Palmer To Face Shabana In Australian Open Opener, Illingworth Draws Switzerland's Nicolas Mueller

28 June 2011
-Australia's David Palmer will have to get past world number five Amr Shabana of Egypt in the first round of the Australian Open if he is to have any chance of adding a second title to the one he claimed in 2008.

The 2011 Australian Open, the third PSA World Series squash event of the year, will be played on the all-glass court at the Royal Theatre in Canberra from 8-14 August.

Palmer and Shabana, both one-time world number ones with six World Open titles between them, have already faced each other 20 times on the PSA World Tour since 2000 - with the Egyptian boasting a 12-8 advantage.

All four Australian men who qualified directly for the main draw of the tournament have tough openers, highlighting the quality of the elite field.

Cameron Pilley takes on world number six Gregory Gaultier of France, while Aaron Frankcomb is up against seventh-seeded Englishman Peter Barker.

Four-time Australian Open champion Stewart Boswell will take on Indian number one Saurav Ghosal, and if he wins that clash he will most likely face second seed Ramy Ashour of Egypt in the second round.

Top-seeded Englishman Nick Matthew opens his title defence with a testing clash against South African Stephen Coppinger, who won Brisbane's Hibiscus Gardens Open in April, ahead of a probable second round clash against Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee.

Ashour plays a qualifier in the first round, as does third seed and fellow Egyptian Karim Darwish, while fourth-ranked Englishman James Willstrop plays fellow countryman Chris Ryder.

1st round draw:

[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)

Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Qualifier

Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Julian Illingworth (USA)

[8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)

[5] Amr Shabana (EGY) v David Palmer (AUS)

Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Tom Richards (ENG)

Qualifier v Qualifier

[3] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier

[4] James Willstrop (ENG) v Chris Ryder (ENG)

Qualifier v Qualifier

Adrian Grant (ENG) v Simon Rosner (GER)

[6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)

[7] Peter Barker (ENG) v Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)

Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Qualifier

Stewart Boswell (AUS) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)

[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Qualifier


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