World Champion Ashour Leads Egyptian Attack In Aon US Open

Top-seeded Egyptian Ramy Ashour powered through his first round clash in the Aon US Open, beating 19-year-old English qualifier Adrian Waller 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 inside 23 minutes on the opening day of main draw action in the $52,500 5-star PSA Tour squash event in Chicago.

The Aon US Open, the first major glass-court tournament of the new season, has a familiar feeling with a dominant Egyptian contingent, led by world champion Ashour.

The 21-year-old from Cairo was pleased with his first outing on the glass court set up in the open air in downtown Chicago. "This is a fantastic setting for a big squash tournament," said Ashour. "After playing the Windy City Open two years ago, this is my second visit to Chicago and I love it here. The people are so warm and friendly - it's just like being back home in Egypt.

"I love the architecture of the city and it's a very special place. I enjoyed my match with Adrian and he played very well after making a nervous start."

Ashour's victory clinched a quarter-final tie with fellow Egyptian Wael El Hindi. The number six seed also faced a qualifier - but was kept on court for 87 minutes by Australian Aaron Frankcomb before winning 11-9, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5 in a match littered with stoppages caused by lets and the early evening sun casting shadows across the court.

Like Ashour, El Hindi is enjoying a love affair with the USA. He is touring professional at the City View Squash Club in Queen's, New York, and is promising to unveil a new Rafa Nadal-style clothing range when he takes to the court against Ashour.

After sporting a plain white T-shirt with the City View emblem, he said: "No, I'm not dropping the sleeveless shirts. I will be wearing a new range against Ramy in the quarter-finals."

The only Egyptian casualty on the open-air glass court was Ashour's older brother Hisham Mohd Ashour, who was despatched in straight games by Finland's Olli Tuominen.

Australia's former world champion David Palmer made a sluggish start against England's Tom Richards and was clearly feeling the effects of his marathon victory over Spain's Borja Golan in the final of the Colombian Open on Sunday.

Palmer lost the first game against Richards and later admitted: "That was my first glass-court tournament since winning at Canary Wharf in London in March and I struggled to see the ball at all. I wasn't feeling well and I hope I will be OK for the quarter-finals against Olli."

Thursday sees the bottom half of the draw with Americans Julian Illingworth and Gilly Lane taking centre stage against English opponents James Willstrop and Peter Barker, who won last year's Sweet Home Chicago Open against Palmer at the same venue.

1st round (top half of draw):
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)
[6] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-9, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5 (87m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (44m)
[8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 (26m)