Abbas Signals Tour Return At Edmonton Open

RESULTS: Edmonton Open Squash Championship, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Quarter-finals:

[7] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [1] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7

[4] Chris Simpson (ENG) bt [8] Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7

[3] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 15-13, 11-7, 11-4

Matthew Giuffre (CAN) bt [2] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-8

Semi-finals:

[7] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [4] Chris Simpson (ENG) 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7

[3] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Matthew Giuffre (CAN) 7-11, 11-7, 11-2, 6-11, 11-4

Final:

[7] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [3] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-2 (52m)

Abbas Signals Tour Return At Edmonton Open

Out of action for most of this year with injuries, Mohammed Abbas marked his return to top flight squash in distinctive style at the Edmonton Open in Canada where he won the $20,000 PSA World Tour title at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton after beating fellow Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz in the final.

Plagued by ankle and hamstring injuries during the year, former world No13 Abbas plummeted to a nine-year career-low 66 ranking this month. But the 28-year-old seventh seed from Giza ousted top-seeded Canadian Shahier Razik, ranked 31 in the world, in straight games in the quarter-finals before battling to a five-game win over England's No4 seed Chris Simpson in the semis.

Omar Abdel Aziz, the third seed, was also tested in five games in the other semi-final before overcoming outsider Matthew Giuffre, the local hope from Edmonton who made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals by despatching Australia's second seed Aaron Frankcomb.

After two close games, Abbas took control in the final against Abdel Aziz, ultimately beating the 26-year-old from Cairo 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-2 in 52 minutes.

The triumph marked the fourth PSA Tour title of Abbas's career - but his first since March 2007.