Squash latest: Sheffield’s Matthew reaches British final

NICK Matthew will face familiar foe Ramy Ashour in a mouthwatering final at the British Grand Prix in Manchester.

The world No 1 earned his place in the showcase finale on Sunday afternoon after seeing off Amr Shabana 11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3 after an intense 54 minutes.

Ashour - currently world No 2 and who has beaten Matthew twice recently - saw off fellow Egyptian Karim Darwish 11-7, 5-11, 11-2, 11-5 in the other semi-final.

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Regardless of Sunday afternoon’s result at the National Squash Centre, Matthew will remain top of the world rankings.

But he faces a battle in the coming months to hold off Ashour, who held top spot for all but three months in 2010, Matthew going top for the first time from June to August and then regaining pole position in January this year.

Ashour beat 31-year-old Matthew to help Egypt beat England in the world team championships in Paderborn, Germany, last month, two weeks after he had got the better of the Yorkshireman in the final of the Australian Open.

Matthew beat Ashour in a five-game marathon at the North American Open earlier this year.

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