Ashour & Kamel Boost Local Interest In Heliopolis Open

Egyptians Hisham Mohd Ashour and Sherif Moustafa Kamel boosted local interest in the Rotary Heliopolis Open after fighting through the qualifiers in Cairo.

The 2005 Heliopolis Open marks the return after five years of one of the major events on the PSA Tour - won in 1996 by Jansher Khan, two years later by Peter Nicol, and in 97 and 99 by local hero Ahmed Barada.

Hisham Ashour beat Kuwait's Abdullah Almezayen 11-3 11-7 8-11 11-7 in 40 minutes in the qualifying finals at the National Stadium in Nasr City, near Cairo, to join his younger brother Ramy Ashour in the main draw. Ramy, the 17-year-old world junior champion from Cairo, has been drawn to face Finn Olli Tuominen, the fourth seed.

Sherif Kamel clinched another qualifying slot for Egypt after a dramatic marathon victory over Davide Bianchetti. Kamel battled for 103 minutes to defeat the Italian 7-11 11-5 11-8 8-11 11-9 to earn a first round meeting with compatriot Mohammed Abbas, the sixth seed.

Former world champion Amr Shabana is seeded to keep the $40,000 PSA Tour title in Egyptian hands. The world No7 takes on Hisham Mohd Ashour in the first round - and is expected to face fellow Egyptian Karim Darwish, the second seed, in Monday's final.

Qualifying finals:
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Ahmed Mohsen Hassaan (EGY) 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (33m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8 (48m)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7 (40m)
Sherif Moustafa Kamel (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (103m)