Ashour Leads Succession Of Stunning Upsets In Hong Kong

Proving in sensational style that his first round upset of tenth seed John White was no fluke, unseeded Egyptian teenager Ramy Ashour despatched France's No3 seed Thierry Lincou in today's second round of the Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Open to record the best result of his brief career to date.

Since in July becoming the first man in history to become the world junior champion twice, Ashour has made rapid on the senior circuit - leaping eight places to a career-high world No13 ranking this month. But the 19-year-old's 61-minute dismissal of Lincou, the world No3, in an 11-8, 2-11, 11-7, 11-10 (5-3) scoreline, marks Ashour's first top five scalp.

The defeat for Lincou, one of the most consistent players on the PSA Tour, ends a remarkable 30-event Super Series run since March 2002 in which he has reached at least the quarter-finals!

Ashour now faces another unseeded player after Peter Barker recorded his first ever win over senior England team-mate Lee Beachill. Barker, the 23-year-old world No23 from Essex, beat the eighth seed 11-9, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7 in 47 minutes to earn his first appearance in a Super Series quarter-final.

Australia's 12th seed Stewart Boswell also pulled off a notable upset. Fresh from his title success in last month's St Louis Open in the USA, the 28-year-old from Canberra removed England's British Open champion Nick Matthew, the seventh seed, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 in 78 minutes.

Boswell now faces compatriot David Palmer, the No2 seed, for a place in the last four.

One of the bravest performances in the men's event was displayed by England's 16th seed Adrian Grant. The left-hander from London fought back from 2/0 down against Gregory Gaultier to draw level with the rising star from France. But, despite an injury break which took the players off court for almost an hour, sixth seed Gaultier was finally able to clinch an 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 3-11, 7-11, 11-10 (3-1) victory some 146 minutes after the match started!

Malaysia's Nicol David claimed the fastest route into the last eight in the women's event. The top-seeded world No1 despatched Dutch training partner Annelize Naude 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 in just 18 minutes as she set her sights on reaching Sunday's final in a bid to repeat her success in Hong Kong last December when she became World Open champion for the first time.

David will now face Ireland's eighth seed Madeline Perry, who claimed a convincing 9-2, 9-0, 9-3 win over England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter to reach the quarter-finals.

Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy secured the only upset in the women's event. The No9 seed beat England's sixth seed Jenny Duncalf 9-3, 9-5, 9-5 in 40 minutes - and will now face Egypt-based Rachael Grinham, the third seed from Australia who was extended for 83 minutes by fast-rising young Egyptian Engy Kheirallah before winning 4-9, 9-2, 9-6, 6-9, 9-2.

Men's 2nd round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-6 (37m)
[6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [16] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 3-11, 7-11, 11-10 (3-1) (146m)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-6, 11-7 (46m)
[9] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (54m)
Peter Barker (ENG) bt [8] Lee Beachill (ENG) 11-9, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7 (47m)
Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-8, 2-11, 11-7, 11-10 (5-3) (61m)
[12] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [7] Nick Matthew (ENG) 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (78m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [15] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 2-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-10 (3-1) (67m)

Women's 2nd round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [15] Annelize Naude (NED) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 (18m)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [16] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-3 (34m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [14] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 4-9, 9-2, 9-6, 6-9, 9-2 (83m)
[9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 9-3, 9-5, 9-5 (40m)
[5] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [13] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-3, 10-8, 9-4 (44m)
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [10] Alison Waters (ENG) 6-9, 9-4, 6-9, 9-7, 9-3 (102m)
[7] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [12] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 9-6, 9-2, 9-2 (37m)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [11] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) 7-9, 5-9, 10-8, 9-7, 9-2 (68m)