WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: SSA Global Windy City Open Squash Championship, Chicago, USA

1st round:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Alex Gough (WAL) 15-9, 15-12, 15-11
[5] Graham Ryding (CAN) bt [Q] Ben Garner (ENG) 15-6, 15-11, 15-8
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Rodney Durbach (RSA) 15-9, 8-15, 9-15, 15-11, 15-10
[8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 9-15, 9-15, 15-9, 15-9, 15-12
[7] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [Q] Simon Parke (ENG) 15-13, 15-12, 4-15, 15-11
[4] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 15-4, 15-13, 15-6
[6] Paul Price (AUS) bt [Q] Gavin Jones (WAL) 15-13, 15-9, 15-8
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Martin Heath (SCO) 17-14, 11-15, 15-9, 15-9

Seeds Sail Through Windy City Opener

The opening day's action of the SSA Global Windy City Open Squash Championship on the all glass court in the Cathedral Hall at the University Club, Chicago, saw all eight seeds sail safely through to the second round of this established $30,000 PSA Tour event in the USA.

In the spectacular setting of stained glass windows and the view of Lake Michigan, the packed audience was treated to a fantastic game of attrition in the opening match between France's seventh seed Renan Lavigne and experienced English qualifier Simon Parke, fellow team-mates at Nottingham squash club in England.

Lavigne's mixture of pace and delicate drops helped him control the game from 9-13 down in the first to take the opener 15-13 in one hand.  The Frenchman soon moved into a 2/0 lead, but Parke came back in devastating form to win the third game easily.  Lavigne was at the peak of his game in the latter stages of the fourth and showed his control to take the match 15-13 15-12 4-15 15-11.

A surprise looked on the cards when England's Mark Chaloner raced to a 2/0 lead over Finland's eighth seed Olli Tuominen.  The PSA President from Lincolnshire led 7-2 in the third game before the Finn raised his offensive play and clinically pulled back the game 15-9.  Touminen's confidence grew and he ultimately claimed a 9-15 9-15 15-9 15-9 15-12 victory.

England's in-form third seed Nick Matthew was taken the full distance by a strong and determined Rodney Durbach.  The South African gave a gritty performance and led 2/1 - but Matthew went on to win 15-9 8-15 9-15 15-11 15-10.

Australia's defending champion Paul Price stepped on court against Welsh qualifier Gavin Jones determined to show to the crowd why he was a former world top five player.  After a 1-6 and 7-12 start in the first game he played exceptional length to go 1/0 up.  Price continued to be in excellent form, using his mid court forehand kill whenever he had it as an option - and eventually secured a 15-13 15-9 15-8 win.

His opponent in the next round will be Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the No2 seed whom he beat in the 2003 final.  Gaultier charmed the crowd with his acrobatic movement, deft touches, and creative wrist.  At 14-14 in the first game against Scotland's Martin Heath, Gaultier showed his drop shot skills in the front forehand to win the next three points, and the game.  Tour veteran Heath, now based in Toronto, pulled back the second to level the match.   The Frenchman, however, was not to be out-classed and picked up the tempo of the third and final game, winning 17-14 11-15 15-9 15-9.