RESULTS: El Gouna International Open, El Gouna, Egypt

1st qualifying round:
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (41m)
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Ali Ashraf El Karargy (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9 (53m)
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Mohd Essam El Sherif (EGY) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (31m)
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 (78m)
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Basem Makram (EGY) 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (27m)
Wael Farag (EGY) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 10-12, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (55m)
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Ahmed El Mehelmi (EGY) 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 (27m)
Ali Farag (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Mazen Gamal (EGY) 11-7, 11-1, 11-3 (35m)
Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-0 (38m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Adel El Zarka (EGY) 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 (28m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (49m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 5-11, 11-3 (60m)
Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (65m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-9, 12-10, 18-16 (73m)
Karim AGA Samy (EGY) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-6, 4-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-9 (70m)


National interest in the inaugural El Gouna International Open is likely to be considerably boosted after seven Egyptians claimed places in the qualifying finals of the $142,500 PSA Super Series squash event which are being staged at the Alexandria Sporting Club in Alexandria.

After qualifying and first round action in Alexandria, the 2010 El Gouna International Open - the seventh PSA Super Series event of the year and the second to be staged in Egypt - will move to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of El Gouna from the second round, leading to the grand final on Sunday 24 October.

Cairo-based 21-year-old Karim AGA Samy produced the biggest qualifying shock by overcoming compatriot Omar Abdel Aziz, the second highest-ranked player in the competition. Samy, ranked 98 in the world, recovered from 2/1 down to topple Aziz, the world No34, 11-6, 4-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-9 in 70 minutes.

Jan Koukal stands in Samy's way of claiming a place in the main draw. The Czech number one battled for three minutes longer to secure a straight games victory over Robbie Temple, beating the left-hander from England 11-9, 12-10, 18-16.

Ten days of fierce competition in the Commonwealth Games in India, leading to quarter-final berths in two doubles events, clearly took its toll on Campbell Grayson after the New Zealander bowed out prematurely in Alexandria.

Grayson, the world No49 from Auckland, took the opening game against Marwan El Shorbagy - but the 17-year-old Egyptian took control thereafter and, after just 38 minutes, claimed his surprise 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-0 win, and a place in the qualifying finals.

But just three days after winning a Commonwealth Games Men's Doubles Bronze medal, Australian Ryan Cuskelly successfully returned to singles action in Alexandria by beating Egypt's Basem Makram 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 in 27 minutes.

The 23-year-old world No37 from New South Wales will now face another Egyptian Wael Farag, ranked almost 80 places lower, for a place in the main draw.

Qualifying finals line-up:
Tom Richards (ENG) v Julien Balbo (FRA)
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v Wael Farag (EGY)
Chris Ryder (ENG) v Ali Farag (EGY)
Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) v Mohammed Abbas (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
Dylan Bennett (NED) v Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Karim AGA Samy (EGY) v Jan Koukal (CZE)

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