by Martin Bronstein reporting from Egypt, Aug 20 2000 24:00 hours © 2000 squashtalk

AL AHRAM INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2000 FIRST ROUND NIGHT MATCHES

CAIRO EXCLUSIVE TO SQUASHTALK From Martin Bronstein in Cairo

Martin Bronstein reporting on first round matches: midnight in the desert

EGYPT LIKES ITS OWN
When the first round matches finally finished after midnight in the cool desert next to the Pyramids, four sons of the desert had taken their place - quite deservedly - in the last 16. In addition to those two wild cards, Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish, who had knocked out Mark Chaloner and Anthony Hill, ranked 15 and seven respectively, Ahmed Barada worked hard to beat Stefan Casteleyn in three, while Omar Elborolossy had a much harder fight on his hands with Thierry Lincou. These were evenly match partners with a similar style of game with very little action around the T. It was an absorbing match with each man capable of placing the ball all over the court, which they did in every rally.

Elborolossy won in four and will now meet Barada in the second round. Another Egyptian, Mohamed Abbas, fell in straight sets to Peter Nicol who will now meet the tough Nick Taylor in the second round.

RESULTS MEN First round
Peter Nicol (Sco) btMohamed Abbas (Egy) 15-3, 15-9, 15-8.
Nick Taylor (Eng) bt John White (Sco) 17-16, 13-15, 15-7 ret.
Martin Heath (Sco) bt Lee Beachill (Eng) 15-11, 15-11, 15-6.
Amr Shabana (Egy) bt Mark Cahloner (Eng) 13-15, 15-5, 15-8, 15-5.
Simon Parke (Eng) bt Derek Ryan (Ire) 15-6. 15-10, 15-8.
Karim Darwish (Egy) bt Anthony Hill (Aus) 15-8, 15-3, 15-4.
Peter Genever (Eng) bt Peter Marshall (Eng)15-13, 15-17, 16-17, 15-7, 15-10.
David Palmer (Aus) bt Ollie Tuominen 15-9, 7-15, 15-13, 8-15, 15-10.
Billy Haddrell (Aus) bt David Evans (Wales) 15-10, 15-5, 15-9.
Ahmed Barada (Egy) bt Stefan Casteleyn (Bel) 17-14, 15-6, 15-9.
Omar Elborolossy (Egy) bt Thierry Lincou (Fra) 17-15, 15-8, 4-15, 15-8.
Alex Gough (Wal) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus) 15-13, 6-15, 15-14, 15-6.
Del Harris (Eng) bt Joseph Kneipp (Aus)15-13, 10-15, 15-9, 15-8
Paul Johnson(Eng) bt Ahmed Faizy (Egy) 15-10, 15-9, 15-12.
Graham Ryding (Can) bt Mark Cairns (Eng) 17-15. 13-15, 15-9, 15-4.
Jonathon Power (Can) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 15-11 15-12 15-8

WOMEN First round
Cassie Campion (Eng) bt Salma Shabana (Egy) 9-0, 9-4, 9-1.
Natalie Grainger (Eng) bt Eman El Amir (Egy) 9-1, 9-0, 9-5.
Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt Claire Nitch RSA) 9-4, 9-3, 9-7
Jennie Tranfield (Eng) bt Agnes Muller (Swi) 9-10, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2.
Carol Owens (Aus) bt Vicky Botwright (Eng) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0.
Stephanie Brind (Eng) bt Senga Mcfie (Sco) 10-8, 9-1, 9-4.
Suzanne Horner (Eng) bt Maha Zein (Egy) 9-4, 9-4, 9-6.
Vanessa Atkinson (Neth) bt Katline Cauwels (Bel) 9-2, 9-0, 9-5.
Rebecca Mcree (Eng) bt Engy Kheirallah (Egy) 10-8, 10-8, 9-5.
Fiona Geaves (Eng) bt Latasha Khan (USA) 9-3, 9-4, 9-3.
Tania Bailey (Eng) bt Corrine Castets (France) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0.
Linda Charman (Eng) bt Annelize Naude (RSA) 9-0, 9-4, 9-3.
Rachel Grinham (Aus bt Ellen Petersen (Den) 10-8, 9-1, 9-5.
Sabine Schoene (Ger) bt Pamela Nimmo (Sco) 9-5, 9-4, 10-8.
Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Aus) bt Wendy Maitland (Sco) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0.
Leilani Joyce (NZ) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 9-0, 9-3, 9-2

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

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