Egypt’s Mazen Hesham (left) and compatriot Omar Mosaad in action during their Qatar Classic match at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma

By Satya Rath/Doha

It’s quarter-final time at the Qatar Classic. The best eight men and women have forced their way through a storm of upsets, close shaves, and stronger and much higher-ranked opponents, and stand three steps away from glory.
While the shocks and awe seem to have spared the women’s draw after the initial turbulence, it continues to sway the men’s section, with two Egyptian youngsters, having come this far after felling some big names, keeping the trend going by tearing apart the formbook and rankings to shreds in yesterday’s second-round matches.
Mazen Hesham set the tone in the first match of the evening session when he produced perhaps the performance of his career to down his world No. 6 compatriot Omar Mosaad after 51 entertaining minutes of power squash.
The first game epitomised what was to follow as the duo dragged each other around the court with some intense volley and blistering exchanges, neither ready to concede an inch to the other, to move into a tie-break which Hesham won. It was the same tale again in the next game. Another tie-break, another unplayable cross-court nick, and up went Hesham 2-0. A clearly jolted Mosaad, who lost his mother and sister to a tragic car accident three months back in Egypt, had no energy left to put up a fight in the third as Hesham sealed the battle 3-0.
“I think I surprised even myself today. I really didn’t expect to play that well against someone as good as Omar. I was under no pressure and had nothing to lose. I had a slight niggle in my shoulder and perhaps that made me even more relaxed. I just wanted to give my best today without thinking about the outcome and that’s what I did. Thankfully, everything fell in place. I have been coming to Qatar for five years but never won a match here. Now I’m in the quarters of a World Series tournament! I couldn’t have asked for more,” the 21-year-old said after his 12-10, 13-11, 11-7 win.
But Hesham may have to match his second-round showing or even better it if he hopes to get into the semi-finals, as standing beside him inside the glass court today evening will be Ali Farag.
The 23-year-old qualifier looked equally emphatic and ruthless in his 3-0 decimation of English shot-maker Daryl Selby.
Farag, who recently graduated from Harvard University, is in his maiden appearance in the last-eight round of a World Series tournament, having already accounted for another Englishman, Peter Barker, in the opening round.
“This is the first time I have reached the quarters of a World Series tournament and that feels amazing. I always believed in my abilities but somehow it never clicked. Every time I go to a tournament I book my flight home after the final date. I hope I won’t have to alter my tickets this time,” said Farag, who is engaged to fellow Egyptian, women’s world No. 5 Nour El Tayeb.
Later, French qualifier Gregoire Marche almost triggered another upset before going down all guns blazing in a 81-minute shootout with the talented Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt.
Gawad, who won 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, will meet 2011 Qatar Classic champion and No. 2 seed Gregory Gaultier of France, who beat rising 21-year-old Fares Dessouki of Egypt 11/4, 12/10, 11/9.
Earlier, defending champion Nicol David breezed past England’s Victoria Lust in what was the final match of the afternoon session to complete the quarter-final line-up in the ladies’ section.
The Malaysian lifted the trophy when the women’s event was last staged here in 2011. Four years on, and in between losing her nine-year reign atop the world rankings to Egypt’s Raneem El Welily, David showed she’s lost none of the hunger and power that made her rule the world for close to a decade as she won in 32 minutes, though the 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-5) scoreline gives a slightly deceptive picture as regards the match is concerned.
The Englishwoman held her own in the early part of each game, putting the eight-time world champion under enough pressure to force a few uncharacteristic mid-game mistakes. But David steadied, and pulled away from 6-5 in the first, 5-4 in the second and 6-5 in the third to set up a quarter-final clash against Annie Au of Hong Kong.
“It was a bit of an up and down match but I am happy to get through in three,” said David. “In the middle of each game she was doing her own things so I had to reassess and make sure that I worked to impose my own game. You just have to adapt, and turn it to your advantage, taking the shot when you have the opportunity, and try your best to prevent your opponent to attack, cause that’s the game, isn’t it?”
Hong Kong girl Au downed an out-of-sorts and error-prone Jenny Duncalf in three topsy-turvy games to sail through. The 11th-seeded Englishwoman raced to an early lead in all three games, only to lose her mind, and subsequently the momentum, to surrender the advantage.
“I don’t like it, I was never in front, and it’s not easy to keep coming back. I think I was a bit nervous, I was not focused enough. I need to sit down and calm myself for the quarter-finals,” said Au.
Elsewhere, Egyptian Nour El Sherbini came out on top in a hard-hitting battle with Rachael Grinham of Australia to set up a last eight battle with Frenchwoman Camille Serme, who prevailed in a 57-minute battle of wills against American number one Amanda Sobhy.
“Amanda beat me the last two times we played, so mentally, I really wanted my revenge today,” said Serme.
“She began really well, her length was so good... I thought I was on the way to defeat once again but I didn’t panic. She had nothing to lose and went for everything but I tried out some variations and luckily it worked.”
 
Results
Women’s Round 2: 3-Camille Serme (Fra) bt 14-Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-2 (4/11, 13/11, 11/8, 5/11, 11/9); 6-Nour El Sherbini (Egy) bt 9-Rachael Grinham (Aus) 3-0 (13/11, 11/7, 11/6); 7-Annie Au (Hkg) bt 11-Jenny Duncalf (Eng) 3-0 (14/12, 12/10, 11/9); 2-Nicol David (Mas) bt 16-Victoria Lust (Eng) 3-0 (11/5, 11/5, 11/5)
Men’s Round 2: Mazen Hesham (Egy) bt 4-Omar Mosaad (Egy) 3-0 (12-10, 13-11, 11-7); Q-Ali Farag (EGY) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 3-0 (11/7, 11/8, 11/2); Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy) bt Q-Gregoire Marche (Fra) 3-1 (11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8); 2-Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Fares Dessouki (Egy) 3-0 (11/4, 12/10, 11/9)

Women’s QF Line-up (12 noon onwards)
Joshana Chinappa (IND) vs 5-Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY); 8-Nouran Gohar (EGY) vs 4-Laura Massaro (ENG); 3-Camille Serme (FRA) vs 6-Nour El Sherbini (EGY); 7-Annie Au (HKG) vs 2-Nicol David (MAS)
Men’s QF Line-up (2 pm onwards)
1-Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) vs Max Lee (HKG); Q-Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) vs 3-Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL); Mazen Hesham (EGY) vs Q-Ali Farag (EGY); Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) vs 2-Gregory Gaultier (FRA)