Home hopes were dashed in the Davenport North American Open when Christopher Gordon failed to advance through the qualifying competition of the second PSA World Series squash event of the year.
The New York-born US number two was beaten in straight games by talented Mexican Cesar Salazar in the first round of the qualifying draw at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond.
Following his 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 victory in just 28 minutes, Salazar now meets Mathieu Castagnet of France in the qualifying finals - which will be played on the glass court across town at the Westwood Club. Castagnet took 66 minutes to beat fellow Frenchman Julien Balbo 7-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6.
In another battle lasting the same time, another French competitor Yann Perrin lost to Kamran Khan of Malaysia. Khan's 14-16, 11-9, 11-2, 11-8 win takes the 21-year-old from Kuala Lumpur into a qualifying final against Siddharth Suchde.
UK-based Suchde, a 27-year-old Indian from Mumbai, scored a notable first round win when he beat in-form Pakistani Yasir Butt - runner-up in last week's Windy City Open in Chicago - 12-10, 11-3, 11-5.
Top qualifying seed Martin Knight of New Zealand meets Matthew Karwalski of Australia, and No2 seed Omar Abdel Aziz of Egypt faces Olivier Pett of England.
Pett, the world No66 from Sussex, scored an impressive domestic success when he upset fellow countryman Robbie Temple, ranked six places higher, 11-6, 13-11, 11-3.
RESULTS: PSA World Series Davenport North American Open, Richmond, Virginia, USA
1st qualifying round:
Martin Knight (NZL) bye
Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt John Street (USA) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (17m)
Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 (60m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Sean Steinour (USA) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 (18m)
Siddharth Suchde (IND) bt Yasir Butt (PAK) 12-10, 11-3, 11-5 (40m)
Kamran Khan (MAS) bt Yann Perrin (FRA) 14-16, 11-9, 11-2, 11-8 (66m)
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 14-12 (28m)
Zac Alexander (AUS) bye
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bye
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Francis Johnson (USA) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 (17m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 (28m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 7-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6 (66m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Ryan Donegan (USA) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4 (19m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5 (58m)
Olivier Pett (ENG) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-6, 13-11, 11-3 (46m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bye
Qualifying finals line-up:
Martin Knight (NZL) v Matthew Karwalski (AUS)
Shawn Delierre (CAN) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
Siddharth Suchde (IND) v Kamran Khan (MAS)
Chris Simpson (ENG) v Zac Alexander (AUS)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) v Jan Koukal (CZE)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) v Olivier Pett (ENG)
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