US Open Squash Championship, New York, USA

04-Oct, Final:
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [5] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 (54m)

Nick Matthew Is New US Open Champion

Nick Matthew produced a devastating display of squash to overcome fellow Englishman James Willstrop in the final of the US Open to claim his first PSA Super Series title - and the biggest prize of his career - at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

The triumph - marking his sixth PSA Tour title - follows last month's disappointment of surrendering the British Open crown he won for the first time in 2006.

The 27-year-old from Sheffield in Yorkshire made his 'Big Apple' breakthrough when he defeated the sport's newest star Ramy Ashour - the 20-year-old world number two from Egypt who has won five PSA Tour titles this year - in the semi-finals.

The sixth seed's stunning semi-final victory took 69 minutes, whilst Willstrop battled for 98 to overcome Egypt's Karim Darwish in the other semi - 24 hours after upsetting Gregory Gaultier, the defending champion and newly-crowned British Open champion, in a 76-minute marathon!

But Matthew was too strong for fellow Yorkshireman Willstrop in the final of the $120,000 event, winning 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 in 54 minutes.

"Nick was absolutely outstanding tonight," Willstrop told www.squashsite.co.uk. "I've played him on so many occasions, and I've never seen him play so well. He was just far too good, and I couldn't do anything against him. No excuses.

"He was a man on top of his form. I wanted to win this tournament, but he deserves it because he has made himself into a world class athlete," added the 24-year-old from Leeds, who is himself enjoying a resurgence of form - last month winning his seventh PSA Tour title at the Prince English Grand Prix.

"He put me under constant pressure and got onto every single shot. He's a great student of the game, and his training has made him able to play three tough matches in a row, and I need to work up to that level. I am very pleased, but I just didn't have enough tonight," concluded Willstrop.

03-Oct, Semi-finals:

[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [10] Karim Darwish (EGY)   6-11, 11-10(2-0), 11-2, 9-11, 11-6 (98m)

[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [2] Ramy Ashour (EGY)          9-11, 11-10(6-4), 11-6, 11-6 (69m)

Willstrop & Matthew To Contest
Shock All-English US Open Final

The US Open Squash Championship will climax in a surprise all-English final - for the second time in three years - after fifth seed James Willstrop and sixth seed Nick Matthew prevailed in marathon semi-finals of the PSA Super Series Platinum event at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

Matthew, the world number ten from Sheffield, scored one of the best wins of his career by beating the in-form Egyptian Ramy Ashour - the second seed and winner of five PSA Tour titles this year - in four games.

In his first ever victory over the 20-year-old world number two, Matthew recovered from a game down, then survived a lengthy tie-break game before going on to secure the event's most dramatic upset 9-11, 11-10 (6-4), 11-6, 11-6 in 69 minutes.

In the other semi-final, Matthew's England and Yorkshire team-mate James Willstrop was also facing an Egyptian.  In last month's British Open on home soil, Willstrop beat Karim Darwish in four games in just over an hour - and the tenth seed from Cairo was clearly after revenge, especially following his surprise victory over favourite Amr Shabana in the previous round.

Darwish took the opening game and had two game-balls in the second to go 2/0 ahead.  But Willstrop, the 24-year-old Yorkshireman who has tasted PSA Tour title victory twice this year, fought back to claim the second game in a tie-break before ultimately securing a 6-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2, 9-11, 11-6 triumph after 98 minutes.

With both players seeking their first US Open crown, Willstrop is celebrating his 11^th appearance in a PSA final and Matthew his 21^st.  However, a second Yorkshire US Open win is assured after county colleague Lee Beachill won his first of two titles in 2004, beating compatriot Peter Nicol in the final in Boston.

The New York final will be the English pair's 13^th PSA Tour clash since June 2001, with Willstrop currently leading the head-to-head tally 7/5.

02-Oct, Quarter-Finals:
 
[10] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [1] Amr Shabana (EGY)          11-9, 11-8, 2-0 ret. (28m)

[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)      8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (76m)

[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [4] Thierry Lincou (FRA)             11-5, 3-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 (94m)

[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [11] Lee Beachill (ENG)              11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-7 (65m)

Champion Gaultier Goes In
A Night Of New York Shocks

With three of the top four seeds failing to make the semi-finals of the US Open, it was a night of significant shocks in the PSA Super Series Platinum squash event at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City where only rising star Ramy Ashour achieved his expected seeded position.

England's James Willstrop arguably scored the biggest scalp, recovering from a game down to beat defending champion Gregory Gaultier.  The in-form 24-year-old world No4 from France last month became the Frenchman to win the British Open title in the 77-year history of the event.

But the ever-improving Willstrop, seeded five, repeated his first ever defeat of Gaultier in the Super Series Finals in August by toppling the third seed 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 in 76 minutes.

The 24-year-old Yorkshireman's opponent in the semi-finals will be Egyptian Karim Darwish - who despatched compatriot Amr Shabana in little more than two games when the top seed and world number one retired injured after 28 minutes with the score standing at 11-9, 11-8, 2-0 in tenth seed Darwish's favour.

The other semi-final in the first US Open to be staged in New York since 1991 will also feature an Egyptian/English clash.  In the longest match of the session, a second Frenchman made an unexpectedly early exit when Englishman Nick Matthew, the sixth seed, upset fourth seed Thierry Lincou, the former world number one from Marseille, 11-5, 3-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 in 94 minutes.

Matthew, the 27-year-old from Sheffield who surrendered his 2006 British Open crown to Gaultier last month, will now face Ramy Ashour for a place in the final. 

Ashour, the world number two who celebrated his 20^th birthday this week in New York, was taken to five games by a determined Lee Beachill.  But, after levelling the match from 0/2 down, the Englishman was unable to maintain the momentum as Ashour posted an 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-7 victory after 65 minutes.

