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Fri 30th
Nov - Semi-Finals |
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[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [3]
David Palmer (Aus)
11/6, 3/11, 11/5, 11/5 (67m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [7] Nick Matthew (Eng)
11/6, 11/4, 11/8 (58m)
It's Greg and Shabana ...
It will be the top two seeds who meet for the right to be declared
World Champion, after semi-finals which saw Amr Shabana depose
reigning champion David Palmer, and Gregory Gaultier turn in a
stunning performance against Nick Matthew.
The Egyptian has won it twice ... the Frenchman lost agonisingly in
last year's final ... should be some match ... |
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[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [3]
David Palmer (Aus)
11/6, 3/11, 11/5, 11/5 (70m)
Shabana wins
champions' showdown
Four world
titles between them already, but only one could move on to try for a
third.
 David
Palmer started well, controlling the T for the early part of the
first game, forcing Amr Shabana to cover every corner of the court.
The Egyptian does that willingly, of course, and amid some lengthy
rallies the score rose evenly to 5-all. Then from nowhere it seemed,
David made four errors and that was effectively the first game over.
 The
second was almost a mirror-image – even to 3-all, then Shabana
started peppering the tin and in no time was 10/3 down and on his
way to equality.
He quickly corrected that trend, steadying down at the start of the
fourth, running smoothly and retrieving the impossible, as he does,
and this time the Egyptian was 0/3 up. Palmer got a couple back, but
again, too late.
Shabana had the momentum now, and he didn't relent. When Palmer hit
a stunning volley kill to get back to 2/3, Shabana replied instantly
with an even better one. Four more points to Shabana, then a
spectacular double fall – there had been a few earlier slips, but
nothing dangerous – and although Palmer again pulled a couple
of points back there was no holding the Egyptian now.
So, Shabana moves into the final, attempting to win his third world
title in five years, stripping the title from Palmer's grasp in the
process. |
 "It
can't get any tougher than that, even though the scores weren't
12/10 every game, every rally was hard, every shot he plays is
difficult to get back. Against the top guys your concentration level
has to be so much higher.
"In the second I was trying too hard to go for it, I was just
enjoying it too much and got carried away playing shots. It was a
rude awakening when I was 7/3 down and you can't give David Palmer
that sort of lead.
"I feel ok now, you have to feel ok when you're in the world open
final, the rush you get makes you feel great.
"David is a legend and he's still playing, so to beat him in a world
open semi-final is just a great feeling, especially in front of a
crowd like this. I can only dream about it, but I hope for another
full house tomorrow and if I play as well as I did today I have a
fair chance of winning."
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[2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)
bt [7] Nick Matthew (Eng)
11/6, 11/4, 11/8 (58m)
Greg Imperious
What a performance from Gregory Gaultier. These two had played three
times in the last few months, Greg winning each time, but each time
it was a nailbiter, going to the fifth and close in the decider too.
None of that tonight though.
From the outset Greg looked sharp and focused. He led the first 3/0,
and although Nick fought back to reach 5-all, a series of errors put
Greg back in charge and he finished it off with a lovely volley
kill.
 In
the second Greg was simply stunning. 9/0, mainly won with deft
winners. The Frenchman's movement, anticipation and ball placement
were superb, and although Nick got a few points back, completing the
comeback was never realistically on. Nick, who wasn't doing anything
wrong, who wasn't playing badly, was simply being outplayed at this
point.
And so it continued in the third as Greg opened up to 5/1. Then we
had a fantastic rally where both players hurled themselves around
the court, Greg under all sorts of pressure as Nick desperately
tried to finish it off. Greg fell at the back, got up and continued
the rally - by this time the the crowd were yelling and cheering at
each shot. Finally Greg went sprawling at the back again and Nick
plopped in a dropshot to win the point of the tournament.
That didn't seem to unsettle Greg, he was smiling along with
everyone else at the end of it, but it did spark off a mini-recovery
from Nick. He got it back to 6/3, then 8/6, but couldn't close the
gap enough as Greg reached match ball at 10/7.
Nick saved one, then at 10/8 Greg thought he'd won it, turned to
shake hands only to hear the refs call a let.
Then a final rally where Nick was sure Greg's drive
into the back corner had hit the tin. There was a brief moment of
uncertainty, but this time there was no reprieve for Nick.
To his disbelief and Greg's utter joy, the match was over and Greg
was in the final. Again.
It was a tense finish, but in truth it was a consummate performance
from Greg. Shabana said that if he played in the final like he did
today he'd have a good chance. If Greg plays like this again he has
an excellent one ...
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 "I
played very well. I had to be at my best to beat Nick, I knew I had
to give 100%.
"He doesn't give anything up, even if I'm far ahead, he's a great
fighter and I had to really fight to stay ahead.
"It's a good performance, I'll enjoy it now but not too much,
there's still one match to go."
"It's a great feeling to be in the final two years in a row. Last
year I missed it so bad, but I don't think I'll miss it this year …"
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"I
thought it could have been my night tonight. I tried to blitz him
but he was just too good. Sometimes, you've got to hold your hands
up and say you been outplayed. 
