Gamal Claims Shock Second Seed Scalp in Mumbai

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Mazen Gamal claimed a big upset in the opening round of the NSCI Open JSW Indian Squash Circuit, PSA M15 event with a stunning 3-2 victory over number two seed Raphael Kandra.

The Egyptian qualifier, who won the Grand Sport Armenian Challenger last month, took the first game after a tightly-contested tie-break but dropped the second after Kandra came back into the encounter. The pair took a game apiece in games three and four to send the match into a fifth and final game which Gamal took after yet another closely-fought tie-break to emerge with a 13-11, 6-11, 15-13, 5-11, 13-11 victory.

Gamal will go up against Ben Coleman in the next round after the Englishman defeated Shehab Essam in a 3-1 triumph.

Karim El Hammamy continued his fine progress thus far with a stunning 3-0 dismantling of number four seed Tsz Fung Yip. The 19-year-old Egyptian qualifier showed glimpses of his huge potential as he came out on top in a frenetic opening game before taking the next two to secure the victory. Compatriot Mohamed Reda will meet El Hammamy in the last eight after beating Carlos Cornes Ribadas.

Elsewhere, Adrian Waller got his tournament off to the perfect start by defeating Welshman Peter Creed in four. Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu will line up against the energetic Englishman after he outlasted Joel Hinds in a titanic five-game-thriller.

“It was like a seesaw,” said Sandhu.

“Luckily I was on the high side. I relaxed a bit too much after the first game. In the fifth, I was on top of it from the start and that showed as I got the lead and hung onto it.”

Meanwhile, Mahesh Mangaonkar and Jaymie Haycocks will contest the other quarter-final. Mangaonkar stormed to victory against fellow Indian Kush Kumar on home soil while Haycocks dispatched Tom Ford 3-2.

Results – First Round: NSCI Open JSW Indian Squash Circuit 2015
[1] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 11-3 (75m)
[5] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) bt Joel Hinds (ENG) 3-2: 11-2, 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7 (62m)
[7] Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt [Q] Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 3-1: 11-6, 7-11, 11-3, 11-8 (49m)
[Q] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt [4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-0: 15-13, 11-9, 11-7 (50m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [WC] Kush Kumar (IND) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (40m)
[8] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt Tom Ford (ENG) 3-2: 11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10 (67m)
[6] Ben Coleman (ENG) bt [Q] Shehab Essam (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 11-5 (52m)
[Q] Mazen Gamal (EGY) bt [2] Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-2: 13-11, 6-11, 15-13, 5-11, 13-11 (74m)

Draw – Quarter-Final
[1] Adrian Waller (ENG) v [5] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND)
[7] Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [Q] Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) v [8] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG)
[6] Ben Coleman (ENG) v [Q] Mazen Gamal (EGY)