Ashour & Elshorbagy Lead Egyptian Charge On Day One In Cairo

Ramy Ashour and Mohamed Elshorbagy will head a 13-strong Egyptian contingent in the second round of the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men's World Championship after both claimed opening day victories in the PSA's premier event at the Wadi Degla club in Cairo.

Ashour, a three-time winner, sported a full-length calf support as he looked to step up his recovery from an injury sustained at last month's Al-Ahram Open. The 29-year-old from Cairo put in a dominant display to claim an 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 triumph against US No.1 Todd Harrity.

"Every time I try to get up and get excited and think that I can win the tournament, something comes and slaps me in the face," said Ashour referring to the injuries that have ravaged the past two years of his glittering career.

"I know that, eventually, if things go well and I keep playing for a little bit more, I'll get back to where I was because I am a human being. I'm going to get this excitement and temptation in my blood.

"I was surprised that he hit so many tins today, he hit about five or six tins, so it was interesting. I know he plays fast so I had to up the pace, he lunges and then he gets back up in an elastic way."

Ashour will take on South Africa's Stephen Coppinger for a place in the last 16 - while compatriot Elshorbagy saw off the challenge of Australian qualifier Rex Hedrick.

The hard-hitting Egyptian, twice a runner-up in 2012 and 2014 to Ashour, injected pace into proceedings from the outset which world No.58 Hedrick was unable to live with. Elshorbagy took the opener for the loss of just five points.

A dogged Hedrick responded, however, and pushed the Bristol-based 25-year-old all the way to a tie-break - but the world No.1 drew on his energy reserves to push through by the narrowest of margins, before just having the upper hand in the third to close out an 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 victory.

"I'm really happy to win, I'm not the best first round player, I always struggle a little bit but I felt fresh today," said Elshorbagy.

"He coped with the atmosphere pretty well, I understand it's a bit tough playing me in Egypt and in the first round of the World Championship it was tough for him. He surprised me in the second game and even in the third game he came back and nearly won the game.

"If you know you're living for another day you are happy. I woke up today and found so many shocking results. That's what happens in the World Championship, anything can happen, and I'm just glad that I'm here for another day."

Favourite Elshorbagy now plays veteran Olli Tuominen, the 37-year-old Finn who is making his 16th successive appearance in the event since 1999.

The in-form Karim Abdel Gawad will join his fellow Egyptians in round two after he stormed back from two games down to defeat England's Nathan Lake.

Having never previously reached the main draw of the prestigious tournament, the 24-year-old world No.74 qualifier played like a World Championship veteran as he controlled the court, mixing patience with deadly accuracy to go 2/0 up against world No.4 Gawad.

But a tense third game went the way of Gawad and from then on he powered on, using his experience on the big stage to his advantage to complete the win and escape a shock exit, setting up a meeting with fellow countryman Mohamed Abouelghar.

Fellow Egyptians Omar Mosaad, the 2015 runner-up, world No.6 Ali Farag and world No.7 Marwan Elshorbagy are also through to round two after wins on day one.

Elsewhere, English duo Nick Matthew and James Willstrop only just emerged unscathed from the opening round after they were pushed hard by New Zealand's Campbell Grayson and Jaymie Haycocks, respectively.

Matthew began strongly to take the opening game but he was dragged into a real battle as Grayson upped his game and played with increased accuracy to level the match.

But it was the experienced head of Matthew that came back in the third to gain the advantage and he held firm to withstand a charge in the fourth, sealing the match at the second time of asking.

"I'm very relieved that didn't go to five," said Matthew, champion in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

"I'm very happy to survive - I've negotiated this one and they're all on the glass from now on so I'm looking forward to it."

There was no such luck for Australian No.1 Cameron Pilley and compatriot Ryan Cuskelly. 14th seed Pilley, celebrating his 34th birthday, went down to unseeded Egyptian Karim Ali Fathi, while Cuskelly lost out to German qualifier Jens Schoor.

Defending champion Gregory Gaultier, meanwhile, was victorious on the opening day of action, beating New Zealand's Paul Coll to ensure that he will go head-to-head with Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal for a place in the third round.