The world-famous Grand Central Terminal in New York hosts the first major international squash tournament of the year when the world's leading players compete in the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, a $117,500 PSA Tour Super Series Gold event in its 15th year, from 23-29 January.

Egypt's Amr Shabana is seeded to win the title for the third time in four years - and expected to meet Karim Darwish, the compatriot who ended his 33-month reign as world number this month, in next Thursday's final.

But defending champion Ramy Ashour, a third Egyptian who followed his maiden Tournament of Champions success last year by becoming World Open champion in October, is seeded three - and expected to meet Shabana in the semi-finals.

Rounding out the top six are Gregory Gaultier of France; Englishman James Willstrop; and Australian David Palmer, the four-time British Open champion now residing in Boston.  John White, head coach of the Franklin & Marshall College squash team and a former world No1, will also compete - as will wild card entry Julian Illingworth, the USA's best-ever international touring pro, currently ranked 40 in the world.

In the first qualifying round, former England captain Chris Walker, now 41 and based in the USA, pulled off a sensational upset over Mexican number one Eric Galvez.  Left-hander Walker - a semi-finalist in the 1994 and 2002 championships - beat the 25-year-old world No41 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 to earn a surprise place in the qualifying finals. 

"I managed to frustrate him in the end," said Walker of the tight, controlled game he used to neutralise Galvez.  The former world No4, who is now a squash coach in Connecticut, added:  "I would dearly love to get on the glass court one last time," referring to the sparkling four walled glass court constructed under the chandeliers in Grand Central Terminal for the main draw.

RESULTS:    JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, New York, USA

1st qualifying round:
Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 5-2 ret. (24m)
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4 (61m)
Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 (21m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-7, 12-10, 6-11, 5-11, 14-12 (81m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 11-2 (41m)
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Liam Kenny (IRL) 8-11, 13-11, 11-4, 14-12 (86m)
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-2 (71m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Graham Bassett (USA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (23m)
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt TG Raubenheimer (RSA) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (37m)
Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt Benjamin Oliner (USA) 11-1, 11-6, 11-3 (24m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-7, 11-7, 2-11, 11-8 (65m)
Chris Walker (ENG) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (44m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 (58m)
Amr Swelim (EGY) bt Bradley Ball (ENG) 5-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 (61m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (40m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Gilly Lane (USA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (34m)

1st round draw:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Qualifier
[10] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Stewart Boswell (AUS)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[15] John White (SCO) v Qualifier
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[16] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Qualifier
[7] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
[9] Peter Barker (ENG) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[12] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Qualifier
[6] David Palmer (AUS) v Qualifier
[14] Borja Golan (ESP) v Alister Walker (ENG)
[4] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Qualifier
[13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Qualifier
[8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[11] Adrian Grant (ENG) v Qualifier
[2] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Shahier Razik (CAN)