Kuwaiti squash star Abdullah Al Muzayen delighted the home crowd by pulling off a stunning upset in the first round of the Kuwait PSA Cup, the third PSA World Series event of the year at the Qadsia Sporting Club in Kuwait.
The fast-improving world No38 recovered from a game down to topple in-form South African Stephen Coppinger - ranked a career-high 20 in the world - 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6 in 73 minutes.
"Steve's a great player, but I've always played well in Kuwait and I really wanted to win it for the fans, and to give something back to the coaches and the KSF who have supported me so much," the left-hander told the event website www.kuwaitpsacup.com later.
"I hope everyone comes to support me when I play Gregory Gaultier," added the Kuwaiti number one as he contemplated his next match with the fourth seed from France. "I'll give it everything I have but they have to remember that he's the world number three!"
Hopes of further Kuwaiti interest in the second round were dashed later when England's world No17 Adrian Grant - the highest-ranked unseeded player in the draw - despatched 18-year-old wild card Yousif Nizar Saleh 11-3, 11-1, 11-7.
It was otherwise a day full of surprises - and marathon encounters. Cameron Pilley, the world No18 from Australia and the second highest-ranked player in action in the first round, squandered a match-ball in the third game against Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan before finally clinching victory over the Malaysian after 81 minutes and five games - 11-7, 12-10, 11-13, 5-11, 11-4.
Semi-retired Englishman Jonathan Kemp showed that he still has what it takes when he upset fellow countryman Chris Simpson, boasting a career-high world No26 ranking, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10 in 54 minutes.
"Lost to Jon Kemp today in a 4set battle," Simpson told his Twitter followers later. "Had my chances in 1st and 4th, but the better player won today."
Egyptian Karim Ali Fathi became the youngest player through to the second round when he overcame experienced and higher-ranked Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-4 in 68 minutes.
The 19-year-old from Cairo's first ever World Series win takes him through to a clash with Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, the 15th seed.
Zac Alexander became the lowest-ranked player through to the last 32 round when he upset Martin Knight, the world No42 from New Zealand, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9. The Australian, ranked 62 in the world, progresses to face fifth-seeded Egyptian Karim Darwish.
RESULTS: PSA World Series Kuwait PSA Cup, Kuwait
1st round:
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 6-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 (70m)
Leo Au (HKG) bt Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) 5-11, 11-7, 16-14, 11-7 (72m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 13-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10 (54m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 9-11, 11-6, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8 (91m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-4 (89m)
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-4 (68m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 13-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5 (58m)
Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6 (73m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 (73m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-7, 12-10, 11-13, 5-11, 11-4 (81m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-8, 14-12, 11-4 (64m)
Zac Alexander (AUS) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (43m)
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Max Lee (HKG) 11-2, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8 (54m)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-5, 8-11, 4-11, 13-11, 11-7 (73m)
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 12-14, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9 (80m)
Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Yousif Nizar Saleh (KUW) 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 (34m)
2nd round line-up:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[16] Simon Rosner (GER) v Leo Au (HKG)
[9] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[7] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) v Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
[15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
[10] Borja Golan (ESP) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
[4] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
[11] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[12] Tom Richards (ENG) v Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Zac Alexander (AUS)
[6] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY)
[14] Alister Walker (BOT) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[13] Daryl Selby (ENG) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Adrian Grant (ENG)
Official event website: www.kuwaitpsacup.com
Watch the live action on www.psasquashtv.com
For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com