rolex watch presented by Greenstone’s Jewelers will be World #17 and third seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar of Malasia, 2008 MCO champion Olli Tuominen (#4 seed), and World #30 Julian Illingworth of the United States, the #5 seed. At World #30, Illingworth is the highest-ranking U.S. player ever in a sport traditionally dominated by players from Europe and the Middle East. He resides in New York City.

The 16-man draw will kick off the First Round Friday, with play continuing through the weekend to the Finals Monday evening at 6.30 PM. A qualifying tournament will precede the MCO on Wednesday and Thursday with the top four qualifiers advancing into the main draw.

Darwish last competed in the MCO in 2004 as the third seed and World #9. Part of a strong contingent of Egyptian players including Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana, the cat-quick 28-year old really hit his stride in 2008, vaulting to #2 in the world. In January of last year, he captured #1 – a ranking he would hold throughout the year until his injury in December.

In addition to the world’s top players, the Motor City Open offers kids clinics with guest appearances by the touring pros, and a pro-am doubles tournament.

For tickets call Julian Wellings at 248 646-1663 or email: jwellings@mail.birminghamathleticclub.com.

2010 Motor City Open dates: January 27 - February 1

Tourney’s $40,000 purse richest ever

By Henry Payne

Birmingham, Mich. – The 2010 Motor City Open presented by Suburban Volvo will be held January 27-February 1. For the 11th year, the tourney will be hosted by Michigan’s premier squash facility, the Birmingham Athletic Club, located north of Detroit. The club will sport all-new, state-of-the-art, body-friendly floors.

The MCO has been upgraded to a 4-star tourney for the first time with a purse of $40,000. The winner will also receive a Rolex watch worth $7000 from Greenstone’s Jewelers, making the winner’s purse the largest in the U.S. Overall, the MCO is the States’ third largest squash event and 15th largest on the pro world tour.

This year’s event comes on the heels of the Tournament of Champions in New York City and promises some of the world’s top players. The 2009 MCO was won by world #17 Borja Golan of Spain over England’s world #12, Adrian Grant. Past champions include Jonathon Power, John White, and Greg Gaultier.

In addition to top athletes, the Motor City Open offers kids clinics with guest appearances by the touring pros, and a pro-am doubles tournament. With its friendly atmosphere and member-hosted housing for the players, the Birmingham Club stop is one of the most popular on the tour. “Even if I don’t win this tournament, from the first day I saw that the people here are great,” said 2009 champ Golan. “All the volunteers, there are so many volunteers, make you feel like so comfortable all the time.”

For tickets call Julian Wellings at 248 646-1663 or email: jwellings@mail.birminghamathleticclub.com.

Golan races to 2009 Motor City Open title

Speedy Spaniard wears down Grant in four physical games

By A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – He came. He saw. He conquered.

Spain’s Borja Golan made the most of his first trip to the Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection by taking the title Monday night over top seed Adrian Grant of England. Number-two seed Golan took home $5,000 and a Rolex watch from Greenstone’s Jewelers after an emotionally-tense, physical struggle that lasted over 90 minutes, not including a break in play to dress a wound suffered by Grant.

Both players had looked the class of the field coming into the title bout. Neither had dropped a game in three previous rounds and both Grant and Golan acknowledged feeling in top form and relatively fit. Ranked #11 and #14 in the world respectively, Monday’s ultimate round figured to be a dandy.

Golan escaped the victor after a 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 14-12 battle that featured 71 lets, a whack to Grant’s shoulder and that six-minute delay to bandage a deep scrape on Grant’s knee.

“When there’s two clashing styles like that it gives way to a lot of lets,” judged referee Julian Wellings, head pro of tournament host, the Birmingham Athletic Club. “They kept going for drop-counter-drop and, because these guys are so quick to the ball, you’re bound to get in each other’s way and that was lending to a lot of lets because they couldn’t get through each other.”

Grant, starting composed and on the attack, took Game One, 12-10. But the Englishman quickly grew frustrated with Golan, who gave little ground to allow Grant around him to retrieve balls.

“I found it quite frustrating to get around him,” Grant conceded after the match. “On these courts you have to win six or seven shots to actually win the rally. It’s not like a glass court where you get rewarded for attacking, attacking. Here, you really have to work it.

“The match was long, but there was a lot of starting and stopping as well,” Adrian continued. “You have to try to keep your composure and not get wrapped up into this stopping and starting because it’s not good for the crowd and the players get frustrated as well. But you get that at the top of the sport because we’re all moving pretty fast in and out of the corners, so you’re going to get some sort of collision.”

Slowly, the lack of rhythm and fast, strenuous rallies (Game Four alone contained 30 lets and sucked up 43 minutes), took a physical toll on Grant. Already bothered by the knee wound, he began to cramp.

“In the beginning of the fourth I got a cramp in my leg,” he said. “I’ve never had a cramp, so once that happened I started compensating and using my left leg a lot. And then I started getting it in both, so, once that happens, it’s like, well, I need a wheelchair or something. I knew I was pretty much done after that because I couldn’t run and these courts, like I said, you can’t hit outright winners.You have to work the rally and work the rally.”

Already ahead 2-1, Golan just needed to keep the pressure on.

“He’s a very good player,” said Golan, perhaps the fastest man on the PSA tour. “He plays very tight shots and has one the best basic games in the tour. And in his forehand he’s very dangerous, so I just tried to put more pressure on his backhand, and tried to make longer and put a lot of pace all the time, and it paid off because he was more tired than me and he started to cramp.”

Golan also gave rave reviews to the MCO: “Even if I don’t win this tournament, from the first day I saw that the people here are great and all the volunteers, there are so many volunteers, make you feel like so comfortable all the time. Julian was great, and the family where I stayed was unbelievable, too.”

“The club is so nice,” he continued. “They do many fine shows, many parties for the players. I think it was so fun here, to stay here one week, and I hope I can come next year, of course.”

Finals result, Monday:

Borja Golan (ESP) (2) def. Adrian Grant (ENG) (1) 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 14-12

Grant, Golan advance to MCO finals

Top seeds end upset runs of Momen, Tuomenen

Birmingham, Mich. – After a week of upsets and the dazzling play of an unseeded youngster, the final of the 2009 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection will be a contest between the tourney’s top two seeded veterans. In the semifinals Sunday, #1-seed Adrian Grant ended the Cinderella run of unseeded 20-year old phenom Tarek Momen, while #2-seeded Borja Golan dashed another title run by last year’s champion, Olli Tuominen.

Grant and Golan will meet in the finals Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

After watching the upstart Momen wreak havoc on #4-seed Cameron Pilley and #5-seed Stewart Boswell – sweeping both without the loss of a game – England’s Grant knew that the Egyptian newcomer, playing in his first MCO, was not to be taken lightly.

“I went in there not underestimating him because he’s had two really great wins,” Grant said after the match. “He beat Pilley and Boswell so he was obviously in really good form. I knew I was playing well as well, so I wanted to take him very seriously and realize it wasn’t going to be easy.”

In winning, Grant accomplished what Boswell and Pilley could not - imposing his will on the World #29. While boasting a toolbox full of big shots, Momen does not yet have the match maturity of upper echelon players, and World #11 Grant exploited the young Egyptian’s lack of experience in the long rallies necessary to win a tournament semi.

“I knew I had enough weapons in my arsenal to attack him,” Grant said. “And I knew that, if under pressure, I can stay composed that I could get through that as well. It’s just more of a confidence thing and just imposing my game on him. Until he gets frustrated and frustrated and slowly breaks down.”

“He’s only 20 and is top 30 in the world, so he’s got a massive future in front of him,” continued Grant, who is playing in his fourth MCO, “But in terms of playing big points in certain situations, I had more experience and it showed today. The scores were fairly even at 7-all or 8-all, then all of the sudden I would break away."

Grant secured his entry into the finals with an 11-9, 11-9, 12-10 win.

His next opponent, Spanish speedster Golan, defeated #6-seed Tuominen in straight sets:11-5, 11-4, 12-10. After racing to a quick 2-0 game lead, Game Three was exhausting, see-saw affair, with brilliant rallies mixed with numerous let calls as the two men wrestled for control of the tee.

