Galifi & Balbo Battle Through In Saudi Qualifiers

It was a good day for France on the opening day of qualifying for the Saudi International, the $250,000 PSA World Tour Super Series Platinum squash championship which will take place for the fifth year in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, from 13-18 December.

The two-day qualifying event is being staged at St George's LT&SC in Surrey, England - with players ranked between 24 and 352 in the world chasing eight places in the main draw of the final PSA Super Series event of the year.

Julien Balbo claimed the biggest scalp when he beat fellow Frenchman Renan Lavigne, ranked 37 in the world, 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-5 in a marathon 87-minute encounter.

The world No51 from Chambery will now face India's Saurav Ghosal for a trip to Saudi. UK-based Ghosal, ranked 31 in the world, dismissed England's Ben Ford 11-3, 11-9, 11-4.

Stephane Galifi scored another unexpected French success when he despatched Germany's in-form Simon Rosner - winner of last week's Black Sea Open in Ukraine - 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 in just 28 minutes.

World No49 Galifi, from Aix-en-Provence, will now take on Italian Davide Bianchetti - a 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 winner over Indian Ritwik Bhattacharya.

Just 24 hours after claiming a place in the Kuwait World Open on his home courts at St George's, teenager Joe Lee was on course to repeat his giant-killing exploits in the Saudi qualifiers. But after taking a 2/1 lead over world No46 Amr Swelim, the Englishman was unable to press home his advantage as former Egyptian Swelim - now representing Italy - took control to win 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 in 68 minutes.

South African Stephen Coppinger became the lowest-ranked player to make it to the Saudi International qualifying finals when he beat Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz, ranked 44 in the world, 13-11, 11-6, 11-3.

The UK-based 24-year-old, at 52 in the PSA world list, will now meet England's Joey Barrington for a place in the main draw.

1st qualifying round:
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (39m)
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7 (58m)
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Adam Fuller (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (42m)
Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (58m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (62m)
Stephane Galifi (FRA) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 (28m)
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 14-12, 13-11, 11-7 (58m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6 (54m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 11-3, 11-9, 11-4 (33m)
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Renan Lavigne (FRA) 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-5 (87m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 13-11, 11-6, 11-3 (40m)
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Richard Wade (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 (28m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Neil Hitchens (ENG) 11-1, 11-5, 11-3
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Philip Nightingale (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 (58m)
Amr Swelim (ITA) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 (68m)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (20m)