Favourite Amr Shabana retained his title in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Championships - but, fittingly, had his toughest challenge of the tournament defeating Gregory Gaultier of France 11-7 13-15 8-11 11-2 11-3 on the all-glass court overlooking the waterfront at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza in Hong Kong.
In the $145,000 PSA Super Series Platinum event, Shabana confidently took the opening game against second-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier and moved on to game ball at 10-7 in the second. But Gaultier battled to save a total of six game balls before eventually converting his first at 14-13 to draw level.
The tables appeared to have turned as the 25-year-old underdog from Aix-en-Provence took the third game to open up a 2/1 lead - and looked on course to avenge his loss to Shabana in the 2007 final.
But Shabana came back for the fourth in determined mood and took the game for the loss of just two points - and led throughout the decider to record an impressive victory in 76 minutes.
The 29-year-old from Giza was celebrating his third successive Hong Kong title win - and the 22nd PSA Tour title of his career.
Semi-finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 7-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-4
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-2
Quarter-finals:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [6] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7
[8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 6-2 ret.
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [5] David Palmer (AUS) 11-3, 11-7, 6-3 ret.
2nd round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [16] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6
[6] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [11] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-4, 11-3, 11-8
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 13-11, 16-14, 11-8
[8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 11-7, 11-2, 11-7
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [7] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 11-4
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [13] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-4
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [12] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5
[16] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4
[6] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
[11] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 11-3, 11-6, 12-10
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-4, 11-8, 11-7
Alister Walker (ENG) bt [14] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 6-11, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8
[8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-7, 11-8, 11-3
Borja Golan (ESP) bt [15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [9] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-7, 12-10, 6-3 ret.
[7] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-9, 11-8, 11-2
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Dick Lau (HKG) 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
[13] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-4
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-8, 11-6, 11-1
[12] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 3-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8
Qualifying finals:
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Renan Lavigne (FRA) 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7
Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-9, 11-5, 2-11, 11-3
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Yasir Butt (PAK) 12-10, 11-5, 11-4
Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) w/o
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 11-3
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6
Issued by iSPORTmedia