20/05/2010
Matthew & Barker Ensure English Sky Semi-Finalist

Contrasting successes by Nick Matthew and Peter Barker in the second round of the $150,000 Sky Open in Egypt has guaranteed English interest in the semi-finals ...

Sky Open, Cairo, Egypt

2nd round (lower half of draw):
[7] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [14] Alister Walker (ENG) 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 (65m)
[12] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [3] Amr Shabana (EGY) w/o
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [13] Adrian Grant (ENG) 14-12, 11-9, 11-5 (88m)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [11] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 (30m)

Matthew & Barker Ensure English Semi-Finalist In Cairo

Contrasting successes by Nick Matthew and Peter Barker in the second round of the $150,000 Sky Open in Egypt has guaranteed English interest in the semi-finals of the third - and biggest so far this year - PSA Super Series 2010 squash event at the Sky Petrosport Club in Cairo.

Second seed Nick Matthew, the world number two from Sheffield, took just 30 minutes to overcome Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, the No11 seed, 11-4, 11-2, 11-5.

Winner of the previous PSA Super Series event, the North American Open in Virginia in February, Matthew has his sights on the world number one ranking - and knows that a better finish in Cairo than Egyptian rival Ramy Ashour, his opponent in the US final, could achieve this.

Peter Barker will have to tackle an England team-mate for the second time in 24 hours when he faces Matthew. But the eighth-seeded Londoner had to work hard to get the better of fellow left-hander Adrian Grant - taking 88 minutes to beat the No13 seed 14-12, 11-9, 11-5.

Egypt's third seed Amr Shabana, the four-time World Open champion and winner of more Super Series titles (16) than any other current Tour player, suffered a back 'twinge' during the knock-up of his first round match - but was able to contain it to win through to the second.

But the celebrated left-hander felt unable to continue further in the tournament and conceded his match to compatriot Wael El Hindi, the Cairo-born but now New York-based 12th seed.

El Hindi can now look forward to an unexpected quarter-final clash with seventh seed Thierry Lincou after the former world champion and world number one from France recovered from a game down to beat Englishman Alister Walker 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 in 65 minutes.

Lincou boasts a 4/1 career head-to-head lead over El Hindi, but the Egyptian's one win was achieved at last year's Sky Open after a bruising 110-minute second round encounter.

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [5] James Willstrop (ENG)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
[7] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v [12] Wael El Hindi (EGY)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [8] Peter Barker (ENG)