“It’s not easy, no,” Golan said about his match. “I think the first two games I tried to play at good length. I thought I was playing very well.”

Give credit to Golan, perhaps the fastest man on the PSA tour, for his remarkable speed and skill. But Olli lacked his familiar keenness to attack during the first two sets. He seemed always a step slow. As a result, he committed numerous uncharacteristic errors in the fist two games.

“I was a bit asleep,” Tuominen admitted afterwards. “I only woke up in the end, like the third game. I should’ve won the third game and it would’ve been a different match. Because I wasn’t really tired, but it was just a slow start and he took good advantage of it.”

Looking to Monday’s final, Grant and Golan have met three times previously with Grant the victor in all three. At the Mitsubishi European Open ASB in 2002, Grant escaped with a 3-2 victory. At the Prince Canary Islands Open in 2003, Grant breezed to a 3-0 win. But they have not played since Saudi Arabia in 2006, when Grant eked a 3-2 win after trailing 0-2.

“I think it’s going to be another very tough one,” Golan said of his match against Grant. “I just want to play my game. Physically, I feel quite well. And I hope it’s a tough game and the people will enjoy the match.”

Semifinal results, Sunday:

• Adrian Grant def. Tarek Momen 11-9, 11-9, 12-10
• Borja Golan def. Olli Tuominen 11-5, 11-4, 12-10

Final, Monday, 6.30 PM, COURT 3:

Adrian Grant (1) v. Borja Golan (2)

MCO Quarterfinals: Unseeded Giant-killer Momen Dazzles

Top seeds Grant, Golan cruise, and Olli is back again

Birmingham, Mich. – Unseeded Tarek Momen of Egypt continued to mow down seeds Saturday in the 2009 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection. Four players survived the day’s quarterfinals with Momen and Finland’s Olli Tuominen scoring upset wins to join favorites Adrian Grant and Borja Golan in Sunday’s semis.

Momen’s devastating progress – he has yet to lose a game – against higher-ranked players comes as no surprise to his fellow players, however. The 20-year old Egyptian college student is considered one of the game’s comers – and yet another Egyptian threat in a sport where eight of the world’s Top Twenty hail from that nation. Ranked #29 in the world, Momen will next face England’s Grant, top seed and world #11. Tuominen will meet second-seed Borja Golen of Spain.

Saturday’s bout between Momen and #5-seeded Stewart Boswell played out similarly to the Egyptian’s win Friday against taller, rangier, #4-seed Cameron Pilley of Australia. Momen’s speed was the key factor in the taller Boswell’s quick demise, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7. The Aussie, a finalist here last year, appeared visibly frustrated in his efforts to get anything past his opponent.

In the best match of the day, Olli Tuominen also frustrated his bigger opponent, #3-seed Laurens Jan Anjema of the Netherlands. Quick with extraordinary retrieval skills, Olli had a game plan and he executed it: Stay away from the big-hitting lefthander’s forehand.

“At the start of two games, I played really consistent and just like I planned I was able to get the rallies going to his backhand a little bit more than his forehand,” the Flying Finn said of his match. “And I was able take the ball a little bit early, and sort of ruled the rallies.”

Tuominen enjoyed 7-3 and 8-2 leads at the start of Games One and Two, winning both: 11-8, 11-7. But a determined Anjema would not go quietly. He fought back to win the third, taking control of rallies and moving Olli around the court. Tuominen stuck to his plan, however, and won in four:11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8.

“He came back really, really well in the third,” Tuominen said of Anjema. “Somehow, a couple of guesses he got right and he just sort of took off, and the fourth game was still really, really close. He really fought well at the end.”

Tuominen finds the MCO to his liking, finishing as runner-up in 2004 and then winning the title in 2007. Making yet another run at the finals this year, he faces a tall hurdle on Sunday in Golan, who appears in top form.

“That’s the quickest I ever saw you,” Egypt’s Hisham Mohd Ashour, seeded #7, said to Golan after the Spaniard had scored a dominating 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 victory.

