El Hindi, Gough in Final
April 11, 2004 © 2004 by Howard Harding      [Lichtenstein draw/results]

Finalist Wael El Hindi (photo © 2004 Debra Tessier)

Second-seeded Welshman Alex Gough and Egypt's fifth seed Wael El Hindi will meet in the final of the Interlingua Liechtenstein Squash Open after both survived tough semi-final battles lasting more than an hour and a half in the European principality's capital Vaduz. Davide Bianchetti, recent winner of the Swiss Open, was unable to duplicate that feat after he relinquished a two game to zero lead to be relegated to the galleries for today's finals.

In the first semi-final, it was the Egyptian's experience which brought El Hindi through the 91-minute battle against rising Spanish star Borja Golan, the 21-year-old eighth seed from Santiago.

El Hindi, a 23-year-old former world junior championship runner-up from Cairo, finally prevailed against his seemingly fitter opponent 15-11 15-9 15-17 17-15 to reach his sixth PSA Tour final.

Finalist Alex Gough (photo © 2004 Debra Tessier)

In the other semi, the Vaduz crowd were treated to an entertaining affair between Gough and Italy's Davide Bianchetti in the first international squash event to be held in the country.

Bianchetti, the 27-year-old sixth seed from Brescia, took the first two games, but in a tight end to the third game, it was Gough who came up trumps with some great finishes on the big points to pull back the deficit.

The 33-year-old former world No5 then maintained control of the match with intelligent play in the next two games to win 10-15 12-15 15-13 15-8 15-9 in 101 minutes over a tiring Bianchetti.

The former Welsh National champion is celebrating his 13 th appearance in a PSA Tour final and looking for his ninth win.

RESULTS: Interlingua Liechtenstein Squash Open, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Semi-finals:
[5] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [8] Borja Golan (ESP) 15-11, 15-9, 15-17, 17-15 (91m)
[2] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [6] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 10-15, 12-15, 15-13, 15-8, 15-9 (101m)

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