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PSA: Fathi floors Kemp

Karim Ali Fathi in action. Picture by KIM ROBERTS

Fathi Floors Favourite Kemp In London

24 November 2012

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 London Open, London, England

Quarter-finals:
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt [1] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-8
Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 12-10
[Q] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [3] Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8
[2] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [Q] Greg Lobban (SCO) 11-9, 11-4, 20-18

Unseeded Egyptian teenager Karim Ali Fathi produced the shock of the tournament when he ousted top-seeded Englishman Jonathan Kemp in the London Open to claim a place in the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its fifth year at Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club in the England capital.

Expected to make the final for the third time in the last four years, world No29 Kemp – the 2009 champion – was matched point for point by the 19-year-old from Cairo who was making his maiden appearance in the event.

Based in the UK and coached by former England international Phil Whitlock, Ali Fathi showed remarkable maturity to see off the Ipswich-based 29-year-old 11-9, 11-6, 11-8.

The young Egyptian, ranked 70 in the world, will now face a further home player after Eddie Charlton, the world No82 from Nottingham, beat qualifier and fellow Englishman Joel Hinds 11-9, 11-4, 12-10.

Fathi reached the final of the SE Leisure Kent Open in the summer, going down to England’s Chris Simpson in the final.

There will be a qualifier in the other semi-final after Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal maintained his giant-killing run in the event to put out England’s No3 seed Robbie Temple 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8.

The 18-year-old from Peshawar will line up against England’s Chris Ryder. Now the only seed left in the event, second seed Ryder – the world No48 from Leamington Spa – beat Scottish qualifier Greg Lobban 11-9, 11-4, 20-18.

Semi-final line-up:
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v Eddie Charlton (ENG)
[2] Chris Ryder (ENG) v [Q] Nasir Iqbal (PAK)

Quality Qualifiers Excel In London

23 November 2012

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 London Open, London, England

1st round:
[1] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt [Q] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-5, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Abid Ak Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-2, 11-2
[Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9
Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt [4] Kamran Khan (MAS) 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8
[3] Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5
[Q] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 9-11, 12-14, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
[Q] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6
[2] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Jens Schoor (GER) 11-5, 11-4, 3-11, 11-9

In a dramatic night of first round upsets in the England capital, all but one of the qualifiers competing in the London Openmade it through to the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its fifth year atCumberland Lawn Tennis Club.

Joel Hinds gave home interest an unexpected boost when he beat Danish champion Kristian Frost Olesen 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9. Birmingham-based Hinds, the lowest-ranked qualifier, now faces Eddie Charlton in an all-English quarter-final.

Unseeded Charlton, 24, from Nottingham, also pulled off a notable upset – beating Kamran Khan, the No4 seed from Malaysia, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8.

Pakistan qualifier Nasir Iqbal put paid to a second all-English last eight clash when he upset rising Surrey star Charles Sharpes 9-11, 12-14, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4. The 18-year-old from Peshawar now takes on Robbie Temple after the London-based third seed despatched Germany’s Raphael Kandra 11-5, 11-6, 11-5.

It also took five games to resolve the match between Scotland’s Greg Lobban and Dane Rasmus Nielsen – and again it ended in an upset when qualifier Lobban triumphed 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6. The Inverness-born 20-year-old now faces England’s second seed Chris Ryder, who defeated German Jens Schoor 11-5, 11-4, 3-11, 11-9.

English favourite Jonathan Kemp denied a full house of qualifying successes when he beat UK-based Austrian qualifierAqeel Rehman 11-5, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8. The world No29 from Ipswich will now take on rapidly-improving Egyptian teenagerKarim Ali Fathi.

Based in the UK and coached by former England international Phil Whitlock, 19-year-old Ali Fathi despatched Pakistan’sAbid Ak Khan 11-4, 11-2, 11-2.

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
Eddie Charlton (ENG) v [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG)
[3] Robbie Temple (ENG) v [Q] Nasir Iqbal (PAK)
[2] Chris Ryder (ENG) v [Q] Greg Lobban (SCO)

For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com

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