The 28-year-old, from Sheffield, marked his return from an eight-month lay-off with a shoulder injury in the best possible way by winning last month's Dutch Open, his first tournament since December 2007.

He followed that up with a semi-final appearance in the Internationaux de France in Paris and knows there will be little chance to relax during the coming week if he is to lift the sport's most sought-after title on Sunday.

If results go according to the seedings, Matthew - who meets qualifier Shahid Zaman in Monday's first round - can expect to meet fourth seed and rising Egyptian star Ramy Ashour in the quarter-finals.

Click the green PLAY button to listen to interviews with leading coach Malcolm Willstrop, along with players Lee beachill and Saurav Ghosal.

"Despite being out for so long, I won't be holding back," said Matthew. "I've had two good run-outs since I came back and I actually feel in the best shape of my life.

"But, while it would obviously be great to win in Manchester, I'm also aware – particularly after being out for so long – that there will still be a long season ahead afterwards."

Matthew is not the only Yorkshire player going into the event on the back of an injury problem. World No 3 James Willstrop suffered an ankle injury back in August but, like Matthew, reached the last four in Paris as part of his recovery programme aimed at being ready for an event he considers one of the biggest.

"The ankle is OK – I've worked hard on it with my physio and it feels fine. I've done everything I can," said Willstrop.

"The World Open is so special – it's probably one of the biggest events I'll ever play in. I'm not going there to lose."

For Lee Beachill, Willstrop's Pontefract team-mate and former world No 1, the event has probably come too early after he suffered knee ligament damage during the summer. But despite not having played a competitive match since May, Beachill will be determined to put on a good display in Manchester.

Also in action is Leeds-based Alister Walker, who ensured he went into his first round tie with the US's Julian Illingworth in good heart after securing a place in the prestigious Saudi International last Thursday.

The 27-year-old beat Germany's Simon Rosner in the qualifying finals to book his place in the main draw of the richest ever PSA Tour squash event which will take place in December.

Adrian Grant, based at Queens in Halifax, faces Omar Abdel Aziz while India's Saurav Ghosal, working his way up the rankings under the watchful eye of Pontefract-based coach Malcolm Willstrop, could prove the surprise of the tournament having won three of his last six events.

In the women's draw, Jenny Duncalf is seeded five and will lead the British challenge in tomorrow's first round when she faces Egypt's Raneem El Weilily.

The 25-year-old, based in Harrogate, has shown good recent form , having reached the last eight at both the Dutch Open and the Singapore Women's Masters and is backed by many to reach the semi-final stage in Manchester.

Elsewhere, Netherlands' Vanessa Atkinson, now based in Leeds, is seeded 10th and would love nothing more than to reclaim the title she won back in 2004.

READ NICK MATTHEW'S WORLD OPEN BLOG on yorkshirepost.co.uk

Updates and reports will be posted on the Yorkshire Post website throughout the week.

Full first round men's draw:

(1)Amr Shabana (EGY) v (Q) Simon Rosner (GER)
Borja Golan (ESP) v Shawn Delierre (CAN)
(9) Wael El Hindi (EGY) v (Q) Liam Kenny (IRL)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) v (Q) Arturo Salazar (MEX)
(6) Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Amr Swelim (EGY)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) v (Q) Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
(10) Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) v Chris Ryder (ENG)
(4) Ramy Ashour (EGY) v (Q) Yann Perrin (FRA)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v (Q) Scott Arnold (AUS)
(12) Peter Barker (ENG) v Eric Galvez (MEX)
Joey Barrington (ENG) v Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)
(8) Nick Matthew (ENG) v (Q) Shahid Zaman (PAK)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) v Tarek Momen (EGY)
(15) Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Rafael F Alarcon (BRA)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) v Julien Balbo (FRA)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v (Q) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
(16) Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) v Jan Koukal (CZE)
(5) David Palmer (AUS) v (Q) Mark Krajcsak (HUN)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) v (Q) David Phillips (CAN)
(13) Lee Beachill (ENG) v (Q) Robbie Temple (ENG)
John White (SCO) v Mansoor Zaman (PAK)
(3) James Willstrop (ENG) v (Q) Ben Ford (ENG)
Alister Walker (ENG) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
(11) Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Kashif Shuja (NZL)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v (Q) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
(7) Karim Darwish (EGY) v (Q) Dylan Bennett (NED)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) v (Q) Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX)
(14) Adrian Grant (ENG) v Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY)
Shahier Razik (CAN) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
(2) Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v (Q) Nicolas Mueller (SUI)