British Open: Clyne wins marathon against Charlton

18th May, Men’s Qualifying Round One :

Andrew Wagih (Egy) 3-0 James Earles (Eng) 11/6, 11/6, 11/6 (29m)
Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-2 Eddie Charlton (Eng) 8/11, 12/14, 11/5, 11/4, 11/4 (92m)
Grégoire Marche (Fra) 3-0 Bradley Smith (Eng) 11/1, 11/2, 11/4 (24m)
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Anthony Graham (Eng) 13/11, 3/11, 11/7, 11/9 (55m)
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) 3-1 Robbie Temple (Eng) 10/12, 11/3, 11/8, 11/2 (50m)
Max Lee (Hkg) 3-1 Muhd Asyraf Azan (Mas) 11/5, 8/11, 11/8, 11/9 (73m)
Chris Simpson (Eng) 3-0 Declan James (Eng) 11/5, 11/5, 11/2 (34m)
Mazen Hesham (Egy) 3-1 Leo Au (Hkg) 11/7, 6/11, 14/12, 11/8 (60m)
Shawn Delierre (Can) 3-2 Shaun Le Roux (Rsa) 11/7, 4/11, 4/11, 11/9, 11/9 (99m)
Ryan Cuskelly (Aus) 3-1 Joel Hinds (Eng) 7/11 , 11/9, 11/7, 11/3 (62m)
Jonathan Kemp (Eng) 3-0 Peter Creed (Wal) 11/7, 11/2, 11/7 (30m)
Nafiizwan Adnan (Mas) 3-1 Chris Gordon (Usa) 12/10, 13/11, 6/11, 11/9 (70m)
Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy) 3-1 Charles Sharpes (Eng) 5/11, 11/9, 11/4, 11/3 (48m)
Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Nathan Lake (Eng) 11/8, 11/7, 13/15, 11/2 (53m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy) 3-1 Chris Ryder (Eng) 17/15, 8/11, 11/9, 11/7 (58m)
Joe Lee (Eng) 3-0 Ben Coleman (Eng) 12/10, 11/4, 11/4 (46m)
British Open kicks off with qualifying at Pontefract

From STEVE CUBBINS

The 2013 edition of the Allam British Open Squash Championships got under way at Pontefract Squash & Leisure today with sixteen men’s round one qualifying matches, which provided a quartet British winners.

The first match of the day was one of the longest, as qualifying second seed Alan Clyne had to fight back from two games down to Eddie Charlton, who had won one of the four pre-qualifying events to claim a place in the qualifying draw.

After completing his comeback in 92 minutes the relieved Scot said: “I didn’t mind losing the first game as I thought I still produced a lot of work, but losing the second one, that was not as I planned it, but I’m happy with the way I came back.”

Chris Simpson, winner of last week’s Jersey Classic, Jonathan Kemp, enjoying a successful semi-retirement with two recent PSA wins to his name, and Joe Lee, all beating fellow Brits, were the other British winners on the day.

Hull’s James Earles, who was awarded a place as a local, came unstuck against Andrew Wagih, losing in straight games. “I’m so happy to have won that first round,” said Wagih, playing in the BO for the first time, “I was so afraid to lose in the opening round, after coming all this way!”

Wagih was the first of six – out of six – Egyptians to progress, all but one of them beating Englishmen, and the other five all winning in four games.

The happiest winner of the day was Mazen Hesham, who produces an upset against Hong Kong’s Leo Au, ranked some xx places above him. “It means so much to me,” said Mazen. “This is only my second big tournament ever, and getting to play in the British Open is one of my dreams!”

Ali Anwar Reda overcame Robbie Temple, Omar Abdel Meguid came from a game down to deny English hopeful Charles Sharpes in four hotly-contested games, Karim Abdel Gawad beat Chris Ryder in a lengthy encounter, and world junior champion Marwan El Shorbagy also took four games to subdue Nathan Lake.

Young Frenchman Grégoire Marche will face Finnish counterpart Henrik Mustonen for a place in the main draw after both beast Englishmen. Marche made quick work of pre-qualifier Bradley Smith while Mustonen needed almost an hour to beat Anthony Graham, another pre-qualifier, in four games.

“The pace is a massive wake up call for me compared to what I’m used to,” admitted Smith, “I’m so glad to get a chance to play against him, it’s a great experience.

Marche was happy enough with his opener: “A good start, not too often do you get a chance to ease in nicely into such a big event, so I’m taking full use of it, and I enjoyed it,” said the Frenchman.

The longest and most contentious match of the day was between Shawn Delierre and Shaun Le Roux. Delierre, the newly-crowned Canadian champion, came from 2-1 down to triumph in a match that too 99 minutes and required 63 decisions of the referees. He’ll face Australian Ryan Cuskelly in tomorrow’s finals after the left-hander came from a game down to beat pre-qualifier Joel Hinds.

Tomorrow’s qualifying finals start at noon, with along with women’s first round qualifying matches, still at Pontefract.

Clyne v Wagih, Marche v Mustonen, Reda v Lee, Simpson v Hesham,
Cuskelly v Delierre, Kemp v Adnan, Meguid v Shorbagy, Gawad v Lee

The glass court at Hull