Qualifying Round 1 Action

by Ron Beck, 17 Feb 2005
All content © 2005 Squashtalk, photos: © 2005 Debra Tessier

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Men's Qualifying Draw First Round Results

New York, NY - Thirty two qualifiers brought furious, world class action to downtown New York's New York Athletic Club today in a playdown to eight qualifying spots in the 2005 Tournament of Champions.

Last year's qualifying hero, Princeton's two-time intercollegiate champ Yasser El Halaby, looked like he was going to repeat the magic again this year, for one game. He won the first game in a tiebreaker over France's Stefane Galifi. But Galifi, who has been in regular and successful action on tour for the past year, had too much match fitness and match focus for the attack-focused El Halaby. Galifi slowly gained control of the match and tired El Halaby.

Meanwhile, Laurens Jan Anjema of the Netherlands, who scored some big wins on the men's professional squash tour in recent weeks, beating Peter Nicol in Chicago and John White in Dayton, moved one step closer to being on court at Grand Central Terminal in the main draw of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions. Anjema, took USA-based Mark Heather of England out of contention with a four game victory in the men's qualifying draw

Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions Men's Qualifying Results: Thursday, February 17, 2005

Cameron Pilley (AUS) def. Preston Quick (USA) 11-9, 11-2, 11-8 38 mins
Shahier Razik (CAN) def Clive Leach (USA) 11-8,11-9, 11-2 40 mins
Joey Barrington (ENG) def. Tim Manning (AUS) 12-11, 11-8, 11-7 56 mins
Peter Barker (ENG) def. Liam Kenny (IRL) 11-3, 11-6, 11-10 41 mins
Rene Lavigne (FRA) def. Dylan Patterson (USA) 11-7, 11-3,11-5 25 mins
Ahmed Hamza (EGY) def. Gavin Jones (WAL) 2-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-1 45 mins
Mohamed Hafiz (EGY) def. Callum O’Brian (NZL) 8-11, 11-10,11-5, 11-1 40 mins
Ben Gould (ENG) def. Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-8, 11-4, 1-11,9-11,11-8 68 mins
Ben Garner (ENG) def. Chris Gordon (USA) 11-8, 11-3,11-3 21 mins
Bradley Ball (ENG) def. Matthew Guiffre (CAN) 11-8,11-5,11-7 47 mins
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) def. M. Heather (ENG) 11-10,1-11,11-7, 11-3 47 mins
Stephane Galifi (FRA) def. Yasser El Halaby (EGY) 11-12,11-6, 11-7, 11-7 52 mins
Rodney Durbach (RSA) def. Karim Yehia (EGY) 11-4, 7-11,11-9,11-9 51 mins
Alistair Walker (ENG) def. Alex Stait (ENG) 11-6, 7-11, 11-1,7-11,11-10
Phillip Barker (ENG) def. Gilly Lane (USA) 11-5, 11-9, 11-1
Hisham Ashour (EGY) def. Eric Galvez (MEX) 4-11,11-5,6-11,11-7,11-3

Peter Nicol 2004 Winner - Will he win his 4th Tournament of Champions title? (photo: © 2005 Debra Tessier)