Champion Matthew Eases Into British Open Second Round

England's Nick Matthew successfully began the defence of his men's title in the Dunlop British Open with a straight games win over compatriot Daryl Selby in the first round of the world-famous event at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.

The 27-year-old from Sheffield, who last year became the first Englishman for 67 years to win the sport's longest-established trophy, took 50 minutes on the NSC all-glass court to quash his Essex opponent 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.

"It's nice to get the first one under my belt. Whatever form you're in coming into the tournament, you feel like you're into it after that," the sixth-seeded title holder told the official website www.britishopensquash.com

"If I can put it all together, I definitely have a chance to retain the title. I'm fitter and stronger than I was last year, but then so is everyone else."

Matthew will now face Malaysia's 14th seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar who battled for 80 minutes to overcome top-ranked Spaniard Borja Golan 11-10 (2-0), 11-4, 3-11, 11-7.

A dramatic upset looked on the cards when England's unseeded Joey Barrington took a two-games-to-one lead over No11 seed Mohammed Abbas. The Egyptian fought back to level the match against the son of illustrious six times British Open champion Jonah Barrington - then played a series of stunning shots in a fightback in the decider to win 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8 in 70 minutes.

Favourite Amr Shabana, the Egyptian world number one who has yet to win a British Open crown, despatched Italian qualifier Davide Bianchetti 11-7, 11-7, 11-8, and will now face England's former world number one Lee Beachill - the tenth seed who beat compatriot Stacey Ross, a qualifier from Surrey, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4.

Australia's three-time champion David Palmer made a convincing start to his 11th British Open campaign with an 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 win over French qualifier Julien Balbo. The Belgium-based second seed will now take on Finland's Olli Tuominen for a place in the quarter-finals.

Lauren Briggs added further English interest in the other main event after beating the Irish number two Aisling Blake 9-5, 10-8, 9-1 in the qualifying finals of the women's championship. The 28-year-old from Essex was then drawn to face Irish number one Madeline Perry, the No7 seed, in the first round.

Meanwhile, Irish number three Laura Mylotte capitalised on her walkover in the first qualifying round by battling to an 8-10, 9-5, 9-10, 9-6, 9-1 win over India's Joshna Chinappa. In her British Open debut, the 32-year-old from Galway will meet Australia's No2 seed Natalie Grinham.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (34m)
[10] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Stacey Ross (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (36m)
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (50m)
[14] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 11-10 (2-0), 11-4, 3-11, 11-7 (80m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)
[13] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 10-11 (1-3), 11-7, 11-1, 11-8 (60m)
[7] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-7, 10-11 (0-2), 5-11, 11-7, 11-7 (81m)
[12] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (22m)
[16] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Alex Gough (WAL) 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9 (69m)
[8] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [Q] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (37m)
[11] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8 (70m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)
[9] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (46m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] John Rooney (IRL) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (32m)
[15] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Andrew Whipp (ENG) 11-8, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (34m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (33m)

Women's qualifying finals:
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-0, 9-5, 7-9, 9-6 (60m)
Laura Mylotte (IRL) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 8-10, 9-5, 9-10, 9-6, 9-1 (60m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-5, 10-8, 9-1 (64m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Tenille Swartz (RSA) 9-10, 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (54m)