English Qualifiers Lead Upsets In Saudi

English qualifiers Alister Walker and Daryl Selby led a series of upsets on the opening day of action in the Saudi International which caused the downfall of four seeds in the $250,000 PSA Tour Super Series Platinum championship in the Saudi city of Al-Khobar - the richest event in squash history.

Daryl Selby was responsible for the highest-seeded scalp. The 26-year-old world No35 from Essex defeated Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the 11th seed from Malaysia, 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 in just 27 minutes.

Alister Walker faced compatriot Adrian Grant, the 14th seed. The 26-year-old from Leeds battled for 51 minutes to conquer left-hander Grant, the world No11, 11-6, 2-11, 13-11, 11-8.

"A really good win, I'm very pleased with that," Walker told the official website www.atcosquash.com . "He played his game too well in the second but I managed to keep the pace up and get him out of his comfort zone in the others."

While Walker now faces Egypt's world No2 Karim Darwish, Selby will take on fellow countryman James Willstrop, the third seed who beat English qualifier Jonathan Kemp 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.

In his first ever win over the Finn, Australia's unseeded Cameron Pilley upset 16th seed Olli Tuominen 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 to claim a surprise place in the last sixteen. The 26-year-old from New South Wales - who rose above Tuominen to No18 in the December world rankings - will now face second seed Gregory Gaultier.

Pilley will be the Frenchman's second Australian opponent after Gaultier beat former world No4 Stewart Boswell, from Canberra, 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9.

Spaniard Borja Golan was the first unseeded player to earn a place in the second round after beating Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, the 15th seed, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.

"It wasn't easy, but I managed to stay ahead in the first two games rather than him getting his usual fast start, and that seemed to unsettle him" said Golan, the world No14.

1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-9, 13-11, 11-6 (42m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt [15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (46m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-0, 11-1, 11-5 (21m)
[Q] Alister Walker (ENG) bt [14] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 2-11, 13-11, 11-8 (51m)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (42m)
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [Q] Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7 (69m)
[8] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 7-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8 (56m)
[12] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-5, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7 (58m)
[9] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11 (41m)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt Naif Abureqah (KSA) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)
[Q] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (27m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (22m)
[13] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Amr Swelim (EGY) 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (40m)
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (54m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [16] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 (39m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 (63m)