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PSA: Fathi has faith to win Swiss Open

Karim Ali Fathi in action

Ali Fathi Celebrates Swiss Open Success

26 March 2012

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Swiss Open, Geneva, Switzerland

1st round:
[1] Bradley Hindle (MLT) bt [Q] Norman Junge (GER) 11-4, 11-3, 12-10
Andre Haschker (GER) bt [Q] Jerome Dadot (FRA) 11-8, 11-2, 11-4
Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 12-10, 11-2, 11-2
[4] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt [Q] Carsten Schoor (GER) 11-8, 11-2, 11-4
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [3] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-1
Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt Antoine-Camille Petrucci (FRA) 13-11, 1-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6
Leandro Romiglio Fernandez (ESP) bt [Q] James Simpson (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
[2] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Cedric Kuchen (SUI) 11-5, 11-8, 11-1
Quarter-finals:
Andre Haschker (GER) bt [1] Bradley Hindle (MLT) 8-11, 11-6 ret.
[4] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 11-5, 11-4, 11-2
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-6, 12-10, 11-8
[2] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Leandro Romiglio Fernandez (ESP) 7-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9
Semi-finals:
[4] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Andre Haschker (GER) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [2] Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-9, 14-12, 11-8
Final:
[4] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6

Egyptian teenager Karim Ali Fathi, the No4 seed, became the surprise winner of the Swiss Open title in Geneva without facing any higher-ranked opponents in the 39th staging of the established PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event at theGeneva Squash Club.

The 18-year-old from Cairo, the youngest player in the tournament, beat France’s Geoffrey Demont in the quarter-finals and German Andre Haschker in the semis – both unseeded – before facing surprise opponent Lucas Serme, also a non-seed, in the final.

Frenchman Serme, a 20-year-old from Creteil studying at University in Bristol in the UK, despatched England’s No3 seedJaymie Haycocks in the opening round and claimed his biggest scalp in the semi-finals where he ousted second-seeded Dutchman Dylan Bennett.

And outsider Serme opened up a 2/1 lead over the Egyptian in the final as he looked to be heading towards his third upset in the event.

But Ali Fathi raised his game to defeat Serme 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6 to become the first Egyptian winner of the prestigious title since 2006.

“It was a tough match,” said the Egyptian’s coach Philip Whitlock. “But Karim got off to a good start in the fifth and stayed in front all of that game.”

Ali Fathi’s success, his second Tour title of the year, marked a notable double triumph for former England international Whitlock who not only coaches the Egyptian but also his daughter Emily Whitlock, winner of the women’s Swiss Open trophy.
For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com

 

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