Announcer. Andy Taylor. Qatar Classic 2017
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Simon Rösner (GER) def [Q] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 11-7 11-2 8-11 11-6 (46-min)
Two years ago, Simon Rösner and Tsz Fung Yip clashed for the first time in the 1st Round of the PSA World Championships in Bellevue, Washington. Rösner won it quickly, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 in just 35-minutes. Since then, the German #1 has won 42 matches. Many of them in four games. The German Tree Chopper has developed a reputation for losing game-3 after dominating the first two.
Simon Rösner. The German Tree Chopper in his 7th Qatar Classic
Simon Rösner is the most successful German in the history of the sport. He’s been ranked as high as World #6, owns 8 PSA Tour titles, has reached 15 career finals, and is a World Games Gold medalist. Last June, he finished in the top-8 in the PSA World Series standings for the 4th time, and tore through the draw at the World Series Finals in Dubai. He defeated one of the hottest players on tour Karim Abdel Gawad — then 3-time World Champion Nick Matthew — and reached the Semifinals for the first time. Clutch.
Tsz Fung Yip. Qualified for the Main Draw for the second straight year
In just his second Qatar Classic Squash Championship, Yip is back into the Main Draw. Last year, the Hong Kong native and World #30 also prevailed in qualifying, before falling in the 1st-Round to Marwan ElShorbagy in 27-minutes. This year, he took-out Qatar’s Ahmad Mohammed Al-Tamimi and endured a 77-minute, deciding game battle with Charles Sharpes before drawing Rösner in Round-1.
It’s been a productive start to the season for Yip. In September, he made quarterfinal runs at both the HKFC International in Hong Kong and the Macau Open. Last season, he won his 4th career PSA Tour title, earned a career-best 3rd-round finish at the World Championships in Cairo, and reached a career-high ranking of World #27.
Rösner on a Roll
The German Tree Chopper wasted no time in the final 1st-Round match of the 2017 Qatar Classic. Unbeatable in games one and two, after the match Rösner admitted he went too short on his shots in the third. Rather than maintain his consistency, battle through rallies and close out the match, he tried shortening the points. Yip responded by piecing together an 11-8 win featuring 10 clean winners. The 24-year-old Qualifier was building his rhythm.
In game-4, it was back to basics for Rösner, while Yip continued to put points on the board; confidence renewed. Then, at 4-all, Simon’s drop-shot caught fire. The German ran Yip ragged, controlling the rallies, making Yip dig for drops off the front glass. Simon won it 11-6 in the fourth, in just 46-minutes, conserving his energy for a Round of 16 clash with the World #2 Karim Abdel Gawad. (FULL MATCH RECAP)
Simon Rösner: Of course I’m happy to win the match, I would have been happier to win in three, but happy it was only 45 minutes, I’m keeping my energy for the World Champion tomorrow. I’m glad in a way that I took a good start, when others sometimes don’t, but I now have to learn to take the third…A huge thank you to Qatar Federation for their spotless organisation, everything you can think of is taken care of , and I hope that the spectators will come and see us as it’s good fun!
