Egyptians Storm Into Tournament of Champions In New York
Qualifying finals:
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4 (61m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Kashif Shuja (NZL) 11-6, 10-12, 12-14, 11-7, 11-1 (70m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 17-15 (113m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (35m)
Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-13, 11-5 (89m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Chris Walker (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (41m)
Amr Swelim (EGY) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-5, 15-13, 11-5 (48m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 1-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (56m)
Egyptians will dominate the main draw of the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions after four players from Cairo came through the qualifying finals to join a further five compatriots in the first round of the $117,500 PSA Tour Super Series Gold squash event in its 15th year at Grand Central Terminal in New York.
Yasser El Halaby, the world No53 from Cairo, took out Australian Wade Johnstone 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4 in a 61-minute marathon to become the lowest-ranked player in the draw. The 24-year-old now faces Scotland's US-based former world number one John White.
His fellow countryman Omar Abdel Aziz ended the brave run of 41-year-old Chris Walker, beating the former England captain 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 to set up a first round clash with England's Adrian Grant, the 11th seed
Renan Lavigne survived a 113-minute marathon against fellow Frenchman Julien Balbo - his 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 17-15 victory taking the 34-year-old into a first round clash with top seed Amr Shabana, the former world number one who is looking for his third title in four years.
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [Q] Renan Lavigne (FRA)
[10] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Stewart Boswell (AUS)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[15] John White (SCO) v [Q] Yasser El Halaby (EGY)
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[16] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v [Q] Amr Swelim (EGY)
[7] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
[9] Peter Barker (ENG) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[12] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[6] David Palmer (AUS) v [Q] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[14] Borja Golan (ESP) v Alister Walker (ENG)
[4] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [Q] Mark Krajcsak (HUN)
[8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[11] Adrian Grant (ENG) v [Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY)
[2] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Shahier Razik (CAN)