Farag marches on as Makin extends dream run in Doha

Top seed Ali Farag of Egypt on Tuesday reached the quarter-finals of QTerminals Qatar Classic 2023 with a straight-game demolition of compatriot Fares Dessouky while giant-killer Joel Makin of Wales stunned Mohamed ElSherbini of Egypt for a place in the last-eight.
Also on Tuesday, Qatar’s Mohamed Abdullah al-Tamimi failed to get past eighth seed Tarek Momen who won 11-8, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8 in 53 minutes. Momen will now take on Farag in the quarter-finals tomorrow at the Glass Court of Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
Makin, who shocked Paul Coll of New Zealand on Monday, on Tuesday proved too wily for ElSherbini on his way to a 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 victory in 41 minutes.
In a thrilling battle, Scotland’s Greg Lobban stunned last year’s runners-up Victor Crouin of France in five games of exhilarating squash.
Lobban, winner of 12 career titles, on Tuesday clinched his win with a 5-11, 12-10, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7 scoreline.
“I think in the third game... I really had to give myself a kick and tell myself ‘I’m in it here, I just need to string a few points together,” Lobban said after the pulsating clash.
“I’m just so happy to put myself in this position, in the last eight in one of the biggest tournaments in the world after a long time of trying so I’m stoked,” he added.
Tuesday's win means that Lobban will face Makin in his first Platinum tournament quarter-final.
It was Lobban’s second win over Crouin. Lobban beat Crouin in four games when the two met on the PSA World Tour in 2019 while competing at Cleveland Skating Club Open 2019.
In the women’s draw, Belgium’s Tinne Gilis came back to beat World No.4 Joelle King for a place in the quarter-finals of the $187,500 tournament.
Gillis won 10-12, 10-12, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 in 67 minutes to set up a clash against Salma Hany who beat Canada’s Hollie Naughton 11-8, 11-4, 11-4 (28m).
“The first two games could have gone either way, and I was a bit frustrated at myself that I didn’t get at least one of them,” Gilis, 25, said after the match.
“I was just happy I had (England No.1 Georgina Kennedy) in my corner to lift me up again even though I was 2-0 down,” she added.
“I’m very proud that I managed to stay mentally focused today. I didn’t change much of my game plan, I just tried not to rush and just tried to focus on each shot,” Gilis said.
Also on Tuesday, second seed Nour El Sherbini of Egypt beat compatriot Rowan Alaraby 10-12, 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 in 41 minutes. El Sherbini will take on Gillis in the quarter-finals tomorrow.
‘Amazing memories’
“I have amazing memories on this court. I won my second World Junior Championship title here. And of course, the last women’s event I was in the final and I beat Nicole in the semi finals.
That was my second time ever to beat her,” El Sherbini said.
“I have amazing memories and I’m really, really happy that we are playing in the women’s event here in Qatar. Everyone was talking about how amazing the event is and it’s a privilege for us to be here and play,” she added.
Meanwhile Saad al-Muhannadi, a member of the organising committee of the QTerminals Qatar Classic 2023, said Doha is honoured to have welcomed back women’s squash after a lengthy absence.
“We are happy with the level of squash matches we are seeing, whether in the men’s or women’s competitions. The truth is that the return of the women’s competition after an eight-year hiatus has contributed to us witnessing exhilarating squash,” al-Muhannadi said in an interview. “We expect the level of competition to rise as we reach the knockout stages of the tournament,” he added.
Regarding the participation of Qatari players, he said: “This tournament is a good opportunity for the players of the national squash team to gain more experience and interact with international stars in the game.”
Action at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex continues today.