R2 : Makin, Masotti and Ibrahim advance
13.45 Matches
Youssef Ibrahim (Egy) 3-0 Eain Yow Ng (Mas) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (34m)
Baptiste Masotti (Fra) 3-0 Todd Harrity (Usa) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (30m)
[7] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-0 [9/16] Adrian Waller (Eng) 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 (32m)
Top half shaping up as Joel Makin, Baptiste Masotti and Youseff Ibrahim all advance in three …
Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 3-0 Todd Harrity (USA)
Baptiste: If you compare it with my first match, where I didn’t play well at all, I was frustrated, couldn’t put my attacking squash in place at all, today, I was able to put pressure on Todd from the start.
I knew I shouldn’t play at Todd’s pace, because he would crucify me. So I put myself in the “don’t give anything away, keep the pressure at all times” mode. And my aim was to put him behind me at all times.
Toddy is tall, and he doesn’t like it too much when you twist and turn him with low hard shots. I think he is probably feeling very frustrated, because I think I never let him get into the match.
Even if I was mostly hitting hard, I was varying the angles as much as possible to make sure I kept him behind me.
I want to win so badly today, I wanted to have the chance to play on the glass, against Mo Shorbagy again. He is one of the greatest players of all times. And it’s when you are playing the best that you have a chance to become the best. It’s more gratifying to win against somebody your level, but it’s while playing those tough matches that I was improve.
I have the upmost respect for Shorbagy and I hope that little by little, I will also earn their respect, and I want to play those tough matches to show that I can win those matches..
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) 3-0 Adrian Waller (ENG)
Joel: Score was very close, especially in the first game. Adrian has got a very high skill level, he’s got a lot of options on the ball, he’s got a nice simple technique, he can hold, and when he is holding, he can keep me back behind him, so it was difficult, with his height as well.
I know he’s been out with knee injury for a long time, so he is not as sharp, but he doesn’t make a big difference with Adrian because you still got to control the squash because if you don’t, he will put you behind him, and with his span, he doesn’t have to do a lot!
When I was lower down, we had a lot of hard matches together, so I was well aware it was going to be hard.
I’ve got semi-finals a few times now, and going to the latter stages. I’m coming to these to get a tournament title, I want to win these now.
The feel is obviously quality, Marwan is in form, Dessouki is in form, but I don’t think they are not doing anything I cannot beat this week. I’m sharp, I feel good. I was at one point away to take the first game against Marwan, his body was struggling, I think I could have been through the final had I taken that game.
Very very small differences, you are not going to change anything drastically this week, I carry on putting in the work, just trying to put in my quality squash to the level where I can beat these guys.
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0 Eain Yow Ng (MAS)
Youssef: I prepared very well, I’m happy with the knee which is a little bit better, I trained very well.
This tournament, I have been mentally very sharp, focusing on each point of each match, and from the beginning of the match. I know that if you give him the tiniest of chances, he is going to be play better and better.
Honestly, this is a tough draw, I’d rather play like a top player rather than an upcoming player, because he is very hungry, I’m very hungry, so he is not going to give an easy win for sure.
I was under pressure, I wouldn’t be if I was playing a higher ranked player. He is very good, tactically too, and I made sure I was playing each point as if it was the last.
Today I managed to read his tactics a bit better, I knew what was his game plan, and I had my game well in place as well. I think I played the big points very well. I was running to get every shot, responding to his attacks, I didn’t give him any cheap points today, and that’s what made me won in three.
I’m playing Joel Makin in the next round. I didn’t really think about that match to be honest, I thought that YowNg was a tough match, and to try and get that out of the way. But I’m really excited for that match, he is playing his best squash so far, he is beating the top guys more regularly, so it will be a tough one.
He is a grinder, I’m an attacker, different styles, I love playing those type of player, makes me attack a bit more, even of the traditional court, but they are deadly, and it’s good that I managed to play two matches here. Going to be tough, mentally and physically, but really looking forward to it.