The departure of Gaultier and two-time champion Beachill leaves the long-standing US Open to hail a new champion from the final at the Roseland Ballroom.
 

01-Oct, Round Two:

[1] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [13] Peter Barker (Eng)          11/9, 11/5, 10/12, 11/7 (60m)
[10] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (Egy)        11/7, 11/8, 11/8 (57m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt [15] Adrian Grant (Eng)      11/7, 11/5, 11/9 (56m)
[5] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [15] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)    11/9, 11/9, 11/3 (48m)

[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [12] Mohammed Abbas (Egy)   11/3, 7/11, 11/6, 11/7 (55m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [9] Stewart Boswell (Aus)        11/6, 6/11, 12/10, 11/9 (75m)
[11] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [Q] Omar Mosaad (Egy)           11/8, 11/6, 11/8 (42m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [16] Olli Tuominen (Fin)           11/6, 11/8, 11/8 (40m)

Darwish Disturbs Egyptian Order In New York

Egypt's Karim Darwish upset higher-ranked compatriot Wael El Hindi in the second round of the US Open to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA Super Series Platinum squash event at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

Tenth seed Darwish dashed the eighth seed's hopes with an 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 victory in 57 minutes. The 26-year-old from Cairo now faces another fellow countryman - Amr Shabana, the top seed and world number one who took four games to overcome Englishman Peter Barker, the 13th seed, 11-9, 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7 in exactly one hour.

The pair will be joined in the last eight by a third Egyptian, after second seed Ramy Ashour, now 20, defeated Finland's Olli Tuominen, the 16th seed, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.

The quarter-finals of the first US Open to be staged in New York since 1991 will also feature a trio of Englishman. Yorkshireman Lee Beachill secured an unexpected place in the last eight when he beat Egyptian qualifier Omar Mosaad - the 19-year-old who upset former world number one John White in the previous round - 11-8, 11-6, 11-8. 11th seed Beachill will take on Ashour for a place in the semi-finals.

Beachill and England team-mates Nick Matthew and James Willstrop have ensured that there will English representation in three of the four quarter-finals. Willstrop takes on defending champion Gregory Gaultier, who last month became the first ever Frenchman to win the British Open title, while Matthew faces Gaultier's compatriot Thierry Lincou.

30-Sep, Round One, Bottom Half:

[12] Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt [Q] Joey Barrington (Eng) 15/13, 11/4, 11/5 (51m)
[6] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt Hisham Ashour (Egy)                 11/8, 11/9, 11/1 (37m)
[9] Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (Eng)            11/9, 6/11, 11/9, 5/11, 11/1 (75m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [Q] Alister Walker (Eng)            11/5, 11/9, 11/9 (55m)

[11] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas)                  11/7, 11/6, 11/7 (54m)
[Q] Omar Mosaad (Egy) bt [7] John White (Sco)                6/11, 12/10, 11/3, 12/10 (58m)
[16] Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (Eng)         11/6, 11/4, 11/8 (37m)
[2] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (Aus)               11/8, 11/5, 11/7 (34m)
 

29-Sep-07,1st round (top half):

[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Stefan Casteleyn (BEL)     11-4, 11-9, 10-11 (1-3), 11-7 (52m)

[13] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Renan Lavigne (FRA)       11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (39m)

[8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt Borja Golan (ESP)                   10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-7, 3-2 ret. (86m)

[10] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Alex Gough (WAL)              11-5, 11-8, 11-2 (45m)

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS)        11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 (71m)

[14] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)    11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-10 (6-4) (88m)

[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Gilly Lane (USA)                 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (37m)

[15] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-4, 4-11, 11-8, 11-2 (75m)

Gaultier Tested In US Open Defence

Title-holder Gregory Gaultier survived the first round of the US Open, but the third seed was severely tested for 71 minutes before overcoming unseeded Australian Cameron Pilley in the PSA Super Series Platinum squash event which is being staged in New York City for the first time since 1991.

Gaultier, who this month became the first Frenchman to win the British Open title in the 77-year history of the event, finally despatched the 23-year-old from New South Wales 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 - and will now face England's Adrian Grant for a place in the quarter-finals.

Grant, the 14^th seed from London, also endured a marathon first round battle before emerging the 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-10 (6-4) victor over Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema after 88 minutes.

By contrast, two further Englishmen booked places in the last sixteen after straightforward straight games first round wins.  James Willstrop, the No5 seed who lifted the Prince English Grand Prix title earlier in the month, ended domestic interest in the event when he defeated US wild card opponent Gilly Lane 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 in 37 minutes.

The Yorkshireman will now meet Malaysia's 15^th seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar, who needed 75 minutes to beat Canadian Shahier Razik 11-4, 4-11, 11-8, 11-2.

Willstrop's England team-mate Peter Barker took out French qualifier Renan Lavigne 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 and is rewarded by a second round meeting with favourite Amr Shabana, the world number one from Egypt who ended the brave run of Belgium's Stefan Casteleyn, beating the 33-year-old New York-based qualifier 11-4, 11-9, 10-11 (1-3), 11-7.

An all-Egyptian second round clash will take place between Wael El Hindi and Karim Darwish after eighth seed El Hindi prevailed against Borja Golan when the Spaniard retired injured after 86 minutes with the score standing at 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-7, 3-2 - and tenth seed Darwish defeated veteran Welshman Alex Gough 11-5, 11-8, 11-2.

Bottom half (to be played 30-Sep):
[12] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) v [Q] Joey Barrington (ENG)
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[9] Stewart Boswell (AUS) v [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v [Q] Alister Walker (ENG)
[11] Lee Beachill (ENG) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[7] John White (SCO) v [Q] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[16] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS)