WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, New York, USA

Qualifying finals:
Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Ian Power (CAN) 15-12, 15-9, 15-5
Gavin Jones (WAL) bt Matthew Giuffre (CAN) 15-11, 15-8, 17-14
Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) bt Mark Heather (ENG) 8-15, 17-15, 15-11, 15-11
John Rooney (IRL) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 15-14, 15-12, 17-15
Karim Yehia (EGY) bt Alex Stait (ENG) 15-12, 15-10, 16-17, 12-15, 15-14
Viktor Berg (CAN) bt Matt Jenson (AUS) 17-15, 15-9, 15-7

Qualifying Finals Set Up Canadian Clashes For Power In New York

Canada's four-times champion Jonathon Power is likely to face two successive domestic clashes if he is to reach his anticipated place in the quarter-finals of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, following the completion of the qualifying finals in New York.

The USA's largest squash tournament gets underway today (Saturday) in its seventh year at New York's famed Grand Central Terminal.  The world's top men - led by France's world No1 Thierry Lincou, England's world No2 and defending champion Peter Nicol, and Power, a five-times finalist - will be in action on the all-glass court staged in one of the world's most distinctive settings.

Viktor Berg became the only Canadian to survive the final qualifying round when he defeated Australia's Matt Jenson 17-15 15-9 15-7.  His reward is a first round place against Jonathon Power, the sixth seed from Montreal.  Victory for North America's most successful squash player of all time would take 29-year-old Power through to a scheduled second round meeting with compatriot Graham Ryding, the 11th seed and long-time sparring partner and domestic rival.

Ryding's first round opponent is Egyptian Yasser El Halaby.  In one of three upsets in the final round of qualifying play at the New York Athletic Club, the unranked Princeton University sophomore defeated Brazil's Rafael Alarcon in five games.

The final match of the evening nearly took the roof off the New York Athletic Club as its assistant pro Karim Yehia prevailed 15-14 in the fifth after giving up a 2-0 lead over England's Alex Stait.  The Egyptian will have the home court advantage again when he meets Scotland's 15th seed Martin Heath in the first round play at the New York Athletic Club.

Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Mike Corren (AUS)
[12] Paul Price (AUS) v [Q] Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA)
[6] Jonathon Power (CAN) v [Q] Viktor Berg (CAN)
[11] Graham Ryding (CAN) v [Q] Yasser El Halaby (EGY)
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) v Rodney Durbach (RSA)
[16] Shahier Razik (CAN) v Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)
[8] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Moh'd Azlan Iskandar (MAS)
[15] Martin Heath (SCO) v [Q] Karim Yehia (EGY)
[14] Alex Gough (WAL) v Jonathon Kemp (ENG)
[7] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) v [Q] Liam Kenny (IRL)
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [Q] John Rooney (IRL)
[4] Lee Beachill (ENG) v Simon Parke (ENG)
[13] James Willstrop (ENG) v Dan Jenson (AUS)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) v [Q] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM)
[9] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Gavin Jones (WAL)
[2] John White (SCO) v Borja Golan (ESP)