WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Quebec Open Squash Championship, Montreal, Canada

1st round:
[1] Graham Ryding (CAN) bt Ramy Ashour (EGY) 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6 (67m)
[7] Lee Drew (ENG) bt [Q] Fabian Kalaitzis (GRE) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (29m)
[3] Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Shawn De Lierre (CAN) 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (63m)
[6] Viktor Berg (CAN) bt Ian Power (CAN) 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6 (66m)
[8] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG) 8-11, 10-11 (2-4), 11-5, 11-9, 11-3 (69m)
[4] Matthew Giuffre (CAN) bt [Q] Niall Rooney (IRL) 11-10 (2-0), 11-9, 11-6 (35m)
[5] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-3, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (39m)
[2] Joey Barrington (ENG) bt David Phillips (CAN) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (46m)

Home Hero Ryding Tested By Ramy

Local hero Graham Ryding, the top seed, was taken the full distance by Egypt's 17-year-old Ramy Ashour before being able to take his anticipated place in the quarter-finals of the Quebec Open Squash Championship in Montreal, Canada.

The teenager's performance was the highlight of the first round - Ashour came within a few rallies of creating a huge upset against the experienced favourite from Toronto.  The world junior champion from Cairo demonstrated great attacking skills - "and his fluidity in his court movement was a delight to see," said an event spokesman.  

In the end, however, it was Ryding's tenacity and experience that earned the 29-year-old his 9-11 11-2 8-11 11-8 11-6 win in 67 minutes.

Another close battle was the all-Canadian match between sixth seed Viktor Berg and unseeded Ian Power.  In a physical encounter, Berg was able to stay calm - and hit a number of winners in the decider to secure his 9-11 11-8 11-8 4-11 11-6 victory.

All four qualifiers went down in straight games except for England's Daryl Selby, who took the opening two games against Ritwik Bhattacharya before the eighth seed from India clinched an 8-11 10-11 11-5 11-9 11-3 win in 69 minutes.