Parke Celebrates 15th World Open Appearance In Hong Kong

England's Simon Parke survived a 72-minute five-game battle against Canada's Shahier Razik in today's qualifying finals of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Privilege World Open in Hong Kong to celebrating his 15th successive World Open appearance since making his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1989 event in Malaysia.

Despite undergoing treatment for testicular cancer in 1996 and ankle surgery in 2001, the 32-year-old Yorkshireman never missed a single appearance in the world's premier squash event over the 16-year period, reaching the last eight on four separate occasions and achieving a career-high world No3 ranking in October 2000.

Parke's reward for his 11-5 4-11 11-6 8-11 11-6 victory over Razik is a first round clash with Egypt's fifth seed Amr Shabana, the in-form former world champion from Cairo who has won three PSA Tour titles since September.

A second Englishman made it through the qualifiers - but, by contrast, Joey Barrington is making only his second appearance in a World Open main draw after beating compatriot Phillip Barker 11-10 11-7 4-11 10-11 11-3 in 86 minutes.

Egyptian brothers Hisham Mohd Ashour and Ramy Ashour also claimed places in the main draw after qualifying successes - Hisham beating South Africa's Rodney Durbach 4-11 11-9 9-11 11-10 11-7 in 50 minutes and 18-year-old Ramy becoming the youngest player in the men's draw after a 1-11 11-9 11-5 11-7 win over Australia's Dan Jenson, a seven-times World Open participant since 1995.

In the women's event, Egypt's Raneem El Weleily makes her debut in the main draw in her fourth qualifying attempt since 2002. The 16-year-old from Alexandria - the youngest competitor in the WISPA Gold championship - beat England's Kirsty McPhee 8-10 9-1 7-9 9-1 9-4.

El Weleily will face defending champion Vanessa Atkinson in the first round in the second seed's opening match in Hong Kong since lifting the Women's Qatar Classic trophy at the weekend.

Players from 16 countries will compete in the first ever combined men's and women's World Open in Hong Kong, with first round action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, leading to the finals on Sunday. France's Thierry Lincou is seeded to retain the men's title he won for the first time last year in Qatar, and Australia's world No1 Rachael Grinham is favourite to win the women's crown for the first time after meeting title-holder Vanessa Atkinson in the final.

Men's qualifying finals:
Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Dan Jenson (AUS) 1-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (34m)
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Phillip Barker (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-7, 4-11, 10-11 (2-4), 11-3 (86m)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Rodney Durbach (RSA) 4-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-7 (50m)
Simon Parke (ENG) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-5, 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6 (72m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 11-7, 10-11 (2-4), 11-8, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9 (69m)
Alex Gough (WAL) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-5, 11-6, 11-1 (26m)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (32m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-4, 10-11 (0-2), 11-10 (3-1), 11-7 (32m)

Women's qualifying finals:
Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Christina Mak (HKG) 9-3, 9-5, 9-5 (34m)
Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Kirsty McPhee (ENG) 8-10, 9-1, 7-9, 9-1, 9-4 (43m)
Karen Kronemeyer (NED) bt Runa Reta (CAN) 9-4, 9-7, 9-4 (28m)
Dianne Desira (AUS) bt Eun Ok Park (KOR) 9-0, 9-2, 9-3 (22m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-2, 9-1, 9-3 (30m)
Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 9-2, 9-3, 9-2 (35m)
Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 1-9, 2-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-4 (56m)
Rebecca Botwright (ENG) bt Louise Crome (NZL) 8-10, 9-1, 9-0, 8-10, 9-2 (57m)