US Open Welcomes World's Elite To Philadelphia by Howard Harding 9 October 2013
- Eyes of the squash world will be focussed over the next week on
Philadelphia, where the fifth PSA World Series event of the year has
attracted the world's elite to the Delaware Investments U.S. Open
Squash Championships, staged for the third year in a row at Drexel
University.
The event's top four
seeds have all topped the world rankings over the last four years -
with top-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the world No2, looking to
make amends for a runner-up finish last year by winning the men's title
for the second time since 2006.
But England's No3 seed
Nick Matthew will also be looking to pick up the trophy for a second
time after wresting it from Gaultier in 2007 in New York.
Gaultier begins his
fourth US Open campaign against Christopher Gordon, the US wildcard who
celebrated a significant breakthrough in March when, against
expectations, he won the US National title for the first time.
The 30-year-old from
Aix-en-Provence is enjoying one of his best career runs since reaching
world number one in 2009. Winner of the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas in
Mexico last month, Gaultier is expected to notch up his fourth Tour
final appearance in a row when he reaches the US Open climax next
Friday (18 October).
On the other side of
the draw, world No4 Matthew kicks off his eighth US Open campaign since
2003 against a qualifier. The 33-year-old from Sheffield, who topped
the world rankings throughout 2011, is expected to reach the
semi-finals for the third year in a row - where his opponent is
predicted to be national rival James Willstrop.
Second seed Willstrop,
runner-up to Matthew in 2007 and world number one last year, will be
eager to get his hands on the trophy for the first time. The world No3
from Harrogate opens his 2013 bid against fellow countryman Chris
Simpson, the new world No21.
A Willstrop/Matthew
clash could not fail to be one of the Philadelphia highlights. The
encounter would be the pair's 31st Tour meeting since 2001 (with
Matthew holding a 22-8 advantage) - but their first for more than a
year!
Egyptian interest in
the event will be led by Karim Darwish, the fourth seed who topped the
world rankings from January 2009. The 32-year-old from Cairo takes on
Australian Ryan Cuskelly in the opening round - and may have to
overcome fast-rising fellow countryman Mohamed Elshorbagy, the No5
seed, in the quarter-finals before a predicted semi-final clash with
Gaultier.
Players from 18 nations will compete in the qualifying competition for eight places in the main draw.
At 40 years old,
Scotland's John White is looking to become one of the oldest
competitors ever to make the main draw. As Head Coach at Drexel
University, the former world number one will surely have considerable
local support.
But White, a US Open
semi-finalist in 1999, has a tough first round opponent in Alfredo
Avila, a rapidly-rising 22-year-old from Mexico who, ranked 55 in the
world, is the sixth highest-ranked player in the qualifying draw.
Men's 1st round draw: [1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [WC] Christopher Gordon (USA) Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) v Adrian Waller (ENG) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Qualifier [7] Borja Golan (ESP) v Shawn Delierre (CAN) [5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) Alan Clyne (SCO) v Qualifier Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Qualifier [4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) [3] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Qualifier Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Qualifier Henrik Mustonen (FIN) v Joe Lee (ENG) [6] Peter Barker (ENG) v Qualifier [8] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Qualifier Simon Rosner (GER) v Julian Illingworth (USA) Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Qualifier [2] James Willstrop (ENG) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
