Egypt defeats Canada in quarterfinals at men’s world team squash championships

ODENSE, Denmark – Jonathon Power of Montreal, Shahier Razik of Toronto and David Phillips of Pointe-Claire, Que., delivered strong efforts against three of the top players in the world on Thursday as Egypt defeated Canada 3-0 in the quarterfinals at the men’s world team squash championships.

Power, the former world number-one who retired from the pro circuit in 2006, lost the opening match to Amr Shabana 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7. Shahier Razik of Toronto then fell to Ramy Ashour by the exact same score 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7. Phillips, playing his first match of the tournament, lost the third game to Wael El Hindi 7-11, 11-6, 14-12.

Shabana and Ashour are currently ranked third and fourth in the world respectively and El Hindi is at number-13.

“I had to make sure I kept controlling the rallies,” Shabana told Squash Site about his match against Power. “He is such a shot maker that if you let him play the way he wants at the front you are in trouble. He surprised me in the second game, he came out firing.”

Canada entered the match having won its previous contests all by 3-0 scores.

“I wasn’t able to pace myself well enough today,” said Razik, currently ranked 30th in the world. “I pushed in patches but when we got to the third I was a bit flat. Ramy won the big points.”

Canada, seeded seventh, now goes to the consolation playoff round for positions five to eight. Canada was sixth at the last team worlds in 2007.