Dangerous Momen lies in wait for hungry Matthew

The world No 2 from Sheffield, going for his third successive world title, saw off a stiff challenge from Australia’s Zac Alexander, losing the first game before prevailing 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 in 48 minutes.

The second-seeded Yorkshireman will today meet Egypt’s Tarek Momen, who defeated Alexander’s compatriot Ryan Cuskelly in his second round match.

It will be an encounter two-time winner Matthew will not take lightly, having lost to Momen at the same venue in last year’s Qatar Classic, going down 9-11, 10-12, 8-11 in a surprise second round exit.

Harrogate-based Chris Simpson caused the biggest upset of the day when he defeated ninth-seeded Laurens Jan Anjema, from the Netherlands, after a dramatic five games.

The Guernsey-born 25-year-old made a brilliant start to open a first game lead over Anjema, the 30-year-old world No 11 to whom he lost in straight games only two months ago. The Dutchman fought back to draw level, and again levelled after dropping the third game.

In the decider, world No 34 Simpson, who trains under David Pearson in Harrogate, fought well to earn match-ball at 10-9, the match concluding with an unforced error from Anjema in the front right hand corner where his drop shot hit the tin.

“I was so nervous in the fourth,” admitted Simpson after his sensational 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 win. “Sometimes you wonder whether you will ever get there. But I really wanted this one so much.

“The first game was the best I’ve ever played. The last two tournaments I have come close to beating top 16 players, so I know I can do it.”

Simpson - one of only two unseeded players in the last 16 round - now progresses to meet French star Gregory Gaultier, the No 3 seed who last year finished as runner-up for the third time. It took 50 minutes for world No 3 Gaultier to extinguish South American interest in the event, beating Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-9, 11-7, 11-9.

Leeds’s world No 1 James Willstrop will also be in action earlier today, facing Pontefract team-mate Saurav Ghosal, the first Indian player to ever reach the last 16 of the event.

All five previous meetings on the PSA Tour have been won by Willstrop, the closest Ghosal coming to an upset being at this year’s Canary Wharf Classic where the Yorkshireman needed five games and almost 90 minutes to get past his sometime training partner.

RESULTS

Qatar PSA World Championship, Doha, Qatar

2nd round (lower half of draw):

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (50m)

Chris Simpson (ENG) bt [9] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 (71m)

[10] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Max Lee (HKG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (30m)

[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9 (30m)

[7] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (31m)

[12] Alister Walker (BOT) bt [Q] Shaun le Roux (RSA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)

[13] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (37m)

[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Zac Alexander (AUS) 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (48m)

THIRD ROUND DRAW (played Tuesday, December 11).

[1] James Willstrop (ENG) v Saurav Ghosal (IND) - 11am (UK time approx)

[6] Peter Barker (ENG) v [15] Borja Golan (ESP)

[8] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v [16] Cameron Pilley (AUS)

[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [11] Daryl Selby (ENG)

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Chris Simpson (ENG) - 2.30pm (UK time approx)

[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [10] Omar Mosaad (EGY)

[7] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [12] Alister Walker (BOT)

[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [13] Tarek Momen (EGY) - 4.30pm (UK time approx).