Kneipp Charges into Semi Finals

by Howard Harding
All content © 2003 Squashtalk

Dec 19, 2003

Kneipp, Lincou, Shabana, Darwish are Semi Finalists

[complete quarters results]      [also read: Round three report by Kneipp]

Amr Shabana upsets Anthony Ricketts (photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert)

Joe Kneipp and Amr Shabana had memorable outings in Lahore Pakistan today at the expense of Anthony Ricketts and Lee Beachill

These two seeding upsets in today's (Friday) quarter-finals of the $170,000 Bank Alfalah Men's World Open Squash Championship in Pakistan will result in Australia's 11th seed Joseph Kneipp facing fourth-seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou in one semi-final, and ninth seed Amr Shabana meeting seventh-seeded compatriot Karim Darwish in the other to ensure an Egyptian finalist for only the second time in the event's history.

Australia's world No6 Anthony Ricketts became the first victim of the seedings upsets which have characterised the Lahore event since day one. The fifth seed went down to world No11 Shabana in a see-sawing 86-minute clash which went to the wire. The 24-year-old from Cairo went 2/1 ahead after Ricketts took the opening game - but the Australian fought back to level the match.

The fifth was nip and tuck until both players shared match ball at 16-16, when - in the third 'sudden death' tie-break of the match - underdog Shabana clinched the point to claim his 14-15 15-14 15-12 12-15 17-16 win and a surprise place in the last four. The victory marked Shabana's second successive upset, after deposing defending champion David Palmer in the previous round.

Former world junior champion Darwish scored the only straight games triumph of the day, ending Italian Davide Bianchetti's courageous run in the event in 52 minutes in a 17-16 15-9 15-5 scoreline.

Joe Kneipp ousts English favorite Lee Beachill (photo © 2003 Debra Tessier)

Thierry Lincou is now only one win away from becoming world No1 for the first time - but the 27-year-old fourth seed from Paris dropped his first game of the tournament against England's 19th seed Nick Matthew before beating the world No21 from Sheffield 14-15 15-7 15-3 15-11 in 56 minutes.

Currently the most consistent player on the PSA Tour, now in his ninth successive semi-final, world No5 Lincou will have been delighted to see the outcome of the last quarter-final of the day, when Kneipp upset England's eighth seed Lee Beachill. Surprise winner of the Qatar Classic earlier in the month, Beachill could also have added the world No1 ranking to his achievements of the year had he gone on to claim the World Open title in Lahore.

The 26-year-old Yorkshireman started well against Amsterdam-based Kneipp, but after taking the first game, fell 2/1 behind as the Brisbane-born 30-year-old took control. Beachill clawed his way back to level the match, but Kneipp dug deep to overcome the England No2 10-15 15-10 15-8 11-15 15-10 to reach his first Super Series semi-final - and ensure that the World Open semi-finals will be without a single British contestant for the first time in a decade.

RESULTS: Bank Alfalah Men's World Open Squash Championship, Lahore, Pakistan

Quarter-finals:
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [30] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 17-16, 15-9, 15-5 (52m)
[9] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 14-15, 15-14, 15-12, 12-15, 17-16 (86m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [19] Nick Matthew (ENG) 14-15, 15-7, 15-3, 15-11 (56m)
[11] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [8] Lee Beachill (ENG) 10-15, 15-10, 15-8, 11-15, 15-10