Massaro and Matthew lead English charge into Allam British Open second round

Allam British Open former champions Nick Matthew and Laura Massaro lead a six-strong English contingent into the second round of the 2017 championships after claiming round one victories in Hull.

Joining Matthew and Massaro into the second round are Daryl Selby, the World No.15, Sarah-Jane Perry [7], Alison Waters [8], and Emily Whitlock [13].

World No.5 Massaro survived a scare from Dipika Pallikal Karthik but claimed a 3-1 win on the all-glass show court at Hull’s Airco Arena in an exciting first day of the main draw.

She raced confidently into a 2-0 lead before Karthik threw herself a lifeline with a 13/11 win in the third game. But 2013 champion Massaro [5] ended any hopes of a fightback, thrashing her opponent 11/1 in the fourth to claim the victory 11/4, 11/5, 11/13, 11/1 in 39 minutes.

The 33-year-old said: “For the most part I felt like I was hitting my targets well at the back. I think in the third game I just got a little bit over-excited. Then it was just a case of coming back strong in the fourth.”

She will now face qualifier Mayar Hany (Egypt) on Wednesday afternoon. World No.33 Hany claimed a surprising win over New Zealand’s Joelle King [9]. Massaro said: “I’ve never played her before so I’ll have a look at some footage today. But I’ll try to focus on myself and ensure that I’m ready for the match.”

Three-time champion Nick Matthew [4] came into the tournament in good form, having won the National Squash Championships and Canary Wharf Classic in February and March respectively.

He faced the in-form Borja Golan in a tricky opener, emerging with a comfortable 3-0 win after early pressure from the Spaniard.

Neither he nor Golan gave each other an inch in the first parts of the game, with the 11/9, 11/6, 11/3 scoreline not telling the entire story. After the match, Matthew, 36, said: “Last time I played him he took a 2-0 lead, so I had it in my notes not to let him settle. He has quite an unorthodox style which is difficult to play against.

“So, it was important for me to get ahead and I felt like I asserted my game towards the end.” He will play Germany’s Simon Rosner in the next round on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, England No.2 Willstrop would have been confident of a strong tournament performance after his recent jump up the PSA world rankings. But it was not to be. Having lost the first game 11/9 he fought back to take the second 12/10. Castagnet, the World No.19, took the next two decisive games 12/10, 11/9, edging out the tight match in 71 minutes.

Elsewhere, Alison Waters [8] cruised into the second round after just 12 minutes of play after her opponent Mariam Metwally (Egypt) retired with Waters ahead 11/5, 7/2. World No.15 Emily Whitlock [13] also advanced with an 11/8, 1/11, 11/6, 11/3 victory against Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling at the University of Hull. Waters and Whitlock will now face each other for a place in the Friday's final.

Hull’s Fiona Moverley, who was entered into the women’s draw as a wildcard, lost to Raneem El Welily [3] 13/11, 11/7, 11/6 in 27 minutes. Jenny Duncalf was also eliminated in the first round, losing 11/2, 11/6, 11/7 to Joey Chan (Hong Kong) in 25 minutes.

National Squash Championships 2017 finalist Sarah-Jane Perry [7] comfortably made it through her first match against qualifier Nele Gilis (Belgium) 11/6, 11/5, 11/5 in 26 minutes. She will now play Tesni Evans, of Wales, on Thursday.

In the men’s draw, wildcard entrant Declan James narrowly missed out on a pulsating victory over New Zealand’s ‘Superman’ Paul Coll. Coll eventually sealed the win after 75 minutes, 9/11, 11/8, 9/11, 11/2, 11/5.

Daryl Selby beat qualifier Tom Richards in an all-English first round affair. Selby will face World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy after claiming the 11/9, 10/12, 9/11, 11/1, 11/6 victory.

Qualifier Adrian Waller’s tournament came to an end in a 3-0 loss to Australia’s Cameron Pilley. The match finished 11/6, 11/5, 11/6 to Pilley, lasting 46 minutes. World No.48 Charles Sharpes was defeated 11/3, 5/11, 11/5, 11/6 by Mohamed Abouelghar (Egypt) in 41 minutes.

Top seed Mohamed ElShorbagy (Egypt) made it through with the skin of his teeth against Fares Dessouky in the highlight of the afternoon session. The reigning champion eventually defeated his fellow countryman 11/8, 10/12, 11/7, 8/11, 11/8 after 93 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Marwan ElShorbagy [6] threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 5/11, 7/11, 11/5, 11/6, 11/6 to Max Lee (Hong Kong).

Last year’s runner-up Nouran Gohar [4] fell victim to qualifier Nada Abbas (Egypt) in the shock of the day. World No.45 Abbas closed out a huge win in 45 minutes, 12/10, 14/12, 5/11, 11/8.

Results - First Round: 2017 Allam British Open
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Fares Dessouky (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8 (93m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 3-2: 11-9, 10-12, 9-11, 11-1, 11-6 (78m)
[Q] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 6-0 retired (19m)
[7] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 3-1: 11-9, 11-1, 9-11, 11-1 (54m)
[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-3 (35m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt [WC] Declan James (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2, 11-5 (75m)
Simon Rösner (GER) bt [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-8 (41m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 (49m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-0 (30m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (46m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9 (71m)
Max Lee (HKG) bt [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (61m)
[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (29m)
Diego Elias (PER) bt [Q] Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-1, 11-6 (55m)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [Q] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 3-1: 11-3, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6 (41m)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-2: 13-11, 6-11, 11-2, 5-11, 11-6 (72m)

Draw - Second Round
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
[Q] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v [7] Ali Farag (EGY)
[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Paul Coll (NZL)
Simon Rösner (GER) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Max Lee (HKG)
[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Diego Elias (PER)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)

Results - First Round: 2017 Women's Allam British Open
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 (21m)
[10] Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) 3-2: 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (55m)
[13] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-1: 11-8, 1-11, 11-6, 11-3 (36m)
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 7-2 retired (12m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) 3-1: 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-1 (39m)
[Q] Mayar Hany (EGY) bt [9] Joelle King (NZL) 3-1: 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (42m)
[12] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [Q] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10 (40m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [WC] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-6 (27m)
[Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt [4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 14-12, 5-11, 11-8 (45m)
[15] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [Q] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 14-12, 11-6, 11-5 (46m)
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [16] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (38m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [Q] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (26m)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (30m)
[14] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 (18m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-3 (34m)

Draw - Second Round
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [10] Annie Au (HKG)
[13] Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [8] Alison Waters (ENG)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Mayar Hany (EGY)
[12] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [3] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
[Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) v [15] Donna Urquhart (AUS)
Tesni Evans (WAL) v [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) v [14] Joey Chan (HKG)
[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [2] Camille Serme (FRA)

For all the latest news from the 2017 Allam British Open, visit the official website. For results and reaction, follow @BritOpenSquash.