Kiwi Shuja Upsets Barrington To Qualify In Kuwait

New Zealand's Kashif Shuja put paid to a trio of Englishmen making it into the main draw of the 2008 Kuwait Open when he upset world No28 Joey Barrington in the longest final qualifying match of the $200,000 PSA Super Series Platinum championship - the richest squash event of the year to date - at the KSF Squash Complex in Kuwait City.

Barrington, who has been selected to make his England debut in next week's European Team Championships in Amsterdam, opened up a 2/1 lead over the Kiwi, ranked 13 places lower in the world. But Pakistan-born Shuja reclaimed the advantage to run out an 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-10 (2-0) winner after 68 minutes.

"That's a good win, one of my best," said the delighted 28-year-old from Auckland afterwards. "I've played Joey in a few professional matches, so I know how tough he is and I knew I would have to maintain it physically to beat him. I lost in the qualifying finals here last year, so it's great to go one better, especially after saving a couple of match balls in the fifth."

Shuja is drawn to face another Englishman in the first round - James Willstrop, the in-form fourth seed from Yorkshire who is looking for his 14th straight Tour win after lifting three PSA titles since February.

Daryl Selby and Alister Walker boosted the English content of the draw by two following four-game qualifying final wins over India's Saurav Ghosal and Jan Koukal, from the Czech Republic, respectively.

"I'm ecstatic to qualify for such a big event again," said 25-year-old Selby after his 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6 victory. "There's always pressure on the top eight seeds in qualifiers, and it's such a big difference in points and money if you get through. I've just got a new flat with my girlfriend, so she can have a trip to IKEA now!"

Julian Illingworth, the three times US champion from New York, made it through to the biggest tournament of his career when he beat former Indian champion Ritwik Bhattacharya 11-7, 11-4, 11-9.

"I don't have a game plan really - if I'm hitting it well, I go for it, if not, I'm not going to force it, whatever the body/racquet tells you on the day," explained the 24-year-old world No39. "But today, I was shooting more than I would normally do, because at the back, he is pretty strong."

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan became the youngest player to qualify when he beat fellow countryman Farhan Mehboob 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8. The reward for the 17-year-old from Peshawar is his first ever meeting with favourite Amr Shabana, the world number one from Egypt.

Qualifying finals:
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-7, 11-2, 11-9 (45m)
Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 (42m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (41m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Amr Swelim (EGY) 11-3, 11-10 (4-2), 11-4 (45m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6 (65m)
Alister Walker (ENG) bt Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6 (50m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (50m)
Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-10 (2-0) (68m)