Matthew stays on course for Qatar triumph

GOING THROUGH: Amr Shabana, left, was forced to withdraw injured during his Qatar Classic quarter-final against world champion Nick Matthew. Picture kindly supplied by Steve Cubbins/squashsite.com

WORLD champion Nick Matthew has emerged as clear favourite to win this year’s Qatar Classic after seeing the event’s top two seeds exit before today’s semi-finals in Doha.

Matthew’s fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop was a surprise second-round casualty by losing 3-2 to Daryl Selby.

Top seed and beaten world championship finalist Gregory Gaultier then followed the 30-year-old second seed through the exit door yesterday, the Frenchman beaten 3-1 by Spain’s Borja Golan, the seventh seed, who will face 33-year-old Matthew in today’s semi-finals.

As in the world semi-final against Ramy Ashour in Manchester two weeks ago, Matthew was the beneficiary of an injury to his opponent in yesterday’s quarter-finals.

Third seed Matthew, a winner of the event in 2009, had taken the first game against Egypt’s Amr Shabana 12-10 before, with the second game tied at 2-2, the sixth seed and former world No 1 had to withdraw due to a knee injury.

Matthew had to save two game balls in the opening game to take the lead over the 34-year-old four-time world champion from Cairo.

“Real shame that Shabs had to pull out tonight,” tweeted Matthew to his followers later. “Was shaping up in to a really tough match.”

No 4 seed Karim Darwish will contest the other semi-final against fellow Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy.