English Trio Earn Places In British Open Qualifying Finals

Three Englishmen battled through to the qualifying finals of the internationalSPORTgroup British Open after success in today's first qualifying round of the world's oldest and most prestigious squash championship at the Northern Club in Manchester.

Gloucester's Robbie Temple was first through after his 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7 victory over fellow countryman Chris Fuller.

"I really struggled with my game and was lucky to come through," admitted the 23-year-old. Temple suffered an ankle ligament injury ten weeks ago and has been undergoing an intensive programme of physiotherapy treatment since.

"I've only played a few games since the layoff - and was lucky to qualify for the World Open," explained the London-based left-hander. "But I had to stop playing midway through my first match in last week's Wolverhampton Open."

Temple, ranked 80 in the world, plays Frenchman Renan Lavigne, the world No36, for the chance to make the main draw for the first time.

"I hope I'll relax a bit more and express myself a bit better than I did today," added Temple.

Former World University champion Chris Ryder, from Leamington Spa, took 84 minutes to overcome Arthur Gaskin, eventually beating the Irishman 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3.

"I was a bit lethargic, to be honest - I don't know why," said Ryder later. "Arthur is really improving - he didn't used to give me a hard time but now gets closer and closer. He's one to watch!"

Ryder - who gave up coaching in Wolverhampton to concentrate on the PSA World Tour, and reached the final of the Black Sea Open in Ukraine last month - will now face Pakistan's Yasir Butt.

"I've not played him before - but he's got some shots on him, so I'm looking forward to it. I've grown up on courts like these at the Northern, so it should suit me."

Guernsey star Chris Simpson avenged his recent loss to Rob Sutherland by convincingly beating the Welshman 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 in 39 minutes.

"I'm really happy with that," said the Harrogate-based 22-year-old who lost 11-8 in the fifth to Sutherland in Sweden in February.

"I felt then that I'd been drawn into a traditional game - up and down the side walls - which is more his game than mine," explained the proud Guernsey man later.

"That's why I'm so pleased with the way I played today - I had a game plan and stuck to it, playing a much more attacking game."

Next up for Simpson, who boasts a career-high world No38 ranking, is South African Stephen Coppinger, ranked 19 places lower. "We've trained together lots of times, but never played each other on the Tour before - so I'm looking forward to it."

It was a massively dejected Eddie Charlton that came off court after failing to exploit a two-game advantage over a player ranked more than 60 places higher in the world. The world No118 also led 4-1 in the third game, but New Zealander Martin Knight regrouped to claim an unlikely 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 victory in exactly one hour.

"He was all over me in the first two games," conceded Knight, ranked 51 in the world. The Kiwi has just moved to Cardiff where he is now coached by Welsh national coach Chris Robertson.

"Chris gave me some good advice after the second game, and that lifted my game," said Knight. "Let's say it was all down to Welsh inspiration."

Charlton could not explain his demise: "Physically I felt absolutely fine - but all credit to him for coming back. I just hit a wall in the fourth, and then too many tins in the fifth.

"It was another 'could-have-been-a-good-result' for me," added the 21-year-old. "I'm due a good win."

RESULTS: internationalSPORTgroup British Open Squash Championships, Manchester

Men's 1st qualifying round:
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Peter Billson (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 (34m)
Stephane Galifi (FRA) bt John Rooney (IRL) 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4 (69m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Anthony Graham (ENG) 13-11, 11-5, 11-8 (30m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-8, 11-3, 13-11 (49m)
Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (27m)
Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt Alex Bowden (ENG) 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (25m)
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 3-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (50m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Tom Pashley (ENG) 3-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (68m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 (49m)
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (39m)
Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (31m)
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3 (84m)
Martin Knight (NZL) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (60m)
Amr Swelim (ITA) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG) 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-9 (66m)
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7 (58m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-9, 13-11, 11-6 (41m)