Golan used speed to counter Ashour’s power and dazzling shotmaking. “I think I played well today. I just did my game,” Borja said afterwards. “In the start I didn’t move very well. I think I fell behind 3-0 in the first set.”

But it didn’t take long for Golan to recover and find a rhythm.

“I like to put pressure on the rebound, try to volley and play at good length and be quick all the time,” he said.

Top seed Grant cruised into the semifinals with a 11-8, 15-13, 11-7 victory over Shahier Razik of Canada. Razik tried to maintain a deliberate game against the Englishman in hopes Grant would break down under long, monotonous rallies.

The tactic worked for a time.

His biggest opportunity came in Game Two when Shahier has a match point at 10-8. Another point would’ve tied the match at 1-1 and given Razik momentum, but Grant stormed back, stole a 15-13 set, and put a lid on the Canadian’s upset hopes. A downtrodden Razik went quietly in the third,11-7.

Semifinals begin at 4:00 Sunday at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

 

Quarterfinal results, Saturday:

• Adrian Grant (1) def. Shahier Razik (8) 11-8, 15-13, 11-7
• Tarek Momen def. Stewart Boswell (5) 11-9, 11-8, 11-7
• Olli Tuominen (6) def. Laurens Jan Anjema (3) 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8
• Borja Golan (2) def. Hisham Mohd Ashour (7) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6

Semi-final schedule, Sunday (all matches on Court #3):

• 4 PM: Adrian Grant (1) v. Tarek Moman
• 5 PM: Borja Golan (2) v. Olli Tuominen (6)

MCO Round One: Number four seed Pilley knocked out

Other seeds roll

Birmingham, Mich. – Round One of the 2009 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection is in the books and, while most of the top seeds advanced with little trouble, there was one upset - young Tarek Momen, just 20 years old and already World #29, took down #4 seed Cameron Pilley of Australia

It should come as no surprise, however, that Momen hails from Egypt. Egyptian squash has been resurgent in recent years and 2008 saw a first: The top three players in the world all came from Egypt. Their ranks are deep as well. Including Momen, eight Egyptians rank in the world’s Top 20 – more than any other nation.

On Friday night, Tarek used his quickness and dazzling retrieval skills to oust World #17 Pilley. The pair had split their previous two encounters, and are familiar with one another’s style. But, as Pilley found out, familiarity doesn’t always breed success.

“We know (our) strengths and weaknesses,” Pilley said afterward. “But it’s a different story to actually know how to play someone, and to get out there and put it into action.”

The lanky Pilley struggled all night with the smaller Momen’s speed and relentless retrieving.

“He’s so fast on the court, so fast,” added Pilley. “He hangs so far back on the court, you’ll play a drop shot, and because he’s so far back you think you can play another drop shot and he just gets up there ridiculously fast.”

Unable to find a groove, Pilley quickly fell behind 6-1 in Game One, eventually losing, 11-7. And while Game Two went more promisingly - Pilley even had game ball at 11-10 - Momen scored on the next three rallies and stole the game, 13-11. From there, Pilley could do do little to stem the tide, falling in straight sets: 11-7, 13-11, 11-4.

While Momen provided the only upset, the night’s best match belonged to Canada’s Shahier Razik, World #26, and World #42 Jan Koukal of the Czech Republic. Their extraordinary rallies – sometimes lasting longer than 100 shots - left the crowd in awe.

Both men prefer a slow-paced style, favoring lobs and touch shots over raw power. To keep his opponent off balance, however, Razik strayed from form by speeding things up with harder shots and less rail play.

“I was trying to concentrate on breaking his rhythm,” Razik said. “I think I made him do a little more work, and it sort of showed in the last game. It’s not really the style I enjoy playing, but today I had to play like that.”

The first two sets went into overtime and could’ve gone either way (Razik took both). But the Canadian dominated Game Three en route to a three-set victory: 13-11, 13-11, 11-4.

Meanwhiile, last year’s runner-up and #5 seed Stewart Boswell, advanced past fellow Aussie, Ryan Cuskelly, in straight sets 11-4, 11-4, 11-4. Boswell proved too strong and skilled for Cuskelly.

