Qatar Classic: Title Holder Goes Through to Third Round

Doha, October 29 (QNA) - World No.1 Mohamed El Shorbagy began Sunday his bid to retain the Qatar Classic crown. The Egyptian won comfortably over Hong Kongs Tsz Fung Yip to book his berth in the third round of the PSA World Tour Platinum event currently taking place in Doha. El Shorbagy, who is searching for his fourth Qatar Classic title after triumphing here in 2013, 2015 and 2017, was in cruise control early on as he swept aside World No.27 Yip in a dominant 11-3 opening game, before quickly doubling his lead with an 11-9 second game. Other results saw Waller, the World no.36 from Enfield, England, cruised to a surprise last sixteen berth as he dominated 2016 World Championship runner-up Omar Mosaad to record an empathic 11-0, 11-2, 11-5 that saw him restrict the powerful Egyptian to just seven points in total and record one of the biggest wins of his career. Wallers compatriot Tom Richards, the World No.30, also scored an upset victory to book his place in the third round of the event for the first time in his career as he overcame World No.16 Ryan Cuskelly of Australia courtesy of a clinical performance that saw him reproducing the kind of free-flowing squash that took him to a high of World No.12 back in 2013. The 32-year-old responded from losing the opening game to prevail 5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 and set up a second round encounter with Germanys Simon Rosner. Executive Director of the Squash and Badminton Federation Saad Al Mohanadi said that the organizing committee provided everything the participating delegations would need to perform well, highlighting that all the best players are always keen to participate in Qatar Classic due to its important. He added that the committee, under the chairmanship of head of the federation Nasser bin Ghanem Al Khulaifa worked hard to make this tournament one of the best in the world. (QNA)