QSF 3: Malik Sets Up Eain Yow Showdown as Five Seeds Go Out

Perry Malik came through a five-game epic on day two of the QSF 3 to set up a quarter-final showdown with No.1 seed Eain Yow Ng. 

Malik knocked out the higher-ranked Martin Svec in round one and went one better in round two, edging eighth seed Addeen Idrakie in 84 minutes. 

The 22-year-old had to do things the hard way, though, winning the first game 16-14 after spurning four game balls, before saving a game ball of his own en route to taking the second 13-11. 

Idrakie hit back to take the next two and send the match to a decider, but Malik took control in the middle of the fifth, racing from 4-4 to 9-4 before closing out the win. 

Eain Yow made it through by beating Abdullah Almezayen in four games, but there was no fairytale return for Declan James. 

The former English No.1 was playing his first PSA Tour match since suffering an achilles injury last November, but fell 3-1 to Aly Hussein. 

James and Idrakie were two of five seeds to go crashing out in the last 16, with Rui Soares, Mazen Gamal and Simon Herbert also beaten. 

They lost to Velavan Senthilkumar, Toufik Mekhalfi and Zahed Salem respectively, meaning Eain Yow, Sebastien Bonmalais and Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi are the only seeds remaining. 

Bonmalais, the No.3 seed, eased past Yannick Wilhelmi in straight games, while defending champion and home favourite Al Tamimi saw off Daniel Mekbib, winning 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 in less than half an hour. 

Results: Round Two

[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) 3-1: 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9 (44m)
Perry Malik (ENG) bt [8] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 3-2: 16-14, 13-11, 11-13, 9-11, 11-7 (84m)
Aly Hussein (EGY) bt [5] Declan James (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (63m)
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) bt [4] Rui Soares (POR) 3-1: 13-11, 6-11, 14-12, 12-10 (50m)
[3] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
Zahed Salem (EGY) bt [7] Simon Herbert (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (31m)
Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [6] Mazen Gamal (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 (69m)
[2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (27m)

Draw: Quarter-Finals

[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v Perry Malik (ENG)
Aly Hussein (EGY) v Velavan Senthilkumar (IND)
[3] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v Zahed Salem (EGY)
Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) v [2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)