Darwish Disturbs Egyptian Order In New York

Egypt's Karim Darwish upset higher-ranked compatriot Wael El Hindi in the second round of the US Open to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA Super Series Platinum squash event at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

Tenth seed Darwish dashed the eighth seed's hopes with an 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 victory in 57 minutes. The 26-year-old from Cairo now faces another fellow countryman - Amr Shabana, the top seed and world number one who took four games to overcome Englishman Peter Barker, the 13th seed, 11-9, 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7 in exactly one hour.

The pair will be joined in the last eight by a third Egyptian, after second seed Ramy Ashour, now 20, defeated Finland's Olli Tuominen, the 16th seed, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.

The quarter-finals of the first US Open to be staged in New York since 1991 will also feature a trio of Englishman. Yorkshireman Lee Beachill secured an unexpected place in the last eight when he beat Egyptian qualifier Omar Mosaad - the 19-year-old who upset former world number one John White in the previous round - 11-8, 11-6, 11-8. 11th seed Beachill will take on Ashour for a place in the semi-finals.

Beachill and England team-mates Nick Matthew and James Willstrop have ensured that there will English representation in three of the four quarter-finals. Willstrop takes on defending champion Gregory Gaultier, who last month became the first ever Frenchman to win the British Open title, while Matthew faces Gaultier's compatriot Thierry Lincou.

2nd round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [13] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-9, 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7 (60m)
[10] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (57m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [14] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (56m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [15] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (48m)
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [12] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7 (55m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [9] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-6, 6-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9 (75m)
[11] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (42m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [16] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (40m)