Champion Wheadon Crashes Out In Iran

South African Gary Wheadon, the defending champion, crashed out of the 2008 FAJR International in Iran when he was beaten in straight games in the quarter-finals of the $12,000 PSA Tour squash event in its third year in Kish Island.

The eighth seed from Cape Town, who celebrated his Tour title breakthrough in Iran twelve months ago, took Omar Abdel Aziz to tie-breaks in two of the games - but the top seed from Egypt ultimately prevailed 11-6, 11-10 (3-1), 11-4 in 31 minutes to reach his second successive PSA Tour event semi-final.

Aziz will face Yasir Butt, the third seed from Pakistan who beat New Zealand's Martin Knight 11-5, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0).

The other semi-final will also feature Egyptian interest after second seed Amr Swelim ended unseeded Englishman James Snell's impressive run in straight games. The 23-year-old from Cairo will face South African Stephen Coppinger, the fourth seed.

The FAJR International, the first PSA Tour event to be held in Iran, is helping to put squash on the map in the country. "We will organise more squash PSA tournaments in the future and we would like to promote squash more in Iran, especially in Kish," said Mr Gholami, President of the Kish Squash Association. "These events promote our squash players at international level and help them improve their game."

Quarter-finals:
[1] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt [8] Gary Wheadon (RSA) 11-6, 11-10 (3-1), 11-4 (31m)
[3] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt [6] Martin Knight (NZL) 11-5, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0) (31m)
[4] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [7] Bilal Zaman (PAK) 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-5 (27m)
[2] Amr Swelim (EGY) bt James Snell (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (25m)