KUALA LUMPUR: Ong Beng Hee played an excellent game of squash and came back from two sets down to upset world No. 16 and fourth seed Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt to reach the semi-finals of the CIMB Kuala Lumpur Open.
The world No. 19 and eight seeded Beng Hee won 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8 in an 80-minute quarter-final match at the Berjaya Times Square yesterday.
The 30-year-old Beng Hee will play against world No.1 and top seed Ramy Ashour of Egypt today for a place in the final.
Mohd Azlan Iskandar continued his excellent run to score a second upset win in the tournament. The Sarawakian, who sent world No. 10 and third seed Adrian Grant of England packing in the opening round on Wednesday, defeated world No. 17 and fifth seed Stewart Boswell of Australia 11-1, 11-8, 11-5.
Azlan, ranked 18th in the world, will play against world No. 5 and second seed Karim Darwish of Egypt in the semi-finals. Darwish advanced with a 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 win over sixth seed Cameron Pilley of Australia.
Back to you: Ong Beng Hee makes a return against Mohamed El Shorbagy during their quarter-final match at Berjaya Times Square yesterday. Beng Hee won 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8. — GLENN GUAN / The StarBeng Hee, who bagged the Chennai Open early this month, said that he refused to give up even though he had lost the first two sets.
“I fought really well in the third set to keep the match alive. Shorbagy was under pressure after losing the fourth set and I knew that I could get the better of him. I am delighted to have beaten the two-time world junior champion,” said Beng Hee, who won the KL Open in 2008.
“I am tired after the hard fought win over Shorbagy but it will not stop me from giving my best against Ashour in the semi-finals.
“I thank the crowd for cheering me. My coach, Jamshed (Gul of Pakistan), also helped me mentally to get better of Shorbagy.”
Azlan, who won the KL Open twice in 2003 and 2006, said that it was really good to secure another upset win in straight sets.
“Boswell made a lot of errors in the first set. He had difficulties playing in the glass court and he was slow in retrieving shots. I was lucky that I had the opportunity to train in the glass court in the morning,” he said.
Asian champion Azlan has never beaten Darwish in the last six meetings. They last met in the final of the Motor City Open in Detroit in January.
“I gave him a good fight in a match that lasted for 108 minutes. I will go all out to get the better of him thsi time,” he said.
Men: Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) 12-14, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6; Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8; Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus) 11-1, 11-8, 11-5; Karim Darwish (Egy) bt Cameron Pilley (Aus) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9.
Women: Nicol David (Mas) bt Kasey Brown (Aus) 12-10, 14-12, 11-1; Alison Waters (Eng) bt Samantha Teran (Mex) 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-13, 12-10; Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) bt Madeline Perry (Irl) 12-10, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7; Jenny Duncalf (Eng) bt Laura Massaro (Eng) 11-7, 4-11, 10-12, 10-11 (retired).
The world No. 19 and eight seeded Beng Hee won 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8 in an 80-minute quarter-final match at the Berjaya Times Square yesterday.
The 30-year-old Beng Hee will play against world No.1 and top seed Ramy Ashour of Egypt today for a place in the final.
Mohd Azlan Iskandar continued his excellent run to score a second upset win in the tournament. The Sarawakian, who sent world No. 10 and third seed Adrian Grant of England packing in the opening round on Wednesday, defeated world No. 17 and fifth seed Stewart Boswell of Australia 11-1, 11-8, 11-5.
Azlan, ranked 18th in the world, will play against world No. 5 and second seed Karim Darwish of Egypt in the semi-finals. Darwish advanced with a 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 win over sixth seed Cameron Pilley of Australia.
Back to you: Ong Beng Hee makes a return against Mohamed El Shorbagy during their quarter-final match at Berjaya Times Square yesterday. Beng Hee won 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8. — GLENN GUAN / The Star“I fought really well in the third set to keep the match alive. Shorbagy was under pressure after losing the fourth set and I knew that I could get the better of him. I am delighted to have beaten the two-time world junior champion,” said Beng Hee, who won the KL Open in 2008.
“I am tired after the hard fought win over Shorbagy but it will not stop me from giving my best against Ashour in the semi-finals.
“I thank the crowd for cheering me. My coach, Jamshed (Gul of Pakistan), also helped me mentally to get better of Shorbagy.”
Azlan, who won the KL Open twice in 2003 and 2006, said that it was really good to secure another upset win in straight sets.
“Boswell made a lot of errors in the first set. He had difficulties playing in the glass court and he was slow in retrieving shots. I was lucky that I had the opportunity to train in the glass court in the morning,” he said.
Asian champion Azlan has never beaten Darwish in the last six meetings. They last met in the final of the Motor City Open in Detroit in January.
“I gave him a good fight in a match that lasted for 108 minutes. I will go all out to get the better of him thsi time,” he said.
Men: Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) 12-14, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6; Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) 7-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-8; Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus) 11-1, 11-8, 11-5; Karim Darwish (Egy) bt Cameron Pilley (Aus) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9.
Women: Nicol David (Mas) bt Kasey Brown (Aus) 12-10, 14-12, 11-1; Alison Waters (Eng) bt Samantha Teran (Mex) 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-13, 12-10; Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) bt Madeline Perry (Irl) 12-10, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7; Jenny Duncalf (Eng) bt Laura Massaro (Eng) 11-7, 4-11, 10-12, 10-11 (retired).
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