Thierry Takes Reunion Return In His Stride

France's former world champion Thierry Lincou marked the return to the island of his birth in confident style with a comfortable straight games win in the first round of the Internationaux de la Reunion, the inaugural $30,000 PSA Tour squash event at ASCTR-Stade Michel Volnay in Saint Pierre on Reunion Island.

Lincou, making his maiden PSA appearance on the Indian Ocean island which is some 200 km south west of Mauritius, beat English qualifier Eddie Charlton 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 in 32 minutes.

The top seed, ranked eight in the world, will now meet French team-mate Renan Lavigne, the fifth seed who despatched French qualifier Johan Bouquet 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 in just 28 minutes.

French interest in the last eight was boosted when unseeded Yann Perrin battled to an 11-3, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11 shock win over Hungary's No8 seed Mark Krajcsak in 62 minutes. The 23-year-old from Aix-en-Provence earns a clash with second seed Laurens Jan Anjema.

The Dutchman, fresh from his title triumph in last week's Movida International Toulouse Open in France, recovered from a game down to beat Australian Scott Arnold 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-4.

But the event's biggest upset came when unseeded Irishman Liam Kenny ousted England's fourth seed Tom Richards 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 11-9.

Kenny, making amends for an unexpected first round exit in Toulouse, will now take on Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the seventh seed from Egypt who gained his place in the last eight courtesy of an 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 win over English qualifier Rory Pennell.

1st round:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 (32m)
[5] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [Q] Johan Bouquet (FRA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 (28m)
Liam Kenny (IRL) bt [4] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 11-9 (65m)
[7] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt [Q] Rory Pennell (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (24m)
[6] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt [Q] John Rooney (IRL) 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1 (31m)
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (73m)
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt [8] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 11-3, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11 (62m)
[2] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (48m)