KARACHI, 28 July 2005 — Frenchman Gregory Gaultier caused a sensational upset yesterday when he outplayed third-seeded and former world champion Amr Shabana of Egypt in straight sets to whisk into the semifinals of the Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship.
In stark contrast to a series of predictable results over the last few days, there was plenty of drama here at the DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex with Australia’s Anthony Ricketts surviving 3-2 against Englishman Nick Matthew and his compatriot David Palmer ending the reign of defending Pakistan Open champion James Willstrop.
Top-seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou looked uncomfortable but still managed a 3-0 win against dangerous Egyptian Karim Darwish to become the first semifinalist of the 2005 Pakistan Open earlier in the day.
The semifinal line-up today pits a Frenchman against an Aussie in either match.
Gaultier made full use of the coaching of his countryman Thierry Lincou as he showed enormous mental and physical strength in stunning Shabana 11-10, 11-5, 11-3 in just 25 minutes.
In what surprisingly turned out to be the shortest match of the day, Gaultier survived some close moments to earn a 3-0 verdict against one of the most gifted players on the World Tour.
Gaultier will now meet second seed David Palmer, the most consistent player in the $85,000 tournament yet.
Palmer, the reigning world No. 3, is yet to drop a game in this competition and once again displayed his fine form with a ruthless display of attacking squash against Willstrop.
The reigning British Open champion, from Lithgow (New South Wales), outclassed Willstrop in the opener and then edged the young Englishman in the remaining two games to set a date with Gaultier in the last four.
The clash between two of the tallest players on the World Tour was an enthralling encounter punctuated by a series of breathtaking rallies. The 29-year-old Palmer won 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 against the fifth-seeded Willstrop, eight years his junior.
The best match of the day, however, saw Anthony Ricketts surviving a match point to pip Nick Matthew in a 76-minute epic battle.
Ricketts, the world No. 6 and seeded fourth in this event, won the opening two games 11-7, 11-3 and seemed cruising to a comfortable win. The Aussie was down 0-3 in the third when he asked for three minutes of injury time.
He lost the game 7-11 and the next one by an identical margin as Matthew gained control over the proceedings. The Englishman was match ball up at 10-9 in the final game but Ricketts forced a tie-breaker and won it to advance to the semifinals.
His next opponent is Lincou, the world’s top player from Marseille. Lincou won the opening two games against world No. 11 Darwish on tiebreakers and also had to exert himself in the third which he took 11-8 to get a place in the semifinals.
Though a three-setter, it was a tough match that last for 44 minutes.
