Shabana Sets Sights On Record Sixth Successive Title In Hong Kong

Egypt's Amr Shabana is bidding to become the first player in history to win six successive men's titles in next week's Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Squash Open - but title success in the fifth PSA Super Series championship of the year would deny his young compatriot Ramy Ashour the chance of reclaiming the world number one ranking from Englishman Nick Matthew.

The $147,500 PSA World Tour event, which will run alongside a women's WISPA Gold championship, is one of the longest-established men's event in world squash, launched in 1985. The event's roll of honour boasts numerous illustrious winners, including England's Peter Nicol, Canadian Jonathon Power, Frenchman Thierry Lincou, Australians Rodney Martin, Brett Martin, Rodney Eyles and David Palmer - and Jansher Khan, the legendary Pakistani who won his fifth successive title in 1991, and the eighth of all-time in 1997.

Following two days of qualifying, the 2010 championship runs from 25-29 August - with live coverage of all men's matches from the first round on the PSA's pioneering live and on-demand squash internet TV streaming service Squash TV at www.psasquashtv.com, plus coverage of the women's action from the semi-finals.

Reigning world champion Shabana boasts a 25-match unbeaten run in Hong Kong since beginning his record bid in the 2005 championship, which was upgraded to a World Open.

The 31-year-old third seed from Cairo open his 2010 campaign against fellow countryman Hisham Mohd Ashour, the older brother of second seed Ramy Ashour. Shabana is drawn to meet Nick Matthew in the semi-finals in what would be the English favourite's first appearance in the last four since finishing as runner-up in 2004.

"It's time I did well there," said the in-form Matthew on Twitter after winning last week's Australian Open, his fifth Tour title triumph in a row.

Ramy Ashour, runner-up to Matthew in Canberra, became world number one for the first time in January - but was replaced by the Englishman following a defeat by him in the final of the North American Open in February.

Ramy Ashour's only chance of reclaiming the world number one ranking next month is to win the Hong Kong Open title - without Matthew making the final.

1st round draw:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Qualifier
[9] Daryl Selby (ENG) v Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS)
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) v Qualifier
[15] Alister Walker (ENG) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
[12] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[5] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Qualifier
[13] Adrian Grant (ENG) v Qualifier
[10] David Palmer (AUS) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[7] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Dick Lau (HKG)
[16] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier
[11] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Qualifier
[6] James Willstrop (ENG) v Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
[14] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Qualifier
[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Qualifier