'˜Plan Z' works for Nick Matthew as he keeps his Windy City Open title defence on track

The 35-year-old No 2 seed, who also won the event back in 2004, came from two games down and saved three match balls in a mammoth second round match with Spain’s Borja Golan at the University Club of Chicago.

After an energy-sapping 109 minutes on court, the Yorkshireman finally emerged victorious, winning 10-12, 9-11, 11-3, 13-11, 14-12.

Matthew, who led the duo’s head-to-head record 6-0 prior to their latest clash, found himself unable to halt the early charge of Golan, who took the first two games thanks to some wonderfully composed, aggressive play that saw him outmuscle and outmanoeuvre his higher-ranked opponent.

But the three-time world champion, currently ranked third in the world, mounted a remarkable comeback by edging out Golan in the third and fourth games by the slenderest of margins.

Come the deciding fifth, the duo then traded points and were neck and neck throughout, Matthew saving three consecutive match balls before finally landing the knockout blow on the world No 19.

“I feel like a bit like I’ve won the tournament right now,” said a drained Matthew afterwards. “That’s mad because that was only a second round match.

“In the first two games, especially the first game, it was the best I’ve ever seen him play - I don’t think I played badly but I was 2-0 down.

“I won here last year and the thought of losing in the second round was driving me on.

“I just kept fighting and fighting - sometimes you just have to do whatever you can to win. I went all the way to ‘Plan Z’ today.”

Matthew now lines up against Egyptian Tarek Momen in the last eight on Monday night after he downed world junior champion Diego Elias.

France’s Mathieu Castagnet, meanwhile, secured his last eight berth by winning 3-1 against England’s Daryl Selby and now faces world championship runner-up Omar Mosaad, who ended the hopes of Harrogate’s James Willstrop in the first round on Friday.

In the women’s draw, defending title holder Raneem El Welily secured her place in the quarter-finals after a stuttering display against Hong Kong’s Annie Au, spending 45 minutes on court before emerging a 15-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 winner.

El Welily will face dangerous compatriot Nouran Gohar, who ended the hopes of Harrogate’s Jenny Duncalf 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 after 27 minutes on court,

Whoever is successful between El Welily and Gohar could find themselves up against an in-form Amanda Sobhy in the last four.

The American No 1 sent out a signal of intent to her championship rivals as she negotiated a difficult looking encounter against former world no 4 Joelle King by winning 15-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7.

Results

Men’s Second Round (Bottom Half)

[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 3-1: 13-15, 11-1, 11-7, 11-1 (50m)

[8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9 (70m)

[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Diego Elias (PER) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (48m)

[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-2: 10-12, 9-11, 11-3, 13-11, 14-12 (109m)

Quarter-final draw:

[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [5] Simon Rösner (GER)

Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v [4] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)

[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v [8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)

[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [2] Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women’s Second Round (Bottom Half)

[4] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-2 (28m)

[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [10] Joelle King (NZL) 3-0: 15-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (25m)

[8] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [13] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (27m)

[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [9] Annie Au (HKG) 3-1: 15-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (43m)

Quarter-final draw:

[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)

[5] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [3] Nicol David (MAS)

[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA)

[8] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [2] Raneem El Welily (EGY)