Third Time Lucky For Local Hero Handley At Hithercroft

It was third time lucky for Scott Handley when the Oxfordshire squash star upset second seed Mohamed El Shorbagy in the semi-finals of the Hithercroft Open to reach the final of the $10,000 PSA Tour event in its third year in his home town of Wallingford in England for the first time.

A quarter-finalist in 2006 and semi-finalist last year, third seed Handley was determined to maintain his progress in the third staging of the event at his home club.

But El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old Egyptian studying at Millfield School in the UK, was also eager to make the first PSA Tour final of his brief career.

It was a marathon encounter - but the experienced 33-year-old 'underdog' withstood a saved match ball in the fourth game to go on to record a popular 11-4, 7-11, 11-10 (3-1), 10-11 (0-2), 11-9 victory, and a place in the 15th Tour final of his career.

Handley will face Tom Richards in the event's first all-English final. But Richards, the top seed from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, was also taken the full distance in the other semi, ultimately prevailing 8-11, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-6 over compatriot Ben Ford, the fifth seed from Kent.

Richards, 21, is celebrating his second appearance in a Tour final - but looking for his maiden success.

Semi-finals:
[1] Tom Richards (ENG) bt [5] Ben Ford (ENG) 8-11, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-6
[3] Scott Handley (ENG) bt [2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-4, 7-11, 11-10 (3-1), 10-11 (0-2), 11-9