WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Qatar Squash Classic, Doha, Qatar

Men's 1st round:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Paul Price (AUS) 11-15, 15-6, 15-11, 15-7 (45m)
[11] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 15-13, 15-9, 15-11 (46m)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [6] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 12-15, 15-7, 15-10, 15-11 (64m)
[9] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Stefan Casteleyn (BEL) 15-8, 15-13, 15-2 (31m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Rodney Durbach (RSA) 15-7, 15-8, 15-13 (38m)
[12] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt Alex Gough (WAL) 15-7, 15-6, 10-2 ret. (40m)
[Q] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [14] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 17-16, 15-3, 10-15, 15-14 (52m)

Women's qualifying finals:
Carla Khan (PAK) bt Olga Sola (ESP) 9-1, 9-2, 9-2 (24m)
Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-4, 9-2, 9-6 (30m)
Laura Lengthorn (ENG) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-1, 5-9, 9-3, 3-9, 9-3 (66m)
Alison Waters (ENG) bt Salma Shabana (EGY) 9-7, 9-2, 9-1 (36m)
Heidi Mather (AUS) bt Eman El Amir (EGY) 7-9, 9-2, 8-10, 9-6, 9-7 (56m)
Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt Kate Roe (ENG) 9-2, 9-2, 9-1 (20m)
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Vicky Lankester (ENG) 5-9, 7-9, 9-3, 9-1, 10-8 (86m)
Rebecca Botwright (ENG) bt Wendy Maitland (SCO) 5-9, 7-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-7 (54m)

Abbas Routs Ricketts In Classic Opener

The opening day of the 2003 Qatar Squash Classic, the richest joint men's and women's event of the year, produced a spectacular upset when Australia's sixth seed Anthony Ricketts crashed out in four games to Egypt's unseeded Mohammed Abbas at the Khalifa Squash Complex in Doha. 

Only four weeks ago, the in-form Ricketts reached his fourth successive PSA Tour semi-final after beating world No2 John White in the Canadian Open in Edmonton.  The world No6 from Brisbane took the opening game against Abbas in the Qatar capital, but the 22-year-old world No23 from Cairo fought back to take the next three to claim his shock 12-15 15-7 15-10 15-11 victory in 64 minutes.

Abbas will now face England's ninth seed Lee Beachill, who brushed aside the challenge of Belgian qualifier Stefan Casteleyn 15-8 15-13 15-2 in 31 minutes.

Peter Nicol, the world No1 from England who is seeded to win the PSA Platinum Super Series title for a third successive year, made a hesitant start against world No18 Paul Price.  The unseeded Australian took the opening game, but the defending champion struck back to clinch the match 11-15 15-6 15-11 15-7 in 45 minutes.

Three English players made it through the qualifying finals to earn places in the main draw of the women's event.  Rebecca Botwright did so after fighting back from 0-2 down against Wendy Maitland - beating the Scot 5-9 7-9 9-6 9-4 9-7 in 54 minutes to set up a first round clash with compatriot Tania Bailey, the eighth seed.

Updated Women's 1st round draw:

[1] Carol Owens (NZL) v [Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL)
[12] Stephanie Brind (ENG) v Sharon Wee (MAS)
[8] Tania Bailey (ENG) v [Q] Rebecca Botwright (ENG)
[13] Fiona Geaves (ENG) v Pamela Nimmo (SCO)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Latasha Khan (USA)
[15] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v [Q] Carla Khan (PAK)
[6] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v [Q] Laura Lengthorn (ENG)
[9] Rebecca Macree (ENG) v [Q] Alison Waters (ENG)
[10] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) v Nicol David (MAS)
[7] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
[16] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Annelize Naude (NED)
[4] Cassie Jackman (ENG) v [Q] Heidi Mather (AUS)
[14] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [Q] Amelia Pittock (AUS)
[5] Linda Charman (ENG) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Madeline Perry (IRL)
[2] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Rebecca Chiu (HKG)