Willstrop & Matthew Eye Up Latest Clash - In San Francisco

Englishmen James Willstrop and Nick Matthew - the world's top two squash players - are scheduled to meet for the fourth time in a PSA World Tour final this year in the NetSuite Open in the USA.

The latest PSA International 70 event - which has attracted 11 of the world top 20 - gets underway today on an outdoor all-glass court on the San Francisco waterfront, on the south lawn at Justin Herman Plaza, opposite the Ferry Building.

World number one Willstrop, from Leeds, will get his campaign underway against qualifier Alan Clyne. The Edinburgh-based Scot earned his place in the main draw at the Olympic Club, where he defeated Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan 11-6, 12-10, 10-12, 11-3 in the qualifying finals.

Matthew, who like Willstrop will be keen to make up for a surprise semi-final exit from last week's US Open in Philadelphia, takes on US wild card Julian Illingworth in the first round.

English interest in the main draw was boosted to five after Guernsey-born Chris Simpson pulled off a qualifying finals win at Stanford University, beating Australian Ryan Cuskelly 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 in a 76-minute marathon.

The 25-year-old world No38 now meets Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema.

In the opening qualifying final match at the San Francisco Bay Club, New Zealand's world No45 Martin Knight put an end to Indian Siddharth Suchde's hopes of reaching the main draw. The Kiwi responded to Suchde's relentless attacking to win 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 in 61 minutes.

Knight now lines up against Englishman Daryl Selby, the world No11.

The fourth qualifying slot went to Gregoire Marche, also at the Bay Club. Frenchman Marche made it a disappointing day for Australians when he ousted New South Welshman Matthew Karwalski 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5 in exactly an hour.

Marche, doubling up French interest in the main draw behind third seed Gregory Gaultier, will take on rising Egyptian star Tarek Momen, the world No13 from Cairo.

Updated 1st round draw:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) v [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO)
Amr Shabana (EGY) v Alister Walker (BOT)
Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[4] Peter Barker (ENG) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v [Q] Chris Simpson (ENG)
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [Q] Martin Knight (NZL)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Julian Illingworth (USA)

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