Intriguing National Battles Set Up By US Open Qualifiers

A trio of intriguing domestic clashes in the first round of the US Open have been set up following the conclusion of the fiercely-contested qualifying finals of the seventh PSA Super Series event of the year which will be staged for the first time at the John Hancock Hall in Boston.

Omar Elborolossy, a former world No14 who retired from the PSA Tour after a first round World Open exit in December 2004, beat India's Harvard-based Siddharth Suchde 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7 to achieve his first qualifying success in four PSA events since August.

But the 31-year-old from Cairo, who rejoined the PSA in July, was then drawn to face fellow Egyptian Amr Shabana, the world No1 and top seed who is also from Cairo. Their last meeting was exactly three years ago, when Elborolossy beat his illustrious compatriot in four games.

England's Tom Richards, a 20-year-old from Surrey in only his second year on the PSA Tour, beat Pakistan's Basit Ashfaq 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 to earn his maiden first round berth in a Super Series event. But the world No63's reward is a first-ever meeting with fellow countryman Nick Matthew, the No7 seed and reigning British Open champion.

Another English coupling will take place when Adrian Grant, the Yorkshire-based 13th seed from London, takes on qualifier Alister Walker after the 24-year-old from Gloucestershire - also based in Yorkshire - beat Egypt's Ahmed Maged Hamza 11-9, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9 in the qualifying finals.

US National champion Julian Illingworth was unable to inject home-grown domestic interest in the first round of the nation's principal squash championship when he went down 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 to Englishman Daryl Selby.

But Canadian Shawn Delierre extended North American interest in the event when he fought back from two games down to defeat Australian Raj Nanda 6-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 11-6 in the only five-game qualifying final.

The 24-year-old from Montreal now lines up to meet the circuit's hottest new name - Ramy Ashour, the 19-year-old record two-times world junior champion from Egypt who has already leapt into the world's top ten after reaching the final of last month's Hong Kong Open.

Qualifying finals:
Alister Walker (ENG) bt Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) 11-9, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 4-11, 11-4, 11-9, 3-11, 11-5
Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Raj Nanda (AUS) 6-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 11-6
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Basit Ashfaq (PAK) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
Omar Elborolossy (EGY) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7
Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Tony James (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6