Joel Makin Comes Through Egyptian Epic To Reach Black Ball Open Quarter-Finals

Joel Makin staged a battle comeback to reach the quarter-finals of the Black Ball Open in Cairo after an 80-minute epic.

The 26-year-old came from two games to one down against England’s James Willstrop to triumph 3-2 (11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9)

Makin avenged defeat in his last two matches with the former world No 1 to make his higher seeding tell in Egpyt.

The Haverfordwest-born player will face reigning world champ Tarek Momen in the last eight on Wednesday after he came from one game down to beat fellow Egyptian Mazen Hesham 3-1.

Makin lost a five game quarter-final battle to Momen at the Qatar Classic last month, but had won their previous three matches including in this tournament last year.

“I’ve got through to mostly quarter-finals and a couple of semis this year – I need to push on from here really,” said Makin.

“I’ve done well against Tarek before, lost in five tight in Qatar, so I just need to get my body recovered and get stuck in tomorrow.”

No 7 seed Makin, who has returned to his career-high No 9 in the world slot, took the first game against the Yorkshireman, seeded 15.

https://twitter.com/PSAWorldTour/status/1338914869907763205

But Willstrop – who had beaten Makin at the Egyptian Open and the British Championships this year – hit back taking the next two games.

Those matches had lasted 76 and 73 minutes respectively.

Makin was clearly determined not to make it a hat-trick of defeats as he took the fourth game in a tie-break.

And the Birmingham-based player, the highest Brit in the world rankings, finally saw off the dogged Willstrop after another close affair in the decider.

Joel Makin on his way to beating reigning world champ Tarek Momen at the World Tour finals in Cairo.

“I had to put my body on the line,” said Makin to SquashTV.

“The accuracy wasn’t there, or that’s what it feels like against James, covering so much of the court from the first point straight through to the last basically.

“I just had to keep fighting, trying to keep the intensity in it and take my chances when I got them, even though there was few of them. I worked hard for that definitely.”