Gordon Leads US Qualifying Hopes In Richmond

New York-based Christopher Gordon became the only US player to survive the first qualifying round of the Davenport North American Open when he beat Lekgotla Mosope, from Botswana, to reach the qualifying finals of the $93,000 PSA Super Series Silver squash championship - the second Super Series event of the year in the USA - in Richmond, Virginia.

Gordon, aged 22 and ranked 79 in the world, defeated Mosope 15-13, 11-7, 12-10 in 49 minutes and will now face Canadian Robin Clarke for a place in the main draw.

A trio from both Australia and New Zealand will also be competing for places in the eight qualifying slots in main draw - with further competition coming from two Pakistanis, a pair of Canadians, two Irishmen, and an Englishman, a Frenchman and a Brazilian.

1st qualifying round:
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bye
John Rooney (IRL) bt David Vidal (ESP) 11-7, 11-6, 14-12 (44m)
Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Lekgotla Mosope (BOT) 15-13, 11-7, 12-10 (49m)
Robin Clarke (CAN) bt Esteban Casarino (PAR) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)
Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt John Street (USA) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (13m)
Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) bt Willy Clark (USA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-4 (14m)
Martin Knight (NZL) bt Curtis Tomlinson (ENG) 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 (18m)
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Ryan Thompson (RSA) 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4 (48m)
Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3 (57m)
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Jonas Laursen (DEN) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (20m)
Joshua Greenfield (NZL) bt Zac Alexander (AUS) 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 (39m)
Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) 11-3, 13-11, 11-4 (25m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Michal Reid (CAN) 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (46m)
Bradley Hindle (AUS) bt TG Raubenheimer (RSA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (39m)
Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt David Hetherington (USA) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (22m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bye