Doha: Four Egyptians forced their way into the quarter-finals of the $325,000 PSA World Championship at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex here yesterday.
Also qualifying for the last eight stage of the tournament were two Englishmen and one player from France and Spain.
World No. 1 James Willstrop and compatriot Nick Matthew won their respective matches with easy to keep them in the race for the title.
Defending champion Matthew overcame the spirited challenge of Tarek Momen of Egypt in a tussle which lasted for one hour and five minutes.
The world No. 2 seed will take on Amr Shabana of Egypt in the quarter-finals.
Shabana advanced into the next round as Alister Walker of Bostwana pulled out retired hurt in the second game. Trailing 1-0 in the first game and down 9-3 in the second, Walker walked off the court.
Yesterday, India’s challenge at the championship ended with the exit of unseeded Saurav Ghosal.
Leeds-based Ghosal who became the first Indian in the 36-year history of the PSA World Tour’s premier event to reach the last sixteen went down tamely to Willstrop in three staight games.
World No. 23 Ghosal, who has set a goal to break into the top ten, went down 11-6, 11-7, 11-2 to Willstrop, his training partner on the PSA Tour.
Willstrop will take on Borja Golan of Spain who stunned Peter Barker of England in three games to one.Golan, ranked 15, won against the Barker, the world No.6, registering a fighting 11-7, 4-11, 11-3, 11-3 victory.
Mohamed El Shorbagy became one of the four Eyptians to qualify for the quarter- finals when he defeated Cameron Pilley of Australia 11-13, 11-6, 11-7. Eight seed Shorbagy will clash with Karim Darwish in an all-Egyptian clash today. THE PENINSULA
