Matthew Extends Willstrop Run To Make US Open Final

Nick Matthew extended his unbeaten Tour run against fellow Englishman James Willstrop to 16 matches over almost seven years when he upset the world No3 in the Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships to reach the final of the fifth PSA World Series event of the year at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

The 2007 champion from Sheffield will face top-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the 2006 champion who defeated Egypt's No4 seed Karim Darwish, also in straight games.

Former world number one Matthew, currently ranked just a single place behind Willstrop, started well - taking a 6-1 lead in the opening game before closing it out 11-3.

The second was level up to five-all - but Matthew then pulled away again, taking it 11-6.

Second seed Willstrop, runner-up to his Yorkshire rival in the 2007 final, came out strongly for the third to lead 4-2.

But nemesis Matthew reclaimed the upper hand to secure seven points in a row before taking the match 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 after 42 minutes.

"I got a couple of errors and strokes out of him early in the first game, and I managed to carry that momentum through to the next two games," said 33-year-old Matthew.

"It's good to get through in three. Greg's in great form so I'll need to be as fresh as possible for the final.

"I'm not putting any pressure on myself: he's played 75 matches this season and I've played four, so he's much more match sharp than I am! I'll just go out to express myself and enjoy it and if I happen to win that would be great!"

The earlier semi-final was a repeat of last year's quarter-final, which Gaultier took more than an hour to win, en-route to the final.

Gaultier, bidding to make his fourth Tour final in a row, was in control from the outset, controlling the pace and controlling his opponent's movement. The favourite from Aix-en-Provence led 6-3. Darwish threatened a comeback but, from 7-6, Gaultier eased away again.

The second was all Gaultier, who moved from 6-0 to take the game 11-4.

Darwish stayed close in the third, but Gaultier was always ahead. The 32-year-old from Cairo appealed a let that became a stroke to level at nine-all, then saved a match ball on a further stroke.

But a volley drop shortly afterwards clinched the match 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 in 46 minutes for Gaultier - who becomes the first player to reach a second successive US Open final since England's former world number one Lee Beachill in 2005.

"I stuck to my game plan and was pleased with how I played in the first two games," said Gaultier, whose defeat of Darwish ends a four-year Egyptian stranglehold on the title. "He played unbelievable squash to beat Shorbagy 3/0 yesterday: I was aware of that and knew I had to be focused from the start.

"In the third I went too short, and he's better at the front than me, so it became tough and I was just lucky enough to win the points at the end.

"I'm happy to win in three and really pleased to be in another final, it's what we're all here for."

Matthew is celebrating the 55th Tour final of his career, while Gaultier is marking his 54th.

The climax will be the pair's 25th Tour meeting since September 2002 - and third this year, with 2013 honours shared. Their career head-to-head record to date is 14/10 - in Gaultier's favour!

Official website: www.usopensquash.com

US Open image courtesy of Squashpics.com