France’s former world number one Gregory Gaultier ended a 15-month ranking title drought when he won the Rotary Heliopolis Open in Cairo, beating local hero Omar Mosaad in four games in the final of the $42,500 PSA World Tour squash event at the Heliopolis Sporting Club.
The 27-year-old from Aix-en-Provence joins a distinguished cast of former winners of this long-established Tour title, including Jansher Khan, Peter Nicol and Egyptians Ahmed Barada and Amr Shabana.
But Gaultier had to do it the hard way, beating three seeded players from the host city in succession before clinching the coveted trophy.
Wins over fifth seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda and Hisham Mohd Ashour, the fourth seed, took the Frenchman in to the final against Mosaad, the 22-year-old third seed who sensationally ousted Egyptian favourite Karim Darwish in the semi-finals.
And the Cairo hero opened up a first game lead against Gaultier before the experienced French champion regained control to work his way to his 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5 victory.
The triumph marks Gaultier’s 17th career PSA Tour title – but his first ranking success since winning the Tournament of Champions in New York in January 2009.
Final:
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5
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Semi-finals:
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [1] Karim Darwish (EGY) 12-10, 1-11, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 7-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-4
Mighty Mosaad Ditches Darwish In Heliopolis Upset
Egypt’s Omar Mosaad celebrated the best win of his career in his home city Cairo when he beat top-seeded compatriot Karim Darwish in five games in the semi-finals of the Rotary Heliopolis Open to claim an unexpected place in the final of the $42,500 PSA World Tour squash event at Heliopolis Sporting Club in the Egyptian capital.
The 22-year-old’s sensational victory marks Mosaad’s first win over one his country’s ‘big three’ – Ramy Ashour, Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish, the illustrious Egyptian trio which currently occupies three of the top four places in the world rankings.
Twice third seed Mosaad took the lead over the former world number one, and twice Darwish dug deep to draw level. And the all-Cairo clash went the full distance in the decider. But it was underdog Mosaad who ultimately prevailed, winning 12-10, 1-11, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10 to reach the tenth – and biggest, by far – PSA Tour title of his career.
Mosaad will face second-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in the final. The only non-Egyptian in the last four, Gaultier had to fight back from a game down to overcome fourth seed Hisham Mohd Ashour 7-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-4.
The 27-year-old from Aix-en-Provence is celebrating his second Tour final appearance in a row after making the climax of the ISS Canary Wharf Classic in London last month.
Gaultier, who topped the world rankings for the first time last November, is marking the 38th Tour final of his career – but is looking for his first ranking title success since winning the Tournament of Champions in January 2009.
Quarter-finals:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [7] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4
[4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt [6] Tom Richards (ENG) 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [5] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-6, 11-5, 12-10
Darwish & Gaultier On Course For Cairo Showdown
Former world number ones Karim Darwish and Gregory Gaultier remain on course to meet in the final of the Rotary Heliopolis Open after straight games’ wins in the quarter-finals of the $42,500 PSA World Tour squash event at Heliopolis Sporting Club in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
Darwish, the top seed from Cairo looking to win the long-established title for the first time, defeated top-ranked German Simon Rosner, the No7 seed, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.
The world number four, who topped the rankings for all but one month of last year, now faces Cairo compatriot Omar Mosaad.
The 22-year-old ended Nicolas Mueller‘s run, beating the unseeded Swiss star 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4.
Gregory Gaultier will be hoping to deny the crowd an all-Cairo final when he takes on fourth seed Hisham Mohd Ashour in the other semi-final. The 27-year-old Frenchman beat fifth-seeded Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda 11-6, 11-5, 12-10.
Ashour faced sixth seed Tom Richards – and had to recover from a game down before defeating the Englishman 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7.
1st round:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Amr Swelim (ITA) 11-7, 11-4, 11-3
[7] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [Q] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-4
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Islam El Fiky (EGY) 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [8] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6
[6] Tom Richards (ENG) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6
[4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7
[5] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt [Q] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 12-10, 11-4, 11-7
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6