Nicol Bows Out At Pyramids As Lincou Progresses To World Open Semis

The illustrious squash career of Peter Nicol came to an emotional end by the great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt tonight when the Englishman lost out to French rival Thierry Lincou in an hour-long Al-Ahram World Open quarter-final.

Nicol, one of the most successful players of all-time - with more than 50 major international titles and 60 months at the top of the world rankings to his name - went down 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6 in 58 minutes to third seed Lincou, the man whom he last beat at the same stage of the competition almost a year ago.

"I really played as well as I could today," Nicol told www.squashsite.co.uk afterwards. "He was stronger, he was fitter, he played better," added the 33-year-old who won his only World Open title on the same court by the pyramids in 1999.

"I got to play at the Pyramids one more time. This time I'm done, I'm really done. This is it."

Lincou, the 30-year-old world No3 from Marseille who is now in his first World Open semi-final wince winning the title in 2004, will face defending champion Amr Shabana.

World No1 Shabana, the top seed who is bidding to become the first Egyptian to win a World Open title on home soil, beat unseeded compatriot Wael El Hindi 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 in tonight's other quarter-final, in 41 minutes.

Shabana is in sparkling form this year, with three PSA Tour titles to his credit already and only three losses in 26 matches. The Giza-based 27-year-old is a twice-winner of the World Open crown, in 2003 and 2005.

Tomorrow's (Monday) second night of quarter-final action will see the all-Australian clash between No2 seed David Palmer and fifth seed Anthony Ricketts, followed by a repeat of last year's first round match between Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the No8 seed, and unseeded local hero Ramy Ashour, the 18-year-old Egyptian who recently put his name in the record books by becoming the first man in history to successfully defend the World Junior Championship title.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (41m)
[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [6] Peter Nicol (ENG) 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6 (58m)