Matthew and Willstrop to face off once again

THE great rivalry of Yorkshire’s Nick Matthew and James Willstrop will continue in Philadelphia on Thursday night after both made it through to the semi-finals of the US Open.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Oct 2013, 09:38 BST
HARD WORD: Nick Matthew overcame fellow Englishman Peter Barker to set up a semi-final clash with fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, below. Pictures by Steve Cubbins/US Open SquashHARD WORD: Nick Matthew overcame fellow Englishman Peter Barker to set up a semi-final clash with fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, below. Pictures by Steve Cubbins/US Open Squash
HARD WORD: Nick Matthew overcame fellow Englishman Peter Barker to set up a semi-final clash with fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, below. Pictures by Steve Cubbins/US Open Squash

It will be their 31st PSA Tour meeting since June 2001 - but their first for more than a year - and Willstrop, the world No3 from Pontefract, will be looking for his first win over Matthew since beating the world No4 in his home city of Sheffield in December 2007.

Both didn’t have it all their own way in the quarter-finals, however, taking four games to get past their respective opponents.

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Willstrop clinched his fifth successive US Open semi-final after an 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-9 victory in 59 minutes over Germany’s world No 12 Simon Rosner, while Matthew came on afterwards to face fellow Englishman Peter Barker, taking 76 minutes to reach the last four on the back of a hard-fought 11-5, 11-4, 12-14, 11-6 victory.

James Willstrop defeated Simon Rosner.James Willstrop defeated Simon Rosner.
James Willstrop defeated Simon Rosner.

“To get through the semi-finals and put myself in the frame to win would be a great step as I think the winner of this competition will go into the World Championship in great fettle,” said Willstrop.

“I have to get past Nick first before that can be considered and I know that will be a tough game. Nick’s achievements speak for themselves, he’s a double World Champion and an exceptional player and whatever happens you know you’re going to be in for a battle against him.”

A delighted Matthew, third seed this year was determined to continue his bid for a second title in the US.

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“James is in great form at the minute but he’s almost always in great form so it’s going to be a tough game,” said Matthew.

“Both our quarter-finals were very similar in that we both had opponents who came back at us and really tested us so we’re going into the semi on an even keel and we’re both confident so it should be a good game.”

In the two remaining women’s quarter-finals there was a minor shock when sixth sees Low Wee Wern, from Malaysia, denied Egypt’s rising star Raneem El Weleily a place in the last four with a deserved 11-5, 11-4, 12-14, 11-6 triumph.

England’s Laura Massaro awaits on Thursday evening at Drexel University after she defeated Australia’s Kasey Brown 10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 in just under an hour.

Wednesday night results

US Open, Men’s quarter-finals:

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[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [6] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 12-14, 11-6 (76m)

[2] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-9 (59m)

Women’s quarter-finals:

Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt [3] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8 (66m)

[2] Laura Massaro (Eng) bt Kasey Brown (Aus) 10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 (55m)

Related topics:YorkshirePhiladelphia