Momen & Khan Celebrate World Open Debuts

Teenagers Tarek Momen and Aamir Atlas Khan, from host country Egypt and Pakistan, respectively, will make their maiden appearances in the premier event in men's world squash after impressive wins over Englishmen in today's qualifying finals of the Al-Ahram World Open in Cairo.

Momen, an 18-year-old from Cairo who helped Egypt to success in the Men's World Junior Team Championships in New Zealand in July, fought back from 0/2 down against Joey Barrington to beat his opponent, ranked 29 in the world, 10-11 (0-2), 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-10 (3-1), 5-1 when the Englishman retired after suffering with cramp in his right groin. The match had taken 84 minutes - just four minutes less than Barrington's first round encounter 24 hours earlier, which he survived in five games.

Momen will be joined in the first round of the $152,500 PSA Tour event by another Egyptian qualifier Hisham Mohd Ashour. The 24-year-old world No34 beat Frenchman Renan Lavigne 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 and will now line up alongside younger brother Ramy Ashour, the record two-times world junior champion, in the event's main draw.

Aamir Atlas Khan, a 16-year-old from Peshawar who pulled off a major upset over higher-ranked compatriot Mansoor Zaman in the previous round, triumphed 11-8, 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0) in 43 minutes over experienced Stacey Ross, ranked 52 in the world.

Two Englishmen also survived today's qualifying finals: Peter Barker, the world No24 from Essex and the highest-ranked player in the qualifiers, defeated Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 in 67 minutes, while Gloucestershire's Alister Walker upset higher-ranked compatriot Jonathan Kemp, from Shropshire, 11-8, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0) in just 35 minutes to earn an unexpected place in the main draw of the World Open.

*** There was major English disappointment in Cairo today when the country's top hope James Willstrop was forced to pull out of the event suffering from gastro-enteritis. The world No4 from Pontefract in Yorkshire, who was seeded to reach the semi-finals, is recovering in hospital in Cairo. His opponent in the draw will now be given a walkover into the second round.

Qualifying finals:
Peter Barker (ENG) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 (67m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Amr Ramzy Swelim (EGY) 11-5, 11-8, 11-5 (35m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Amr Mansi (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 (35m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 10-11 (0-2), 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-10 (3-1), 5-1 ret. (84m)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Renan Lavigne (FRA) 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (58m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-7, 11-3 (45m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Stacey Ross (ENG) 11-8, 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0) (43m)
Alister Walker (ENG) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0) (35m)