Egyptian Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry celebrated his 20th birthday in the best possible style when he upset an opponent ranked 12 placeshigher to claim the sixth PSA World Tour title of his career at the Hamoco Houston Open in the US state of Texas.
The No.2 seed from Cairo reached the final of the PSA Challenger 15 event at the Life Time Athletic City Center in Houston without dropping a game.
But Stephen Coppinger, the top seed from South Africa, was tested in his semi-final where he was taken to four games by fourth seed Campbell Grayson before seeing off the New Zealander 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9.
After dropping the opening game in the final, 29-year-old Coppinger – ranked 23 in the world – drew level when he took the second game.
But birthday boy Ga Sabry regained control of the contest, pulling ahead after the third game then clinching the fourth to earn his shock 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7 title triumph.
“Mazen produced his best squash of the event in the final by beating Coppinger in 59 minutes,” said tournament promoter Andre Maur (pictured below flanked by Sabry, right. and Coppinger)
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Hamoco Houston Open, Houston, Texas, USA
1st round:
[1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3
[8] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt [Q] Zac Alexander (AUS) 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
[5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Todd Harrity (USA) 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6
[4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Shahjahan Khan (PAK) 11-3, 11-5, 11-2
[3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt [WC] Joshua Masters (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
[6] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-9
[Q] Diego Elias (PER) bt [7] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5
[2] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-6, 12-10, 11-8
Quarter-finals:
[1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [8] Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-4, 12-10, 11-2
[3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt [6] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 12-10, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9
[2] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt [Q] Diego Elias (PER) 11-9, 11-2, 12-10
Semi-finals:
[1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9
[2] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt [3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-4, 11-6, 12-10
Final:
[2] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt [1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7 (59m)
For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com