The walk of an Egyptian out of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open has earned a swift reaction from tournament organisers, who watched on tenterhooks as top seeds Peter Nicol and Jonathon Power courted disaster yesterday before inching closer to a much-anticipated final showdown.

TOP SEEDS STRETCHED
Scot Nicol and Canada's Power fought their way into today's semi-finals, where they will meet Australians Stewart Boswell and Anthony Ricketts, respectively. Power was pushed all the way by Scot John White before winning his quarter-final 3-2, while Nicol had it easier, beating England's Mark Chaloner 3-1.

After staving off White, Power revealed that he might have dislocated his left thumb, putting his appearance in today's semi-finals in some doubt. "I will take a decision later. It is going to be awfully tough to compete. But I had to break my thumb to start concentrating against White," said Power after surviving a one-hour struggle, 15-10, 11-15, 10-15, 15-8, 15-12.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE DEMANDED
There was plenty of action off court too, with colourful world number three, Ahmed Barada of Egypt, being asked to submit a medical certificate by today, to explain his walk-out from his second-round match against qualifier Boswell on Thursday night. Barada, trailing 9-15, 5-15, 1-7, retired hurt and conceded the match to Boswell. Organisers, clearly unhappy at a star attraction tamely opting out, have now asked Barada to produce a certificate from a doctor citing why he withdrew.

"We have given him 48 hours to produce a medical certificate. If he does not do so, then we will pass it on to the Professional Squash Association for disciplinary action," said Marlene Lee, tournament director. "I have not spoken to Barada about why he pulled out. All I know is that his coach said he was sick," added Lee. Barada was unavailable for comment yesterday.

BARADA WALKING FINE LINE
Trouble and Barada seem to go hand in hand. Last week at the Al Ahram International in Cairo, he was immersed in controversy when British Open champion Power claimed Barada had charged into him in a "malicious attack". Power had his legs swept out from under him in the opening exchanges. The referee did not see anything wrong. Power conceded the semi-final to Barada with his right knee playing up.

There were whispers that the PSA could take disciplinary action against Barada. But apparently in the best interests of the game - Egypt is strategic to the world game as it hosts one of the richest tournaments on the circuit and the country is squash-mad with even President Hosni Mubarak a keen fan and player - the matter is believed to have been dropped.

Now the walk of the Egyptian has raised questions again - even world number one Nicol was asking yesterday what was wrong with one of the pretenders to his title. Nicol beat Barada 3-1 in the Cairo final. "He had a tough week last week and most probably wants to go home. I don't want to go home. That is why I continue to win," said Nicol.

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• Semi-finals: Power, Nicol to meet again 8-2 (Squashtalk)
• Power into finals 8-2 (Squash Canada)
• Quarterfinal Report 8-1 (Squashtalk)
• Power second round win 7-31 (Squash Canada)
• Second round Report 7-31 (Squashtalk)
• Power looks strong 7-31 (SCMP)
• First Round II Report 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• Power first round win 7-30 (Squash Canada)
• First Round I Report 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• Nicol confident 7-29 (SCMP)
• Barada relaxed, ready 7-29 (SCMP)
• Power confirms Cathay entry 7-28
• Power and Barada at loggerheads 7-25

The Scot cannot complain of being homesick as he is accompanied by girlfriend Sally in Hong Kong. But yesterday in his quarter-final against Chaloner, it seemed as if Nicol, too, might end up as a spectator for the final. Nicol trailed 17-16, 14-12 before rallying to win 16-17, 17-15, 15-10, 15-11. "14-12 down in the second game and I was kicking myself to get going. I just needed to concentrate and re-focus," said Nicol. As soon as he did that, Chaloner's challenge faded.

POWER DIGS DEEPER
Power was made to sweat all the way by White before hanging on to a narrow victory where the lead swung wildly in the deciding game. "I rarely play a match where I'm not in control. I was frustrated today," said Power, who injured himself at the start of the fourth game. "Thankfully my knee is holding up. The wheels are working okay but the handle is a problem." Meanwhile, England's world number six Paul Johnson said he needed to get his "brain sorted out" after being dumped from the tournament by Boswell, who won 15-10, 15-13, 15-8 in 52 minutes to reach the rarefied level of the semi-finals for the first time. "I had no spring in my step and I was getting too tense," Johnson said. In the last match of the night, little-known Ricketts, ranked 39th in the world, toppled world number four Simon Parke of England, 15-11, 15-11, 15-9.

Reprinted with permission of the South China Morning Post online. (www.scmp.com)

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
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• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

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