British Nationals: Day Two - Duncalf begins defence of title in comfort

Leeds-based Walker - ranked 12th in the world - made sure it was no easy ride for close friend Matthew, who took an hour to book his semi-final slot with an 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 victory.

"He's too good now - he's feisty," said 29-year-old Matthew, from Sheffield. "I was struggling in parts of the game.

"But it is the same in practice - I win the first two games and he wins the third - so I'm used to it.

"Players like Ali are coming to their peak so it gets harder and harder."

Walker, 27, added: "I just have to get some consistency. I belong on the court with these guys now, I'm as good as them. I just need to believe I can beat them."

Matthew will now meet fourth seed Adrian Grant, who came back from two games down to defeat Jonathan Kemp 5-11, 9-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-3.

In the women's quarter finals, reigning champion Jenny Duncalf booked a last four clash with Madeleine Perry.

Duncalf, from Harrogate, took 23 minutes to dispose of sixth seed Lauren Briggs 11-5, 11-8, 11-2, while Perry defeated England's Tania Bailey.

World No 3 Duncalf, 27, is playing her first national event since recording two stunning victories on the WISPA World Tour over Nicol David, the Malaysian who has dominated the women's game since 2006.

"I'm happy with the way I am playing at the moment - but the main thing is to keep that momentum going. But those wins did give me confidence - and extra belief in myself," said Duncalf.

"But I've got a tough match coming up now against Madeline in the semi-finals - and I'm looking forward to that."

DAY TWO

JENNY DUNCALF got the defence of her British National title off to a successful start when she defeated Wales's Deon Saffery in the first round at the National Squash Centre in Manchester

Duncalf, from Harrogate, eased through 11-7 11-4 11-4 to secure a second-round clash with Lauren Briggs.

The 27-year-old will now face Laren Briggs in Thursday's quarter-finals, after the 30-year-old from Essex defeated Derbyshire's Millie Tomlinson.

There was only disappointment for Yorkshire's other hopefuls, though, with Pontefract's Lauren Siddall, Hull's Fiona Moverley and Carrie Ramsey, from Harrogate, all lost out.

In the men's draw, Sheffield's Nick Matthew – the defending champion and No 1 seed - was given a tough test by world No 34 Tom Richards, taking 51 minutes to win 11-5, 11-9, 11-8.

Matthew now faces a quarter-final against England team-mate Alister Walker, the fifth seed from Leeds, who was made to work hard by Scotland's Alan Clyne, taking 82 minutes to win 13-15, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9.

"I'm just happy to be through, I'm relieved," said world No 12 Walker.

"He's very fit and gets a lot back. It's hard to play good squash on this court - and he played perfectly, he got his tactics absolutely right.

"It's all very well to beat players like (Amr) Shabana and (Gregory) Gaultier, but a winning a title like this would really set you apart. It's a title that everybody covets - it would be really nice to win it."

Winner of the event in 2007 and 2008 James Willstrop, from Leeds, also made it through to the last eight by comfortably defeating Nic Birt 11-2 11-2 11-7 in just 21 minutes to set-up a Friday quarter-final meeting with Joey Barrington.

Hull's 15th seed, Laurence Delasaux, went out 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 to Jonathan Kemp.

RESULTS

Day Two

Men's 2nd round

(1] Nick Matthew (Yorks) bt (9] Tom Richards (Surrey) 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (51m)

(5] Alister Walker (Glos) bt (13] Alan Clyne (Scotland) 13-15, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9 (82m)

(4] Adrian Grant (Kent) bt (11] Chris Simpson (Hants) 11-8, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5 (58m)

(7] Jonathan Kemp (Shropshire) bt (15] Laurence Delasaux (Yorks) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (24m)

(8] Joey Barrington (Somerset) bt (16] Joe Lee (Surrey) 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8 (83m)

(3] James Willstrop (Yorks) bt Nic Birt (Wales) 11-7, 11-2, 11-2 (21m)

(6] Daryl Selby (Essex) bt (14] Adrian Waller (Herts) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (36m)

(2] Peter Barker (Essex) bt (10] Chris Ryder (Herts) 11-4, 11-8, 11-3 (38m)

Women's 1st round

(1] Jenny Duncalf (Yorks) bt (Q] Deon Saffery (Wales) 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)

(6] Lauren Briggs (Essex) bt (Q] Millie Tomlinson (Derbyshire) 6-11, 11-5, 15-13, 11-5 (55m)

(3] Madeline Perry (Ireland) bt Lauren Siddall (Yorks) 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (27m)

(5] Tania Bailey (Lincs) bt Fiona Moverley (Yorks) 11-2, 11-8, 11-2 (19m)

(7] Sarah Kippax (Cheshire) bt Victoria Lust (Beds) 11-6, 11-5, 11-1 (23m)

(4] Laura Massaro (Lancs) bt (Q] Carrie Ramsey (Yorks) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (21m)

(8] Emma Beddoes (Warwicks) bt Laura Hill (Derbyshire) 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (56m)

(2] Alison Waters (Middx) bt (Q] Sarah-Jane Perry (Warwicks) 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 (19m)

DAY ONE

REIGNING champion Nick Matthew, of Sheffield, eased into the second round of the British national championships after defeating qualifier Andre Birks 11-3 11-7 11-4.

The top seed and world No 2 – who retained his Swedish Open title at the weekend – will face Tom Richards on Wednesday.

"Ever since I first played in the Nationals, it has been a priority event for me - in the early days, a good opportunity to get the scalp of a top player, just like my opponent was trying to do," said the 29-year-old from Sheffield.

"It's a big thing to be the national champion. Andrew impressed me - he worked hard throughout the game, with no cheap shots.

"After a tough period at the end of last year, I needed some time off over Christmas - so when I played in New York, I felt I was lacking a bit.

"But I felt a lot better in Sweden - and got better each day, even though the final was a bit of an anti-climax. So hopefully I have benefitted from the time off."

Leeds's James Willstrop, whose withdrawal through injury in Linkoping on Sunday enabled Matthew to retain his Swedish crown, also safely made it through, defeating Ireland's John Rooney 11-9 11-6 11-5.

"It was great, under the circumstances - at first I was very tentative but I came through it OK," said third seed Willstrop, who was able to play in the event just two days after injury scuppered his bid to take the Swedish Open title from Yorkshire rival Matthew.

"I've done everything I can since Sunday - mostly intense work with my physio Alison in Leeds, trying to get things in my body back in place.

"But these things happen in squash - and there's no reason why you can't turn things round. Now I can forget about it and get on with it - it's good to erase some of the doubts."

Hull's Laurence Delasaux booked a second-round encounter with Jonathan Kemp after opponent Peter Billson was forced to retire injured in the fourth game with Delasaux 2-1 ahead and 6-3 up.

Leeds-based Alister Walker beat Dominic Hamilton 11-7

11-6 11-9 to remain on course for a last-eight meeting with Matthew.

Harrogate's Jenny Duncalf begins her bid to retain the women's title on Wednesday afternoon.