And the man Boswell fell to a year ago, Finland’s Olli Tuominen, overcame a slow start in his match-up against (yet another) Egyptian Amr Swelim. Olli is one step closer to defending his title after a 14-12, 11-5, 11-9 victory.

One week ago at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York, Yasser El Halaby played brilliantly in advancing through the qualifying draw and into a first-round upset over Scotland’s John White. But the magic wasn’t there Friday night. Qualifier El Halaby had little answer to World #14 Borja Golan. Golan, the #2 seed, finished El Halaby in three sets: 11-5, 11-6, 11-3.

Third-seeded Laurens Jan Anjema drew qualifier Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan. The big Dutchman jumped out to 5-1 leads in both the first and second games and cruised to a 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 decision.

Known on the squash circuit for his sense of humor, World #23 Hisham Mohd Ashour was all business during his match against Martin Knight. Ashour’s dizzying array of shots left Knight little room to counter and the Egyptian won in three: 11-7, 11-5, 11-7.

Finally, before a boisterous local Birmingham Athletic Club crowd, BAC club pro Julian Wellings - oldest man in the draw at 36 - gamely tried to keep up with the top seed in Adrian Grant of England (World #11). Surfing on a swell of crowd support, Julian hung with the World’s 11th-ranked player for two games, but ultimately couldn’t sustain the high energy required. Grant took the match in three straight: 11-7, 11-6, 11-3.

Results, Round One, Friday

• Tarek Momen def. Cameron Pilley 11-9, 13-11, 11-4
• Stewart Boswell def. Ryan Cuskelly 11-4, 11-4, 11-4
• Adrian Grant def. Julian Wellings11-7, 11-6, 11-3
• Shahier Razik def. Jan Koukal 13-11, 13-11, 11-6
• Olli Tuominen def. Amr Swelim 14-12, 11-5, 11-9
• Laurens Jan Anjema def. Mohd. Nafiizwan Adnan 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
• Borja Golan def. Yasser El Halaby 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
• Hisham Mohd Ashour def. Martin Knight 11-7, 11-5, 11-7

Saturday Matchups

• 4:00 PM COURT 3 - Adrian Grant v. Shahier Razik
• 4:30PM COURT 2 – Stewart Boswell v. Tarek Momen
• 5:00PM COURT 3 – Borja Golan v. Hisham Mohd Ashour
• 5:30PM COURT 2 - Laurnes Jan Anjema v. Olli Tuominen

MCO Qualifying: Four advance to Main Draw

First round matches set for Friday night

By A.J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – Qualifying for the 2009 Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection wrapped up Thursday with four men advancing to Friday’s Main Draw. Martin Knight of New Zealand, Malaysia’s Mohd Nafiidzwan Adnan, Yasser El Halaby of Egypt, and Aussie Ryan Cuskelly all scored convincing victories on a festive Sponsor’s Night at the Birmingham Athletic Club where the crowds were big, boisterous, and full of love for the nomad athletes that have come to town to perform for them.

“I’ll root for you today!” called out one fan as Knight approached the entrance of Court Two for his match-up against Regardt Schonborn. The good tidings came just a day after Knight had played the role of public enemy #1 in defeating local pro and crowd favorite, Mick Joint.

“Obviously I was going to get a better crowd today than I did yesterday,” Knight said afterwards, laughing. “But a couple of the guys who were down here watching the game yesterday supporting Mick, came down and supported me today. It was really pleasing.”

By the end of his match, Knight had won over the entire audience who were captivated by the display of athleticism put on by the fit Kiwi and his South African opponent. From tin to stern, both competitors covered the entire court to retrieve balls that, to the crowd, often appeared unreachable.

In the end, Knight stood victorious, thanks in large part to an improbable come-from-behind win in Game One that set the tone for the match. Trailing 7-10, Knight rallied for the final five points and escaped the first set 12-10. From then on, he jump on his opponent early in Games Two and Three, taking both for a three-game sweep: 12-10, 11-7, 11-5.

