WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Pace Credit Union Canadian Squash Classic, BCE Place, Toronto, Canada

Quarter-finals:
Omar Elborolossy (EGY) bt [6] Amr Shabana (EGY) 15-7, 10-15, 15-8, 15-13 (64m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [8] Graham Ryding (CAN) 15-13, 15-12, 15-13 (59m)
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 15-10, 15-9, 15-7 (69m)
[2] John White (SCO) bt Paul Price (AUS) 15-12, 17-14, 15-11 (53m)

Elborolossy Now Into Classic Semis

Giant-killer Omar Elborolossy, the unseeded Egyptian who knocked out England's world No1 Peter Nicol in the first round, will now contest the semi-finals of the $40,000 Pace Credit Union Canadian Squash Classic after defeating sixth-seeded compatriot Amr Shabana in the quarter-finals at BCE Place in Toronto.

Elborolossy, the world No21 from Cairo, accomplished what he set out to do - to prove to officials back home who failed to select him for last month's World Team Championship that, after a year of nursing a knee injury, he was back in winning form. 

Omar looked strong as he took the first game against his brother-in-law, ranked 11 in the world.  The left-handed Shabana, the Egyptian No2, found his spark in the second game and started moving the bigger Elborolossy around the court with a mixture of long shots and deadly accurate drops.  Fortunes turned Elborolossy's way in the third game, but in the fourth, it went right down to the wire.  At 13-12, Shabana crashed into the rear right corner, hurting his right shoulder.  When he got back on his feet, Elborolossy quickly brought the match to a conclusion in a 15-7 10-15 15-8 15-13 scoreline after 64 minutes.

"We always play good matches.  We are very good friends," said Elborolossy, after winning his second match in a row.  "We are related (Omar's wife Salma is Amr's sister) and enjoy playing each other.  I had some problems with our national association in the last few months.  I wasn't selected for the Egyptian team in the World Team Championships in Vienna in October.  The team didn't do as well as they should have.  It's a good achievement for me to show them that I'm still here.  I'm looking forward to taking on Palmer tomorrow in the semis."

Third seed David Palmer, the World Open and British Open champion from Australia, earlier beat Canada's 8th seed Graham Ryding 15-13 15-12 15-13 in 59 minutes.

"It wasn't one of my best matches.  I am really lucky to win three-love," said Palmer later.  "I didn't find I had my rhythm tonight.  Obviously I'm happy to have won.   I don't think Graham played his best either.  There were some good rallies in there. To come away three-love and head into the semis, I'm very happy."

Hometown favourite Jonathon Power, the fourth seed and defending champion, was in classic form and dominated all three games against England's world No18 Mark Chaloner.  Power's speed and incredible accuracy kept Chaloner on the defensive throughout, making him chase balls all over the court.  There were numerous appeals by both players to referee decisions.  Power also received a 'conduct warning for dissent' in the third game before winning 15-10 15-9 15-7 in 69 minutes.

"It was exactly what I expected," said Power the match.  "Pretty much all our matches are a thousand let calls and a long three-love.  We both fight for the same positions.  We don't give up any space.   He's quick and gets a lot of balls back.  He's strong on the ball so there is a lot of physical play out there.   I felt like I controlled the ball well, and I didn't get too rattled, although I disputed a few calls.  I kept my composure and kept going.  I control the middle of the court more than him and I make him do more work than me and he gets tired towards the end, and I tend to get a run of points when I break him physically a little bit.  It was a nice win today."

In the last of the quarter-finals, second seed John White of Scotland was severely tested by Australia's world No18 Paul Price, winner of a PSA Tour event in Canada ten days earlier.  White had to coma from behind to win the first two games.  In game three, White led throughout and eventually closed out the match 15-12 17-14 15-11 in 53 minutes.

"It was a bit of a shooting match out there with Price," said White. "There weren't that many long hard gruelling rallies.  I had to tighten up half-way through the second when I was down 12-6.  I was giving up too much freedom in the centre of the court.  He was putting it away, just punishing me.  I just kept it to the side wall and he made a few errors and opened the court back up for me which made his confidence drop down a bit let me get back in the match.  I put it together today which makes it feel a lot better for the win three-love."

About his semi-final against Power, White said:  "Great stuff.  I'm looking forward to it already.  It is always great playing Jon - you just don't know what to expect."