Qualifying Trio Boosts English Hopes In British Open

A trio of Englishmen - Jonathan Kemp, Stacey Ross and Daryl Selby - boosted domestic chances of success in the Dunlop British Open after coming through the men's qualifying finals of the world-famous event at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.

Back on the circuit after knee surgery in the summer, Kemp defeated Pakistan's Yasir Butt 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4. The 26-year-old Shropshire lad from Telford now faces top Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the No3 seed, in the first round.

Ross became the oldest player to qualify after recovering from two games down to beat compatriot Jonathan Harford 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 in 62 minutes. The 33-year-old from Surrey will face another Englishman Lee Beachill, the tenth seed from Yorkshire, in a bid to reach the second round for the first time.

Daryl Selby has earned his first appearance in the main draw of the British Open at this third attempt: The 24-year-old from Essex needed 54 minutes to overcome Germany's 2006 European Junior Champion Simon Rosner 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-9 - and will now face England's defending champion Nick Matthew in his event debut.

John Rooney led a good day for the Irish when he defeated Australian Bradley Hindle 4-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 in 57 minutes. In his first appearance in the main draw, the 27-year-old from Galway - ranked 99 in the world - will take on top Englishman James Willstrop, the 24-year-old Yorkshireman who last week won the Prince English Grand Prix in Birmingham.

Italian Davide Bianchetti and Frenchman Julien Balbo also survived the qualifying finals - but received the toughest rewards: World No33 Bianchetti, the highest-ranked qualifier, will face favourite Amr Shabana, the world No1 from Egypt - while 28-year-old Balbo will meet Australia's second seed David Palmer, a three-time winner of the prestigious title.

Qualifying in the women's event also got underway at Sportcity. English hopes will rely on Cheshire's Sarah Kippax and Essex's Lauren Briggs. Kippax defeated compatriot Suzie Pierrepont 9-5, 9-7, 9-3 and will now face New Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes for a place in the main draw.

Briggs beat England's Emma Chorley 9-3, 9-6, 9-3 and now meets Aisling Blake in the qualifying finals.

Blake joined Laura Mylotte in providing a 100% success rate for Irish players at the National Squash Centre. The Dublin-born 26-year-old from Sligo beat England's Kirsty McPhee 9-4, 9-6, 9-2, while Mylotte, the 32-year-old world No47 from Galway, was handed a walkover by England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter after the world No22 from Harrow failed to recover from a twisted ankle earlier in the week.

Men's qualifying finals:
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Yasir Butt (PAK) 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4 (35m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-10 (2-0) (55m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (35m)
Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Jonathan Harford (ENG) 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 (62m)
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 (72m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-9 (54m)
John Rooney (IRL) bt Bradley Hindle (AUS) 4-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 (57m)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Bradley Ball (ENG) 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (43m)

Women's 1st qualifying round:
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Georgina Stoker (ENG) 9-4, 9-3, 9-1 (25m)
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 9-5, 9-7, 9-3 (34m)
Laura Mylotte (IRL) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) w/o
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 9-7, 9-4, 9-1 (24m)
Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Kirsty McPhee (ENG) 9-4, 9-6, 9-2 (41m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Emma Chorley (ENG) 9-3, 9-6, 9-3 (31m)
Tenille Swartz (RSA) bt Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 2-9, 10-8, 10-8, 9-2 (45m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Laura Hill (ENG) 9-4, 10-8, 3-9, 9-4 (53m)