“It was hard to get out in front of him and do anything useful,” Schonborn said of Knight. “He’s so comfortable retrieving, and he gets in a comfort zone and feeds off his own movement. It’s hard to break.”

Competing in the court adjacent to Knight and Schonborn were Australian Wade Johnstone and world #58 Adnan.

Battling fatigue from a hard fought first-round win, Johnstone couldn’t muster the energy to maintain his form against his more-rested opponent. As a result, Adnan secured a four-set victory: 12-10, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6.

In the first match of the day, Australia’s Zac Alexander met Egyptian Yasser El Halaby. Yasser arrived fresh off what he considers his best performance as a pro at the Tournament of Champions in New York where he advanced to the Round of 16 – defeating former World #1 (and 2006 MCO champ) John White along the way.

The favorite of the MCO qualifying draw, El Halaby proved the more skilled player, controlling the tee and keeping Alexander off-balance on his way to a three-set win, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.

Christopher Gordon, the lone remaining representative of the United States in the tourney, struggled against Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly (world #63), who finished with an 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 victory. Cuskelly got out of the blocks quickly, going ahead 8-1 in Game Two and 5-1 in the third, and Gordon didn’t have enough firepower to overcome the deficits.

Main Draw matches begin Friday at 5:00 PM. The schedule:

• 5:00PM COURT 3 - Cameron Pilley (AUS) vs. Tarek Momen (EGY)
• 5:30PM COURT 2 - Stewart Boswell (AUS) vs. Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
• 6:00PM COURT 3 - Adrian Grant (ENG) vs. Julian Wellings (ENG)
• 6:30PM COURT 2 - Shahier Razik (CAN) vs. Jan Koukal (CZE)
• 7:00PM COURT 3 - Amr Swelim (EGY) VS Olli Tuominen (FIN)
• 7:30PM COURT 2 - Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) vs. Nafiidzwan Adnan (MAS)
• 8:00PM COURT 3 - Borja Golan (ESP) vs. Yasser El Halaby (EGY)
• 8:30PM COURT 2 - Hisham Ashour (EGY) VS Martin Knight (NZL)

Final Qualifying results:

Yasser El Halaby (EGY) def. Zac Alexander (AUS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9

Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) def. Chris Gordon (USA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-9

Nafiidzwan Adnan (MAS) def. Wade Johnstone (AUS) 12-10, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6

Martin Knight (NZL) def. Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 12-10, 11-7, 11-5

Motor City opens with First Round Qualifying

Local favorite Joint thrills before succumbing

By A. J. Hakim

Birmingham, Mich. – With the main draw set to begin Friday, the Tenth Annual Motor City Open, presented by the Suburban collection, kicked off Wednesday with a series of qualifying matches. The eclectic mix of players – from rising stars to American hopefuls to local favorites - gave fans at the Birmingham Athletic Club a glimpse at the excitement and competition in store for them over the next few days.

No player received more applause than hometown boy Mick Joint – resident pro at the Detroit Athletic Club. Joint, a native Aussie, thrilled the crowd during his match against world #76, Martin Knight of New Zealand.

At 36, Joint stood his ground against an opponent nine years his junior, matching volleys and showing he was capable of sustaining extended rallies. A packed gallery cheered his every move. Ultimately, fatigue got the better of the determined downtown pro from Down Under and Joint fell to Knight in four, 11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9.

Another intriguing pairing pitted world #66 Wade Johnstone of Australia against Canadian David Phillips, ranked #80.

What initially looked like an Aussie cakewalk turned into a barnburner once a string snapped from Johnstone’s racquet in Game Two, causing a stoppage in play and a momentum shift in Phillips’ favor. Trailing 6-11, 1-6, a recomposed Phillips ran off the next four points, and though he still lost the game, 11-7, that string of rallies gave him a newfound confidence as he opened Game Three with six straight points.

“I thought I played well through the first game,” Johnstone said afterwards, “but halfway through the second one I broke a string, and Dave did really well to come back. I was lucky I actually had a big lead in that second game, but then he came out real strong in the third.”

“I was playing a little too short,” he continued, “and letting him dictate the points on his volley and on his backhand, which is really strong.”

