Willstrop Downed In Super Series Finals Opener

Home hopes of success in the ATCO Super Series Finals took a knock on the opening day when fourth-seeded Englishman James Willstrop went down in straight games to France's fifth seed Thierry Lincou in the first Pool round of the flagship PSA Tour squash event at the Broadgate Arena in the city of London.

Just a week after losing a memorable British Open final to Australian David Palmer, world No3 Willstrop lost 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 to the world No5 in just 37 minutes.

In contrast to his sensational performance seven days earlier in Liverpool - where he held two match balls before losing to Palmer in a 111-minute marathon - the Yorkshireman was clearly struggling with his movement in London, and called for Physio treatment to his right leg after the first game.

"I could see from the start that he was struggling," Lincou told the official website www.superseriesfinals.net afterwards.

"We had to finish the match, but it was obvious he couldn't move," added the 32-year-old from Marseille after avenging his straight games loss to Willstrop in the British Open semi-finals.

There was British disappointment in the final match of the evening in the Prince Group when Amr Shabana, the world No1 and world champion from Egypt, overcame spirited resistance from England's former world No1 Lee Beachill before taking the match 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-6.

Newly crowned British Open champion David Palmer recorded an impressive 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 win over Egyptian Wael El Hindi in his opening round match in the ATCO Group on the all-glass court at the Broadgate Arena.

In the third match of the evening, second-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier defeated Malaysian Ong Beng Hee - a late replacement for the defending champion Ramy Ashour of Egypt - 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 in 53 minutes.

1st pool round:
Prince Group
[5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [4] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 (37m)
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [7] Lee Beachill (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-6 (41m)
ATCO Group
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [6] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 (64m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [8] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 (53m)