Confidence returns as Matthew marches on

The 32-year-old, from Sheffield, set up a last eight battle with Karim Darwish at Hull’s KC Stadium after taking just 38 minutes to see off the threat from the Netherlands’ Laurens Jan Anjema, winning 11-6, 11-3, 11-4.

The world No 2 won the title last year when it returned to the squash calendar after a two-year absence.

It added to his triumph in 2009 and his first victory at the prestigious event – often referred to as the ‘Wimbledon of squash’ back in 2006.

Matthew dominated from the start, never allowing Anjema to settle into his game and forcing him into making a series of errors from which he failed to recover.

The former world No 1 said the win had bolstered his confidence as he felt he hadn’t been playing too well previously.

“There’s not been too much pressure on me this week, people have been talking about the other players who have been in better form than me,” he said.

“But as long as I can keep performing like that then hopefully I won’t be far off again this year.”

Quarter-final opponent Darwish made it through after defeating Essex’s Daryl Selby 3-0.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Pontefract-based Saurav Ghosal saw his hopes of a place in the quarter-finals ended when he was defeated 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-0 by fourth seed Gregory Gaultier.

The biggest shock of the day came when Egypt’s Tarek Momen ousted seventh seed Peter Barker 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9.

In the women’s draw, world 
No 1 Nicol David was given a stern examination by Halifax-based Sarah Kippax, particularly in the second game, before running out a 11-2, 14-12, 11-2. Fourth seed Alison Waters found Australia’s Rachael Grinham tough going before winning 11-2,11-4, 8-11, 7-11, 11-4.

Third seed James Willstrop, from Pontefract, faces Germany’s Simon Rosner tonight for a place in the last eight.

Harrogate’s Jenny Duncalf will be in action at the KC Stadium for the first time when she faces Egypt’s Nour El Tayeb at midday.