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 TODAY at the Hong Kong Open
Sun 22nd, FINALS:
from Steve Cubbins in Hong Kong |
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World Number Ones
take Hong Kong titles
It was a packed house at Hollywood Plaza
as Hong Kong Squash's dream of taking squash to the people became a
reality, with live TV coverage, a spectacular venue and two engrossing
finals providing a fitting climax to the 2006 event.
Nicol David extended her winning run to 22 matches as she collected
the Hong Kong Open title - and
$12,750 - with a straight games win over Tania Bailey.
It wasn't all plain sailing though, as Nicol found herself 8/1 down in
the second, but she recovered to win it 10/8 in a single hand before taking
the third and the prestigious title.
The men's final was a fast and furious feast of attacking squash between
two Egyptian stars, with Amr Shabana just edging it over world
junior champion Ramy Ashour, taking the first and fourth games on
tie-breaks.
Shabana collected $17,500 and is assured of retaining his number one
status, while Ashour's fantastic week is sure to be rewarded with a
further leap in the rankings.
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EN BREF ISSUE #4
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[1]
Nicol David (Mas) bt [7] Tania Bailey (Eng)
9/1, 10/8, 9/5 (41m) |
David Dominates
Malcolm reports
It is hard to imagine any better setting than the Hollywood Plaza
provides, and massive crowds in and out of the arena assembled to watch
the first of the finals, between Nicol David, the world number one, and
Tania Bailey, well rewarded after a time not too long ago when a
mysterious illness threatened her career.
 David
raced away to win the first game 9/1, Bailey trying to withstand the
pressure but struggling to make any sort of impact. It seemed as if the
Malaysian was trying to impose her authority, not just on this
tournament but on the game at large.
Undeterred, Bailey began the second well and led 4/0. Unlike the first
game she got in front of David and was able to attack more, going to 8/1
before David staged a relentless recovery to 8-all, not easily done, but
as it went on seemingly inevitable.
And so she took the game 10/8 in a single hand, and what Bailey must
have been thinking as she took the 90-second break, heaven alone knows.
To her credit she started well in the third, leading 3/1, but David soon
caught up with her, led 4/3 then 6/4, 8/5 and won the match on her first
match ball. Bailey will feel she should have won the second and never
stopped battling, but it all looked slightly uphill.
Though Rachael Grinham had extended David in the semi-final, David
continues to dominate and with age on her side she may well do just that
for the next few years.
 "I
was a bit overmatched at the start, but managed to get into it
in the second.
"After
I got to 8/1 I couldn't win the next point and after that she
just didn't make any errors. She's done that to me a few times,
but I did expect to win that game. At 2/0 down instead of
one-all you're definitely up against it.
"Her pace is so much more than the other girls and she takes
everything so early. Your margins are so muchless, you have to
hit lower because she gets everything back and you do endup
making errors. It's hard to stay with that pace, I'll continue
the training I've been doing and do some work to help playing
those sort of matches.
"It's great to come through five matches though, that's a big
bonus, and I've got lots of good things to take back with me."
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 "I
made a good start but if you gave Tania any room she'll take
advantage, which is what she did in the second.
"She didn't make any errors in that spell, playing a good game,
and I was putting it to the front too much, she's deadly up
there. So I had to make sure she would have to work hard to get
any more points, and fortunately it worked.
"I thought I played a good match, felt really good and with a
good rhythm, I just pushed on to the end of the match.
"The court is great, it was a bit warmer tonight than yesterday,
so I just managed to get to some shots I might have missed
yesterday. The atmosphere is great, such a good crowd and there
were lots of Malaysians here to support me."
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[1]
Amr Shabana
(Egy) bt Ramy Ashour (Egy)
11/10(3-1), 3/11, 11/5, 11/10(3-1) (48m) |
Shabana's back,
Ashour's arrived ...
Malcolm reports
Both these immensely talented shotmakers were in full cry
immediately, Ashour looking totally relaxed, Shabana, feeling the
pressure as he didi in Cairo, less so.
Ashour got to 7/3 quickly. The rallies were generally short and Shabana
got back to 8-all with some ease, and began to control matters to have a
first game ball at 10/8. Ashour, however, levelled at 10-all for a
tiebreak. Two further game balls for Shabana
and he took the second of them on an Ashour error.
 It
had been a see-saw first and it seemed likely to continue that way
unless either of them were to lose their nerve.
Three errors by Shabana took Ashour quickly to to 4/1 as Ashour
continued to attack, unfazed by losing the first game. Shabana errors and
Ashour winners meant that the younger player raced away to level the
score, 11/3.
Come the third, it wa the world number one who started best, going to
3/0 then 8/3, the rallies for the most part still short but full of
invention and skills of the highest order. From the middle of the game
Shabana drew clear to win it 11/5.
Such though was the way that the game was being played that the 2/1 lead
was no guarantee of anything. Shabana, however, resumed where he left
off, led 6/2 but played four weak rallies for Ashour to get level at
six-all.
A spectacular rally took the score to seven-all, a stroke to Ashour to
eight-all, another big rally for Shabana to lead 9/8. Ashour gained a
game ball but a brilliant volley from Shabana meant a tiebreak. Ashour
was to have another game ball, but at 12/11 a sharp forehand angle died
in the nick, much to his relief, no doubt.
It had been a final full of shots, as it was always going to be, hinging
on bursts of improvised shots of which neither player is short.
Shabana is back, Ashour has certainly arrived ...
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 "It
was such a close match, like you saw in the third, just one point in
it.
"It was attacking squash, but that's how we're taught to play
back home, it's the only way we know to do it.
"It's the first time two Egyptians have been in a Super Series
final, we're proud of that and we're glad we put on a good show.
"Ramy is only just 19, world junior champion - but we can't
think of him as a junior anymore - and he has a great
future in the game, a future world champion, for sure. "
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 "I
don't think I played well in my head today, I was a bit loose,
but he played very well of course.
"I lost to the world number one, I played well throughout the
tournament, and I'm happy for Amr that he will still be number
one, it's a great honour for our country.
"After week like this, I'm so tired."
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A
Star Is Born ...
When I saw Ramy play for the first time at the qualifications for The
Saudi International Squash Tournament in 2005, ranked number 54 in the
World, I predicted that he would be World number one within two years …
I decided that day to have A. A. Turki Corp. (ATCO) sponsor him.
Now, exactly a year later, Ramy is ranked World number 13, and has
reached the final for the first time in a major PSA Tournament,
defeating none other than my friend David Palmer, one of the toughest
opponents in the circuit; a testament that Ramy is on his way to World
number one.
I am proud to be a part of his success, and very proud of his
achievement this week.
Look for a new World number one next year … he’ll be the one in the ATCO
shirt.
Saudi International Promoter |
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TODAY
