Dubai:
Egyptian top seed Abdul Karim Jawad was crowned champion at the inaugural Dubai Squash Cup 2014 with a hard-fought 3-2 win over second seed Chris Simpson of England at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex late on Thursday.
Ranked No. 17 in the world, Jawad got off to a slow start in an error-ridden first game that saw Simpson take his chances to win 11-5. In the second game, the Egyptian raced to a 5-1 lead and consolidated further at 8-1 to eventually take it 11-6.
In the third too, Jawad stuck to his game catching his English opponent on the wrong foot to take a 4-1 lead. The closest Simpson came was at 6-7 as Jawad raced away with the game 11-8 to take a 2-1 lead. The fourth game was tight as both remained tied 3-3. But Jawad started showing signs of tiring and Simpson pushed through to win 11-6 and force a deciding fifth game.
The top seed from Egypt started off well and led 3-0, and despite a contentious call, pushed the pedal to lead 6-1. After that there was no looking back for the 23-year-old — voted PSA Young Player of the Year 2013 — as he wrapped up game and match 11-4.
“The early in the fifth game gave me confidence. I told myself that if I can just take it point by point the title will be mine. And in the end it worked all so well in my favour,” Jawad told Gulf News.
Simpson was disappointed he could not utilise the chances that came his way. “That third game was tricky. I should have snatched that one and things could have been different,” the Englishman said.
While Jawad will take a break from a busy season, Simpson will travel back home for one last tournament to be played in Manchester next week. “After that it will be Christmas break and then start preparing for 2015 with the aim of breaking into the top-16 in the world,” Simpson said.
Ghazi Madani from the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) was joined by Mohammad Abdullah Ali, General Secretary, UAE Squash Association, Aroop Misra of sponsors A2 Squash and Abbas Khan, UAE squash coach at the presentation of trophies after the final.
The inaugural edition of Dubai Squash Cup 2014, powered by A2 Squash, had attracted 32 players from eleven countries.
RESULT:
Final: Abdul Karim Jawad (Egypt) bt Chris Simpson (England) 3-1 (5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4).
-Ends
