Belgium make history and Malaysia stun England to reach WSF World Squash Team Championship semi-finals
Sisters Nele Coll and Tinne Gilis starred as Belgium reached the semi-finals of the WSF World Squash Team Championships for the first time as the No.3 seeds fought back from a match down to defeat hosts Hong Kong, China.
European champions Belgium had not contested this event for 20 years but have entered a women’s side in this year’s event – which is the first in championship history to feature the men’s and women’s competitions simultaneously – thanks in no small part to the prolific recent form of Coll and Gilis, who have risen as high as World No.4 and World No.5 in the PSA World Rankings in recent months.
On the indoor glass court at Hong Kong Football Club, Coll – married to men’s World No.4 Paul Coll – came in with Belgium one match down in the tie after Tsz-Wing Tong defeated Chloe Crabbe in straight games.
Coll did not let the situation faze her, though, with the 28-year-old quickly taking down Hong Kong, China No.1 Tomato Ho to draw Belgium level.
Younger sister Tinne then finished what Nele had started, crushing the home crowd’s hopes with a comprehensive 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 against Sin Yuk Chan.
Belgium will face defending champions Egypt in the semi-finals after the top seeds made short work of France on the outdoor glass court, as Amina Orfi and Hania El Hammamy beat Enora Villard and Melissa Alves to secure a quick win.
“It means a lot, after so long not participating. It’s a new adventure and then to reach the semi-finals the first time we did it, it’s great!” Belgium Coach Ronny Vlassaks.
The other women’s semi-final will be contested by last year’s runners up USA and No.5 seeds Malaysia after USA cruised past India and Malaysia defeated No.4 seeds England, ending the five-time champions run of making the last four of every World Team Championship they had entered.
England’s Lucy Beecroft, a late addition to the team after an injury to England No.1 Georgina Kennedy at last week’s Hong Kong Open, started well against Aira Azman before falling to the shot-making 20-year-old.
Asian Games champion Sivasangari Subramaniam then completed the win, finally finding her best form after a challenging tournament so far to overcome Sarah-Jane Perry 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6.
In the men’s event, No.4 seeds Switzerland came through a testing encounter with No.6 seeds Colombia.
World No.50 Yannick Wilhelmi gave Switzerland – who last year reached the semi-finals for the first time – the lead with a decisive win over World No.81 Matias Knudsen.
Colombia hit back brilliantly in match two via veteran Miguel Rodriguez, with the 38-year-old surviving a fightback from Dimitri Steinmann to win in five games, before Nicolas Mueller recovered from a slow start against Ronald Palomino to record a 3-1 win to send Switzerland through.
Switzerland will face last year’s runners up England after the No.2 seeds sent hosts Hong Kong, China out courtesy of wins for Curtis Malik and Mohamed ElShorbagy.
The other men’s semi-final will be between defending champions Egypt and France, after Egypt overcame Germany 2-0 and France beat India by the same scoreline.
The WSF World Squash Team Championship semi-finals begin tomorrow, 13 December, from 17:30 (GMT+8) with the women’s ties on the outdoor glass court.
The men’s semi-finals will take place on 14 December from 17:30 on the outdoor glass court.
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Results: Women’s Quarter-Finals
[1] Egypt 2-0 [7/9] France
Amina Orfi beat Enora Villard 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-2
Hania El Hammamy beat Melissa Alves 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
Rowan Elaraby w/d Marie Stephan
[3] Belgium v [6] Hong Kong, China
Chloe Crabbe lost to Tsz-Wing Tong 0-3: 5-11, 3-11, 9-11
Nele Coll beat Tomato Ho 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-6
Tinne Gilis beat Chan Sin Yuk 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
[5] Malaysia 2-0 [4] England
Aira Azman beat Lucy Beecroft 3-1: 5-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-6
Sivasangari Subramaniam beat Sarah-Jane Perry 3-1: 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6
Rachel Arnold w/d Jasmine Hutton
**[2] USA 2-0 [10/12] India
**Caroline Fouts beat Nirupama Dubey 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
Amanda Sobhy beat Anahat Singh 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-3
Marina Stefanoni w/d Akanksha Salunkhe
Results: Men’s Quarter-Finals
**[1] Egypt v [9/12] Germany
**Karim Gawad beat Valentin Rapp 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-4
Ali Farag beats Raphael Kandra 3-1: 11-2, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5
Mazen Hesham w/d Yannik Omlor
[3] France 2-0 [9/12] India
Sebastien Bonmalais beat Veer Chotrani 3-0: 14-12, 11-7, 11-7
Victor Crouin beat Abhay Singh 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-4
Baptiste Masotti w/d Velavan Senthilkumar
**[4] Switzerland 2-1 [6] Colombia
**Yannick Wilhelmi beat Matias Knudsen 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
Dimitri Steinmann lost to Miguel Rodriguez 2-3: 6-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11
Nicolas Mueller beat Ronald Palomino 3-1: 9-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-8
**[2] England v [8] Hong Kong, China
**Curtis Malik beat Chi Him Wong 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3
Mohamed Elshorbagy beat Alex Lau 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 12-10
Marwan Elshorbagy w/d Henry Leung
**Draw: Women’s Semi-Finals
**[1] Egypt v [3] Belgium
[5] Malaysia v [2] USA
Draw: Men’s Quarter-Finals
[1] Egypt v [3] France
[4] Switzerland v [2] England