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Daily News, Issue #6

Men’s Quarter-Finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (Egy)                    7/11, 11/7, 11/8, 11/7 (50m)
[3] David Palmer (Aus) bt [5] Karim Darwish (Egy)                 11/4, 11/7, 11/6 (38m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [7] Lee Beachill (Eng)                    11/8, 11/9, 11/4 (42m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [6] Nick Matthew (Eng)               8/11, 11/4, 8/11, 11/2, 12/10 (80m)

Women’s Quarter-Finals:
[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [11] Jenny Duncalf (Eng)                    9/3, 9/2, 9/2 (24m)
[6] Vicky Botwright (Eng) bt  [3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)         5/9, 9/6, 10/9, 9/4 (58m)
[5] Natalie Grainger (Usa) bt [13] Alison Waters (Eng)            9/5, 9/6, 9/5 (32m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)    9/0, 9/3, 9/2 (26m)

[2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [6] Nick Matthew (Eng)               8/11, 11/4, 8/11, 11/2, 12/10 (80m)

What a thriller ...

... said Heather Deayton, doyen of Hong Kong squash  as we came out of centre court, breathless after the last quarter-final of the day.

It was too, or at least the fifth game was. After the first four games were shared - Gregory Gaultier taking the two he won quite comfortably, Nick Matthew always looking the likely winner his two - we were treated to an epic decider.

In that fifth game every rally was a battle, every was rally long, every winner or error was greeted by delight or despair, by the players, the crowd, often both.

It was truly one of those games - one of those matches - that could have gone either way.

2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9.

Then one of Greg's little boasts just clips the tin. Match ball to Nick. A loose shot from Nick, Greg puts it out of reach ... no let, 10-10.

A dropshot that's too tight for Nick to reach ... match ball to Greg. Another drop to the front left corner ... Nick tries to get there ... no let.

The French contingent, several having made the trip from New Caledonia, erupt. Nick has a strong word with the referee about some decisions in the second half of the game, but the match is over.

France has two semi-finalists ... and one of them will be in the final.

"It's 3/2 every time with Nick, and that's three times in a row I've won a really close fifth game.

"He started well, I had to change tactics as he was rushing me to the front and putting it away, so I had to really find my length to counter that.

"The fifth was an epic, every rally was hard and it went point for point. He had match ball this time, but I was lucky he opened up the court and gave me the opportunity to get back, but there was no difference there, no difference at all."

"I know Nick's upset, losing three times that close, but for me I wouldn't have been upset losing this match as I already won two close ones, I'm just glad to be lucky enough to get through."

[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt
[7] Lee Beachill (Eng)     11/8, 11/9, 11/4 (42m)

A popular win

The crowd here like Thierry Lincou, what with his half-Chinese origins and the fact that he won here, unseeded, a few years ago. So they cheered long and loud when their favourite (well, second favourite after Rebecca of course) completed a straight games win over Lee Beachill.

It wasn't as simple as that makes it sound though, as for two and a half games the Englishman matched Lincou all the way. This was quality squash, both players engaging in neat and tidy rallies, accuracy being the keyword for the most pat, and few do that better than these two.

So it was tough going for the Frenchman, as he edged the first from 8-all, then survived a wobble in the second when Lee closed down his hard-worked-for gap thanks to some inopportune tins.

Thierry was always ahead in the third, but u until 5/3 it looked as though it would be another close finish. But then the dam burst as Lee fired in four quick tins and it was all but over.

So Thierry goes to the mall tomorrow ... but not for shopping, not just yet ...
  

"I really got into my game from the start, and I tried to maintain my focus on every rally.

"I put myself in trouble after a good start in the second, I was glad to get that one because against Lee it normally goes to four or five. This is a tough court, you have to be aware all the time, and quick, otherwise it can go away from you like it did for Lee in the third.

"I'm just happy with the way I played and looking forward to going on to the Mall, I didn't get to play there last year …"

[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)    9/0, 9/3, 9/2

No stopping Nat

Right from the outset Natalie Grinham was in charge of this match. Having already played on this court in the first round, she was clearly more comfortable than her opponent, for whom nothing would seem to go right.

"I feel sorry for her," said Natalie, "this court is so different and it's a big advantage to have already played on it."

Omneya wasn't griping about that though. "She was too good today. "Yes, the court's very colourful, and my racket adds to the effect too! But everything I put short she attacked, so I played deep and she attacked from there too.  Too good."

"I feel a bit guilty as I've already had a match on here, but it was her first time and she just wasn't seeing it, I felt sorry for her, I know what it's like when you just can't get into it.

"The court plays so differently from the others, and it's another new court tomorrow, and another venue.

"I was happy to get off in three today though, if she'd stayed on much longer she might have got used to it and I would have been in trouble …"

Natalie Grinham

"She was just too good today. She kept on attacking anything I put short and it was away, so I tried to keep it at the back and she attacked from there too …

"The court was different, especially with all the colours - and my racket too! – but she was just too good."

Omneya Abdel Kawy

[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [11] Jenny Duncalf (Eng)                      9/3, 9/2, 9/2 (24m)

Nicol in dominant mode

It's not as if Jenny Duncalf played badly, she didn't. But when Nicol David is on form, bouncing round on the T, keeping up a relentless pace and pouncing on anything at all loose, she's a formidable proposition.

Nicol got on top from the start today, racing to 5/0 in the first and never really looked back.

Jenny's only poor spell was at the start of the third when a few unforced errors visibly frustrated her, but the Englishwoman steadied the ship, and the rest of the final game consisted of long, well-constructed and well-contested rallies ... it's just that she didn't win many of them, as tends to be the way with Nicol in this mood ...

"I moved up another level today, I was hitting the ball well and moving well – it helps having had two matches on the glass court already.

"Jenny's been playing well, she was bound to come on court on a high after beating Vanessa so I knew I had to up my level, which I did, so I'm very pleased with that."

[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (Egy)                    7/11, 11/7, 11/8, 11/7 (50m)

Shabana reels in Wael

It was two room-mates on court for the second men's quarter-finals, and while the edge of competition was always there, both players were at times having fun and giving the packed crowd a real treat.

It wasn't a typical El Hindi marathon - it wasn't a typical El Hindi match, all good clean fun. Wael did start well though, keeping the defending champion pinned to the back and denying him the chance to attack.

But, as he said afterwards, his shots started to become shorter and shorter, and slowly but surely Shabana began to take control.

It was El Hindi who took the first from 7-all, Shabana who did the same in the second, and after that he stayed on top and in control throughout, despite Wael's best efforts, finishing it off with a service return right into the nick.

"The finish was alright!

"He took me by surprise in the first, I didn't think he'd adapt to the court as well as he did, and he played well. But I got more and more into it as we went on. I didn't do anything different, just the usual gameplan of keeping it tight until an opportunity appears, but it was a good match.

"It's nice and cosy here with lots of spectators close to the court, but it will be great to play in the Mall with loads of the public around, it's a great venue …"

"I was playing very consistently in the beginning, but all my shots started to get shorter and shorter and he was cutting them off with very few errors.

"He's got so much confidence at the moment, it's hard to control him. Once the ball comes out he just goes for it and normally gets it. I wish him good luck in the next round …"

[3] David Palmer (Aus) bt [5] Karim Darwish (Egy)                      11/4, 11/7, 11/6 (38m)

Palmer stays ahead

"It's a funny thing to say," said the third seed after his victory, " but against Karim it's always easier if I can manage to stay ahead. If I get a point or two into the lead I know I can force him into making some errors as he pushes to get back, but if he gets ahead he's much more likely to hit some more winners."

David executed the plan perfectly today, keeping Karim on a tight leash, and was only headed at 0/2 in ach of the first two games.

"I was so flat today, not there at all," said Karim. "I couldn't find my length or rhythm and was always behind him."

Just about sums it up, really ...

"Very happy. I was expecting a hard match today as Karim has been playing very well over the last three tournaments, losing only to Shabana and Greg and he put Peter Barker away handily yesterday.

"I do well against him when I'm ahead in the score – if I'm a couple of points up I can force him into errors, but if he's ahead he's more likely to hit some more winners. I think I played the ball well today, kept him under pressure until I got the openings.

"It's a bit like the World Open a couple of years ago, where I played on three different courts in three days. You have to try to not let it affect you mentally, and I've done a good job of that over the last couple of days.

"I have good memories of Hong Kong, when I won it was when I first became number one. Other tournaments come and go but this one is consistently good, there's no stress when you're here, everything is in place, there's always great crowds and a good team in place.

"Tony's doing a great job – he must have learned a lot from Heather!"

David Palmer

"I was so flat today, not there at all. This court is so different, I couldn't get my rhythm or length at all, I was always behind him.

"He played well, and I wanted to do well here after my recent performances, but I wasn't focused enough today, and you have to be 100% to have a chance of beating the top guys"

Karim Darwish

[5] Natalie Grainger (Usa) bt [13] Alison Waters (Eng)
                 9/5, 9/6, 9/5 (32m)

Grainger powers into semis

It took her a little while to find her range in each of the three games, but once the American had worked up a head of steam Alison Waters had no way of stopping Natalie Grainger today.

The Englishwoman held her own or better at the start of each game, leading 4/2 in the first, 5/2 in the second and 3/1 in the third, but couldn't maintain it in the face of a barrage of attacking shots from Grainger.

Many times Alison was wrenched from corner to corner, chasing everything down, but too often one loose shot resulted which was duly despatched. Fittingly Natalie won it as she powered one last shot down the court leaving her opponent stranded at the front. Impressive.

"I had to try to keep the ball out of the middle, she's a smooth mover and a good volleyer. I tried to bury her with pace and chase in anything short as it dies in the front corners on here.

"The ball sticks to the solid backhand wall, we had a few rallies up and down threw her it just seemed to be getting tighter and tighter, I just couldn't get it off there, so I decided to initiate some hard crosscourt bangs instead!

"Well happy with that, another different court tomorrow, but it's always nice to play on the big stage with lots of people around, that's what we all play for …"

[6] Vicky Botwright (Eng) bt 
[3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)  5/9, 9/6, 10/9, 9/4 (58m)

Vicky downs the World Champion

Vicky Botwright turned in a sparkling performance in the first match on centre court, reaching her second consecutive Hong Kong semi-final, coming from a game down to beat the third seed, who she lost to last week in Qatar.

It started well for Rachael as she took control of the first game, catching Vicky out with some of her trademark little flicks. Vicky pulled a few points back, but too late.

From the start of the second though, Vicky was killing Rachael with her volley kills. Anything loose, particularly on the backhand, was punched away dead, and even Rachael's speed couldn't get her there in time. One all.

For much of the third it seemed Vicky was playing Rachael at her own game - running down anything short, often flicking it crosscourt but mainly putting up lobs, and more lobs, and more lobs, then killing anything loose.

Rachael was certainly making her opponent work, and started to claw back the 4/0 and 6/2 leads Vicky had built. She got to 6-all, Vicky, working hard, got to 8/6 but couldn't finish it. This was the crucial part of the match, and they both knew it.

Vicky saved a game ball, saved another at 8/9, put in one of those volley kills to level and took the game with three lobs followed by a drop that left Rachael stranded.

After a tight opening to the fourth - six hand-outs at 2-all - suddenly the dam broke and Vicky raced away to victory, fittingly winning it with yet another of those backhand volley kills into the nick ...
  

"I actually enjoy playing Rachael, even when I lose to her, so I go on and usually end up playing well.

"I managed to stick to my gameplan today, unlike last week in Qatar. All her drops were going in that time but they were a bit looser today and I made sure I was moving in to pick them up. I was lobbing a lot in Qatar too, but it was just working better today, and I was able to pick off anything loose.

"The third was crucial for both of us. I was 8/6 up, then when she got to 9/8 I thought "oh, no," but luckily I managed to win that one.

"Having already played on here twice will have helped me too, I thought she looked a bit uncomfortable on there today …"

"I just felt like I wasn't timing the ball at all well today, my crosscourts were coming out, I was missing balls and everything.

"It seemed like one of those days when everything went her way.

"It's frustrating. I felt like I did the best I could, and sometimes I can get away with being a bit loose, I can run them down, but she was just killing everything loose, hitting perfect winners.

"In the end I guess she was supposed to win today …"

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