WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: EBS Asset Management Dayton Squash Open, Ohio, USA

1st round:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Stacey Ross (ENG) 15-13, 15-4, 15-12
[6] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) bt [Q] Mark Heather (ENG) 15-9, 15-9, 15-12
[3] Graham Ryding (CAN) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 15-8, 15-9, 5-4 ret.
[5] Simon Parke (ENG) bt Julian Wellings (ENG) 15-11, 15-11, 15-7
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [7] Alex Gough (WAL) 9-15, 15-11, 12-15, 15-9, 15-10
[Q] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [4] Paul Price (AUS) 15-10, 13-15, 7-15, 15-9, 15-9
[Q] Rodney Durbach (RSA) bt [8] Mark Chaloner (ENG) 15-4, 15-11, 13-15, 15-8
[2] Martin Heath (SCO) bt Moh'd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 17-15, 7-15, 15-14, 15-9

Egyptians Reserve Early Semi Slots In Dayton

Four Egyptians have forced their way through to the quarter-finals of the EBS Asset Management Dayton Squash Open - and two are guaranteed semi-final slots in the $40,000 PSA Tour event in Ohio, USA.

Top seed Karim Darwish and sixth seed Omar Elborolossy, ranked 9 and 15 in the world, will have the chance to fight for Egyptian supremacy after straight games first round wins over English qualifiers Stacey Ross and Mark Heather, respectively.

Two other Egyptians have reached their quarter-final clash against the odds:  Qualifier Wael El Hindi fought back from 2/1 down to upset fourth-seeded Australian Paul Price 15-10 13-15 7-15 15-9 15-9, while unseeded Mohammed Abbas was twice behind before coming through to beat seventh seed Alex Gough, from Wales, 9-15 15-11 12-15 15-9 15-10 in 85 minutes.

The crowd's favourite match featured England's Simon Parke, the fifth seed from Nottingham, and Julian Wellings, the Dayton Squash Centre's own touring professional.  Wellings, originally from Eastbourne, England, grew up playing junior squash in the UK with his 'best mate' Simon.  According to Julian "we've probably played over 25 matches against each other, starting at age 8, and the only victory I've had was that first one at age 8!"

Despite vociferous local support from the crowd, Wellings went down 15-11 15-11 15-7 as Parke made his way into the last eight.

His opponent will be Canada's third seed Graham Ryding who gained revenge for last week's defeat by Shahier Razik to beat his compatriot 15-8 15-9 5-4 after Razik retired after an hour-long nose bleed caused by an accidental clash with Ryding's racket.