Years after representing the club in the local leagues, Merseysider Stephen Siveter returned to the Liverpool Cricket Club to compete in today's first qualifying round of the Dunlop British Open - but was unable to progress through to his maiden appearance in the longest-established and most prestigious event in world squash, which is being held in Liverpool for the first time.
Born in St Helens, and a Merseyside county player for many years, Siveter faced fellow Englishman Jonathan Harford. It was a David v Goliath encounter, with 289 world ranking positions separating the two - 32-year-old Siveter having only recently joined the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and currently ranked 349.
The local hero, who now lives in Stafford, pushed Harford all the way - and took the third game on a tie-break. But the 24-year-old from Leeds ultimately prevailed after 56 minutes to record an 11-8, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7 victory.
"I know Stephen, I've played in the leagues up here a few times, he is a very good non professional player," Harford told the official website www.britishopensquash.com. "I'm lucky to win that one 3/1 - he was 7-1 up in the first, and the second was pretty tight too. He was the local player, with nothing to lose - me, a top eight qualifying seed, a bit of pressure. He played very well, it was tough the whole way."
English outsider Mark Fuller pulled off a notable upset, beating French international Julien Balbo in straight games. Unranked either in England or the world, the 23-year-old from Northamptonshire was making his first ever appearance in the event.
But, undaunted, Fuller despatched the Frenchman - who helped his country through to last week's European Team Championships' finals - 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 in 41 minutes.
"That wasn't expected to happen," conceded the English debutant. "I think we play both a similar type of game, up and down the wall, steady, not too much with the ball, no flashy shots... And today, that's what I stuck to, trying not to do too many mistakes.
"I just need to say a big thank you to my training partners, and my little brother," added Fuller.
Sadly, his 'little brother' failed to make it a Fuller double later in the day. Chris Fuller, the reigning British National U17 champion, went down 11-2, 11-10 (3-1), 11-6 to Pakistan's Farhan Mehboob.
Women's qualifying also got underway at the Liverpool Cricket Club, with Cheshire's Sarah Kippax making a strong start against New Zealand's Joelle King.
Kippax, a multi-talented sportswoman who has represented her county in netball, hockey, football, cross-country and squash, eventually chose to focus on squash and is now ranked 30 in the world.
The 24-year-old, now based in Halifax, recovered from a game down to defeat her Kiwi opponent 0-9, 9-6, 9-2, 9-1 - and will now face compatriot Dominique Lloyd-Walter for a place in the qualifying finals.
The Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 will be staged at the new ECHO Arena Liverpool from 10-12 May, following qualifying and early rounds at the Liverpool Cricket Club.
Men's 1st qualifying round:
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-9, 11-9 (53m)
Ben Ford (ENG) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6 (53m)
Jonathan Harford (ENG) bt Stephen Siveter (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7 (56m)
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt John Rooney (IRL) 11-7 ret. (7m)
Mark Fuller (ENG) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (41m)
Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
Shaun le Roux (ENG) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (65m)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 (46m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7 (57m)
Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA) bt Jens Schoor (GER) 11-7, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (44m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Jethro Binns (WAL) 10-11 (0-2), 11-4, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3 (71m)
Scott Arnold (AUS) bt James Snell (ENG) 11-8, 11-10 (3-1), 11-9 (46m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Romain Tenant (FRA) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (27m)
Scott Handley (ENG) bt Andrew Widdison (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 (27m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-1, 11-6 ret. (14m)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-2, 11-10 (3-1), 11-6 (37m)
Women's 1st qualifying round:
Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 9-4, 9-1, 9-3 (23m)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Kirsty McPhee (ENG) 10-9, 0-9, 9-2, 9-7 (42m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Vicky Hynes (ENG) 10-8, 9-4, 9-4 (38m)
Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt Emma Chorley (ENG) 9-7, 9-3, 9-1 (32m)
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Birgit Coufal (AUT) 9-6, 9-4, 9-4 (29m)
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 9-3, 9-0, 9-5 (37m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Carrie Hastings (ENG) 9-7, 9-0, 9-0 (24m)
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Joelle King (NZL) 0-9, 9-6, 9-2, 9-1 (46m)
Lauren Siddall (ENG) bt Lauren Selby (ENG) 9-4, 9-2, 9-3 (25m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 9-1, 9-7, 10-8 (34m)
Louise Crome (NZL) bt Leonie Holt (ENG) 9-6, 9-1, 5-9, 9-2 (40m)
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 9-1, 9-1, 9-2 (21m)
Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt Luz Etchechoury (ARG) 9-1, 9-3, 9-3 (23m)
Annelize Naude (NED) bt Jeannine Cowie (ENG) 9-3, 9-1, 9-1 (20m)
Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Kerri Shields (IRL) 9-4, 9-1, 9-3 (23m)
Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Belen Etchechoury (ARG) 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (18m)