DSR Handicaps Friday Night's Netsuite First Round
from DailySquashReport.com
October 19, 2012
At the San Francisco Bay Club:
James Willstrop v Alan Clyne
Clyne is a gamer but Willstrop doesn't want a repeat of the lengthy early-round matches that may have drained him in last week's Philly US Open before he fell in the semis to Gaultier. He'll be determined to get off the court here.
Willstrop 3-0
Amr Shabana v Alister Walker
Walker is an entertaining player and always a tough out. Shabana is in good form and at age 33 making one last push at the top. He played the match of the US Open against world #2 Matthew, losing 11-9 in the fifth in the quarters.
Shabana 3-1
At the University Club of San Francisco
Tarek Momen v Gregoire Marche
Momen won the Malysian Open last month and is at an all-time ranking high of 13. Marche is on the rise at 22 years old and had a nice qualifying run, but Momen has a big game.
Momen 3-1
Nicholas Mueller v Greg Gaultier
The Swiss star Mueller is the world #20. He could catch Gaultier starting slow, coming off his finals appearance in last week's Philly US Open. But when Gaultier finds the range Mueller is overmatched.
Gaultier 3-1
At Stanford University in Palo Alto
Peter Barker v Hisham Ashour
A good matchup, though with the players going in opposite directions at the moment. World #6 Barker is coming off a tremendous effort in an OT in the fifth US Open quarters loss to eventual champion Ramy Ashour. Hisham is ranked 15th but took bad first round losses to Henrik Mustonen and Chris Gordon in his last two events. If a focused Ashour shows up this could get interesting.
Barker 3-1
Laurens Jan Anjema v Chris Simpson
Anjema has an unspectacular game but has steadily worked his way to the world #9 slot. Simpson has never been ranked higher than 38th, but put together solid qualy wins here over Shawn Delierre and Ryan Cuskelly. Anjema is a step ahead.
Anjema 3-0
Daryl Selby v Martin Knight
Two veterans in their late 20's who have been in plenty of wars. Selby is locked in though, having just gone 81 minutes with Willstrop in the Philly round-of-16.
Selby 3-0
Julian Illingworth v Nick Matthew
Longtime US #1 Illingworth is at his best in this type of match, when he is relaxed with no pressure and can let his ample talent flourish. He gave 3rd-ranked Gaultier plenty of trouble in a competitive four-gamer last November in the Hong Kong Open. Julian's most recent match was a disappointing Philly qualifying loss to Atlas Khan, in which he held a match point in the fifth. Matthew spent a lot of minutes on court in last week's US Open, going 66 with Mosaad, 68 with Grant, 92 with Shabana, and 74 with Ashour in a losing semi. Julian should win a game and play the others close.
Matthew 3-1
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