RESULTS: Sigma Swiss Open Squash Championships, Geneva, Switzerland
Men's final:
[7] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt [1] Jesse Engelbrecht (ZIM) 11-6, 11-2, 11-4
Women's final:
[1] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt [5] Orla Noom (NED) 1-9, 9-2, 9-6, 9-1
Briggs & Aziz Win Swiss Open Titles
England's Lauren Briggs and Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz claimed the titles in the Sigma Swiss Open Squash Championships after convincing victories in the finals in Geneva.
After reaching the quarter-finals in 2003, the semi-finals in 2004 and finishing as runner-up last year, top seed Lauren Briggs marked her steady improvement in Geneva by fighting back from a nervous start – and a game down - to beat Orla Noom, the fifth seed from the Netherlands, 1-9, 9-2, 9-6, 9-1 in the 2006 final.
The victory marks Briggs' second WISPA World Tour title – and the tenth Swiss Open triumph by an English woman since 1988.
The men's final produced a major upset – and the first PSA Tour title success for Omar Abdel Aziz. After recovering from two games down to overcome England's Chris Ryder in the second round, Aziz made it through to the final without dropping a further game.
The 22-year-old from Cairo faced Jesse Engelbrecht, the top seed from Zimbabwe who was taken to five games in his semi-final battle with unseeded Italian Andrea Capella.
Aziz, playing fast and error-free squash, never allowed his higher-ranked opponent to get a foothold in the final, winning 11-6, 11-2, 11-4.
"I was pleased to reach the final not feeling tired as I felt I had a tough draw to reach the final," said the triumphant Egyptian afterwards. "I tried to keep the pace fast, keeping Jesse under pressure, and my short game worked well."
Aziz becomes the first Egyptian winner of the men's title in Geneva for more than a decade and a half.