Ricketts Routs Gaultier In Canadian Classic Upset

Recording his best result since winning the Super Series Finals last May, Australia's Anthony Ricketts defeated fast-rising French star Gregory Gaultier in a major upset in the quarter-finals of the PACE Canadian Classic at the John Bassett Theatre in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

The 27-year-old from Sydney completely dominated Gaultier, a finalist in his last three PSA Tour appearances and winner of the prestigious US Open crown on his previous North American visit in November. The obvious determination and patience in every rally from fifth seed Ricketts finally wore down the 24 year old Frenchman who has just completed the best year of his professional life by rising to world number three.

Ricketts - who lost to Gaultier in the Tournament of Champions in New York last March - had an answer to everything that the No3 seed threw at him. After winning the first game, the Aussie battled back from 1-6 in the second and kept his composure through a long dramatic tiebreak to finally emerge the 16-14 winner after 25 tense minutes.

It was a game that affected Gaultier's determination and undermined his confidence as he allowed his opponent a handful of easy points in the third game. Although he managed to put together a run of five points to narrow the gap, Ricketts would not be denied and won the match 11-5, 11-10 (6-4), 11-9 in 55 minutes.

Ricketts, currently ranked 10 in the world, will now meet Egyptian teenage sensation Ramy Ashour, the new world No6 who beat Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the No12 seed from Malaysia who caused the event's biggest upset when he downed world number one Amr Shabana in the previous round.

It was a match of brilliant, intelligent squash that roused the full house of the 1000-seat John Bassett Theatre, producing gasps of astonishment between the prolonged applause for the superb rallies that these two youngsters performed for most of the 66 minutes that it took Ashour to earn his 9-11, 11-6, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 11-6 victory.

"I have been training very hard for the last six months and my fitness is very good," said the 19-year-old record two-times world junior champion from Cairo. "I was not tired at the end, and still had my breath."

When asked if he was after revenge for his country, Ashour smiled and said: "I was unhappy when Shabana lost, but when I went on court I did not think about my number six ranking. I remembered that it is so easy to underestimate your opponent. Iskandar played very well and cut the ball all the time.

"I had no game plan. I never go on court with a game plan. It’s just instinct," said squash's most impressive international rising star.

The other semi-final will also be an Egyptian/Australian affair, between David Palmer, the No2 seed from New South Wales, and 13th seed Wael El Hindi, from Cairo.

El Hindi, whose game has taken on a new edge since working with Britain's legendary Jonah Barrington, claimed his second successive upset over higher-ranked Egyptian compatriot Karim Darwish, the No8 seed, winning 4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 (2-0) in 80 minutes.

It will be the 26-year-old from Cairo's first time in a PSA Super Series event semi-final in 31 appearances, beginning with the World Open in 1998!

Palmer extended his head-to-head record against Stewart Boswell to 10-1 when he beat his Australian team-mate 11-7, 11-3, 11-10 (2-0) in 50 minutes.

Quarter-finals:
[6] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [12] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 9-11, 11-6, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 11-6 (66m)
[5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-5, 11-10 (6-4), 11-9 (55m)
[13] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [8] Karim Darwish (EGY) 4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 (2-0) (80m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [11] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-10 (2-0) (50m)