A huge two-week squash extravaganza
started in Cairo two days ago when the world's top 16 women - minus the injured Sarah Fitz-Gerald - vied for the
Heliopolis Open title while 32 men battled for eight places in the 64 draw World Open.
Michelle Martin will hardly have time to draw breath after the final on saturday before the Al Ahram Women's
tournament will start - all this action split betwen two clubs and the breathtaking Pyramid site. And after both the
major tournament finish on the glass court in front of the Pyramids, all the men will regroup for the World team
championshipos for another full week of squash as thirty national teams will fight for glory. You want results?
Your brain will boggle.
MARSHALL BACKS OUT
There was a major disappointment when
Peter Marshall had to pull out of his second qualifying match with badly pulled ligaments in his back.
He was so bad he was on his back for 12 hours unable to move. Having helped England win the World Cup he had
been selected for the team over Mark Chaloner. Now he is out! The rules state that only a player ranked lower can be
brought in to substitute for Marshall...Marshall had no ranking...is this a problem for abstract philosophy or applied maths?
EX WORLD CHAMP KNOCKED OUT
The first upset victim in the the World Open was Australian Rodney Eyles who
was bundled out by hometown player Amr Shabana in four games. Eyles, a former world number two, won this title
just two years ago, but that was his last hurrah. His career is now on the downcurve while Amr Shabana is one of the
bunch of new upcoming Egyptians with bundles of confidence and wit.
ALL THAT'S GOLD DOESN'T GLISTEN
It wasn't a good day for Canadian Graham Ryding either. Still bedazzled by his
collection of Pan Am gold medals and his highest PSA ranking ever, Ryding went out to a virtual unknown Pakistani,
Shamsul Islam Khan. After comfortably leading 2/1 Ryding appeared to lose conviction and gave the fourth to Khan.
His heart never seemed to be in it. In a lacklustre fifth game, Khan always led and always looked like he was winning.
Fatigue seemed to play a large part in the Canadian's departure - a bad result in such an important tournament.
AL AHRAM WORLD OPEN FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Amr Shabana (Egy) bt Rodney Eyles (Aus) 15-9, 13-15, 8-15, 15-13.
Martin Heath (Sco) bt Julian Bonetat (Fra) 15-13, 15-11, 15-7.
Glenn Whittaker (SA) bt Juha Raumolin (Fin) 10-15, 15-14, 9-15,15-14,15-9
Nick Taylor (Eng) bt Janne Kyttanen (Fin) 15-3, 15-11, 15-5
Simon Parke (Eng) bt Joseph Kneipp (Aus) 15-8, 15-10, 15-9.
Marcus Berrett (Eng) bt Stephen Meads (Eng) 15-11, 11-15, 13-5, 15-2, 15-3.
Amjad Khan (Pak) bt Mohamed Abdul Hafiz (Egy) 15-5, 11-15, 15-3, 13-15, 15-9.
Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt John Russell ( Eng) 13-15, 15-8, 15-12, 15-9.
