Lee & Le Roux Boost Home Interest In Devon & Exeter Open

Surrey's Joe Lee and Yorkshireman Shaun le Roux boosted home interest in the Devon & Exeter Open after victories in the qualifying finals of the inaugural PSA Tour event at Devon & Exeter Squash Club in Exeter, in the English county of Devon.

Lee, a 17-year-old from Walton-on-Thames who led England to success in the European Junior U19 Team Championships in Belgium last month, beat county colleague Philip Nightingale 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9.

"I played well under the circumstances," said Lee afterwards. "He played at a quick pace which is not what I wanted. But I'm delighted to have made the main draw."

Cape Town-born le Roux, from Castleford in Yorkshire, defeated Welshman Peter Creed 11-9, 11-7, 11-7.

Whilst Lee faces third-seeded Englishman Chris Ryder in the first round, le Roux will meet Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet, the No7 seed.

The final of the $10,000 event is expected to be an all-English affair between favourite Bradley Ball, the world No34 from Ipswich, and Surrey's second seed Stacey Ross, the 33-year-old from Sutton who celebrated a career-high world ranking of 40 this month.

Qualifying finals:
Joe Lee (ENG) bt Philip Nightingale (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9
Shaun le Roux (ENG) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 11-9, 11-7, 11-7
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt John Rooney (IRL) 11-9, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0)
Jason Barry (RSA) bt Michael Harris (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-3