Beachill On Course For Historic US Open Treble

Englishman Lee Beachill comfortably overcame his first round opponent in the US Open in Boston to keep alive his bid to become the first player in the modern era to win the prestigious US title three times in a row.

The 28-year-old Yorkshireman from Pontefract, seeded eight, beat Brazilian champion Rafael F Alarcon 11-4, 11-10 (4-2), 11-8 in 37 minutes at Harvard University's Murr Center to set up a second round clash with compatriot Adrian Grant.

Londoner Grant, the 13th seed who is based in Yorkshire, survived an 83-minute marathon against fellow Yorkshire-based compatriot Alister Walker, a qualifier, winning 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8.

British Open champion Nick Matthew barely broke sweat in his victory over fellow Englishman Tom Richards, winning 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 in 32 minutes. Egypt's Wael El Hindi not only advanced, but broke the spirit of English qualifier Daryl Selby. It was a contentious match from the start, with the Egyptian securing a place in the second round when Selby withdrew after 67 minutes with the score standing at 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 7-3.

Canada's Graham Ryding easily defeated Dutch qualifier Dylan Bennett. "I was a little rusty to start, but my timing was solid by the third game," said the 16th seed from Toronto after his 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 win in 29 minutes.

Ryding goes on to face England's fifth seed James Willstrop - who was taken the full distance by fast-improving Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema before winning 9-11, 11-10 (3-1), 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 in 78 minutes.

Egypt's rising star Ramy Ashour made quick work of Shawn Delierre to advance to the last sixteen round. The 19-year-old world No9 from Cairo beat the Canadian qualifier 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 - while his brother Hisham Mohd Ashour made John White's advancement into the second round anything but easy.

The elder Ashour took the first two games in the match against the ninth seed from Scotland and White answered in kind with two for himself. The fifth and final game, though, was a tight one, but White's trademark shot-making skills ultimately earned him the 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 win and a place in the last sixteen.

A distinguished squash career came to an end in Boston when England's Mark Chaloner went down 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 to Australia's No4 seed Anthony Ricketts in a fiercely-contested 58-minute battle.

Chaloner, 34, from Lincolnshire, achieved a career-high ranking of 7 in September 2001, six years after famously winning the deciding rubber in the final of the Men's World Team Championships against Pakistan in Egypt which gave England the title for the first time.

"The reason is mainly due to my body's refusal to go through with the demands competitive squash requires, at the speed which I expect and therefore a certain amount of frustration occurs. Arrgghh! So it became crystal clear in my mind on Friday 3rd Nov that it was time to move on," said Chaloner, who is President of the PSA.

"I don't intend however, just to disappear off the face of the squash World! I would like to continue my role on the PSA board, in whatever capacity that may be with not being a current player - yet to be determined - this depends of course if the players are keen on this!

"It's been a hell of an experience.....I'd recommend it to anyone, without hesitation," Chaloner concluded.

1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (29m)
[14] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (38m)
[7] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (32m)
[15] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (36m)
[4] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 (58m)
[11] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (35m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 9-11, 11-10 (3-1), 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 (78m)
[16] Graham Ryding (CAN) bt [Q] Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 (29m)
[12] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 7-3 ret. (67m)
[6] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Liam Kenny (IRL) 11-5, 11-3, 11-4 (38m)
[10] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Mark Heather (ENG) 11-4, 11-1, 11-5 (26m)
[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 11-4, 10-11 (2-4), 11-9, 11-5 (56m)
[13] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (83m)
[8] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 11-4, 11-10 (4-2), 11-8 (37m)
[9] John White (SCO) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 (48m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (31m)