Frenchman Gregory Gaultier made a positive start in his bid to reach the men's final of the European Individual Squash Championships for the eighth successive year when he beat local hope Marcin Karwowski in straight games in the opening round of the European Squash Federation event in Warsaw, Poland.
Champion for five years in a row from 2004, the 28-year-old world No6 from Aix-en-Provence despatched teenager Karwowski, ranked almost 300 places lower, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 in 22 minutes.
Top seed Gaultier now faces Dutchman Bart Ravelli for a place in the quarter-finals. The 9/16 seed from Hoofddorp beat Russia's Valery Litvinko 11-4, 11-5, 11-3.
Defending champion Thierry Lincou is the event's No2 seed and expected to meet French team-mate Gaultier in Saturday's final for the fourth year in a row.
Twice champion Lincou, the former world number one from Marseille, beat Slovakian qualifier Peter Kviecinsky 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.
Croatian Manuel Fistonic, England's Nathan Lake and Czech Roman Svec all produced impressive upsets over seeded opponents to secure unexpected places in the men's last sixteen.
There were no upsets in the women's event where Camille Serme is favourite to win the title for the first time in a predicted championship French double. The 22-year-old world No9 from Paris defeated Spanish qualifier Xisela Aranda Nunez 11-4, 11-5, 11-2.
Serme is expected to meet England's Emma Beddoes in the final. Second seed Beddoes needed just 18 minutes to quash 17-year-old Dutch qualifier Ilona Lagerweij 11-3, 11-1, 11-5.
Men's 2nd round line-up:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [9/16] Bart Ravelli (NED)
[5/8] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) v [9/16] Jens Schoor (GER)
[5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [9/16] Charles Sharpes (ENG)
[3/4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Roman Svec (CZE)
[3/4] Borja Golan (ESP) v [9/16] Piedro Schweertman (NED)
[5/8] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Nathan Lake (ENG)
[5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [9/16] Aqeel Rehman (AUT)
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Manuel Fistonic (CRO)
Women's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) v [5/8] Orla Noom (NED)
[3/4] Manuela Manetta (ITA) v [5/8] Birgit Coufal (AUT)
[3/4] Natalie Grinham (NED) v [5/8] Sina Wall (GER)
[2] Emma Beddoes (ENG) v [5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG)
RESULTS: European Individual Squash Championships, Warsaw, Poland
Men's 1st round:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Marcin Karwowski (POL) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (22m)
[9/16] Bart Ravelli (NED) bt Valery Litvinko (RUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
[9/16] Jens Schoor (GER) bt Alexei Severinov (RUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (20m)
[5/8] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt Maciek Maciantowicz (POL) 11-2, 11-4, 11-4 (18m)
[5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (30m)
[9/16] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt Tomas Toth (SVK) 7-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-8 (42m)
Roman Svec (CZE) bt [9/16] Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 (74m)
[3/4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Rozle Langus (SLO) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)
[3/4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Denis Podvornyi (UKR) 11-4, 11-1, 11-4 (20m)
[9/16] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Miroslav Celler (SVK) 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 (25m)
Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [9/16] Ruslan Sorochinskiy (UKR) 11-2, 11-5, 12-10 (30m)
[5/8] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Tom de Mulder (BEL) 11-8, 11-2, 11-8 (32m)
[5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [Q] Wojciech Nowisz (POL) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (24m)
[9/16] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Kostiantyn Rybalchenko (UKR) 11-5, 11-0, 11-4 (21m)
Manuel Fistonic (CRO) bt [9/16] Kim Are Killingberg (NOR) 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (35m)
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Peter Kviecinsky (SVK) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (28m)
Women's 1st round:
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Xisela Aranda Nunez (ESP) 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 (24m)
[5/8] Orla Noom (NED) bt Lotte Eriksen (NOR) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (36m)
[5/8] Birgit Coufal (AUT) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (30m)
[3/4] Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt [Q] Milja Dorenbos (NED) 11-2, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6 (31m)
[3/4] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [Q] Paulina Krzywicka (POL) 11-1, 11-1, 11-2 (12m)
[5/8] Sina Wall (GER) bt Linda Hruzikova (SVK) 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 (26m)
[5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Dominika Witkowska (POL) 11-0, 11-1, 11-3 (13m)
[2] Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt [Q] Ilona Lagerweij (NED) 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 (18m)