Having let Phillips back in the match, Johnstone relaxed his nerves in Game Four and worked himself back into form, maintaining a steady pace while attacking the volleys harder and concentrating on his counter-drops. He took the game to claim victory: 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9.

“Wade played well,” Phillips said. “He came out flying, and I got off to a slow start. I started to pick it up in the third, but it was too little too late.”

Australia’s Zac Alexander, world #102 and Pakistan’s 69th-ranked Khawaja Adil Maqbool opened the night, with upset-mided Alexander jumping out to a two-game lead, 11-7 and 11-6, before Maqbool retired.

In a match-up of the only two Americans in the tourney, U.S. #2 and world #76 Christopher Gordon met local player Benjamin Oliner, world #81. Gordon took command from the start, jumping out to an early 5-0 lead in the first set and never letting up, scoring an 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 victory.

In the night’s final match, New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson (world #65) competed against South Africa’s 90th-ranked Regardt Schonborn. Schonborn survived in four sets - 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10 - but it was Grayson’s courage that captivated the crowd.

Midway through the fourth set, Grayson and Schonborn locked legs, and Grayson fell to the ground with a rolled ankle. Following a brief delay, Grayson came back to win six of the next seven points, and remained competitive until the end.

Thursday’s second round of qualifying matches begins at 6:00 pm, with Egpyt’s Yasser El Halaby to play against Zac Alexander, Christopher Gordon versus Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly, Schonborn to play Knight, and Mohd. Nafzahizam Adnan matched with Johnstone.

Wednesday Results

Martin Knight (NZ) def. Mick Joint (AUS), 11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9.

Wade Johnstone (AUS) def. David Phillips (CAN), 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9

Zac Alexander (AUS) def. Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK), 11-7, 11-6, ret.

Christopher Gordon (USA) def. Benjamin Oliner (USA), 11-6, 11-9, 11-7.

Regardt Schonborn (RSA) def. Campbell Grayson (NZ), 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10.

Five Top Twenty players headline 2009 Motor City Open

Top seed Grant leads the way

By Henry Payne

Birmingham, Mich. – World #11 Adrian Grant of England leads five of the world’s Top Twenty pro squash players into the tenth annual Motor City Open presented by the Suburban Collection, January 28-February 2. The tournament will be hosted by Michigan’s premier squash facility, the Birmingham Athletic Club, north of Detroit.

Also vying for the $30,000 purse and a Rolex watch presented by Greenstone’s Jewelers will be defending Motor City Open champion, Olli Tuominen, the #22 ranked player from Finland. Spain’s #14-ranked Borja Golan is the second-seed, Laurens Jan-Anjema (#17) of the Netherlands is third, and Australia’s lanky Cameron Pilley (#18) fourth. World #19 Stewart Boswell will be seeded fifth as he seeks to capture a title he lost in 2007 to Tuominen.

Top seed Grant is no stranger to the Motor City Open, having played here since 2005. Despite a hip injury that briefly dropped him out of the world’s Top 16 in early 2008, Grant has resumed his assault on the world’s Top Ten. His stirring victory over World #2 (and former Motor City Open champ) Greg Gaultier last October at the World Championships in Manchester, England vaulted him to his highest-ever ranking of #11. Grant’s first round opponent will be local favorite Julian Wellings, former world #46 and the BAC’s resident squash pro.

In addition to familiar faces like Boswell, Tuominen, and Grant, Motor City fans will get their first look at two-seed Golan, a PSA tour veteran at 26 who had a career year in 2008. The dashing Spaniard rose ten spots to achieve his best-ever ranking: #14 in the world.

Who else to look for in 2009? Golan himself might be of some help. When asked by Squash360.com to name the funniest person on tour, Golan nominated Egypt’s Hisham Ashour.

The entertaining Hisham, world #23, will be at the Motor City Open this year.

In addition to the world’s top players, the Motor City Open offers kids clinics with guest appearances by the touring pros, and a pro-am doubles tournament. Qualifying matches kick off the tournament Wednesday, Jan. 28

For tickets call Julian Wellings at 248 646-1663 or email: jwellings@mail.birminghamathleticclub.com.

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