VIDEO: Home comforts may pay off in Hull

IT IS almost 40 years since the British Open last showed its face in Yorkshire – how fitting it would be if its return could be marked with a triumph by one of its own world-leading players.
Nick MatthewNick Matthew
Nick Matthew

An Australian called Geoff Hunt won in Sheffield back in 1974, the second of what would be – for a short time at least – a record eight titles (the great Jahinger Khan would go on to eclipse Hunt’s tally with 10 straight titles between 1982-1991).

Regarded by some as the ‘Wimbledon of squash’, it was unfortunate that the tournament lost a little of its grandeur when, mainly for financial reasons, it was lost to the world tour for two years.

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Cue the entrance of Hull City owner and squash fanatic Assem Allam, who stepped in to provide the necessary financial muscle required to stage what was always such a prestigious event but one which had been usurped in importance of the World Open.

Nick MatthewNick Matthew
Nick Matthew

As a result and to everyone’s delight, the tournament returned to the calendar last year at London’s O2 Arena, with Sheffield’s Nick Matthew claiming his third title.

For the next two years, the event is being staged in Hull, with part of the KC Stadium being transformed for the whole week by the erection of an all-glass, covered court at one end of the ground

Given that Matthew also won in 2009 – adding to his first win back in 2006 – the 32-year-old Yorkshireman is, in effect, going for his third successive British Open title. He would probably already have achieved that feat had the event not disappeared in 2010 and 2011.

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Matthew comes in as the No 2 seed, a position that corresponds with his current world ranking. He begins his campaign tonight when he takes on qualifier Henrik Mustonen, from Finland, who made it through to the main draw after defeating France’s Grégoire Marche in the final qualifying round held at Pontefract Squash Club yesterday.

Fellow Yorkshireman, James Willstrop, the world No 4 from Leeds ranked third at the event, and a long-time fierce rival of Matthew’s, begins his campaign tomorrow night against awkward South African Stephen Coppinger – ranked 18th in the world.

At some point, if they are to achieve their ultimate goal at the KC Stadium on Sunday, both men will have to face the PSA Tour’s man-of-the-moment Ramy Ashour, the world No 1 who is enjoying an amazing 36-match unbeaten run having won seven straight Tour events since losing to Matthew in last year’s British Open final.

Matthew, who will face Mustonen for the first time in a Tour event tonight, said the first match of any tournament – particularly a big one – was often the most important.

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“You don’t necessarily have to set a tone or anything, but the first match of the week is often the key,” said Matthew, who this year has already won the British Nationals title as well as finishing runner-up in three other Tour events. “You obviously don’t win the tournament in that first game but you can find yourself out of it if you’re not careful.

“Qualifiers coming in are always hungry and on a high because they’ve made it into the main draw. The British Open is often referred to as the ‘Wimbledon of Squash’ and it always throws up a few surprises and I’m conscious of not being one of them.”

Situated in the bottom half of the draw, Matthew will avoid Ashour and Willstrop until Sunday’s final should he make it that far. That depends on how he fares against a series of tough opponents in his half of the main draw, with former world No 1s Gregory Gaultier and Karim Darwish lying in wait, along with the always-dangerous Peter Barker.

And although Matthew can call on plenty of home support at an event being staged in the county of his birth, he is determined not to add to the pressure that comes with being a defending champion.

“It’s fantastic that it’s in Yorkshire,” he added.

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“Dr Allam has done a fantastic job bringing it up here and it’s great for the likes of James, myself and Jenny (Duncalf) who are all from Yorkshire.

“You already know how much this tournament means because it’s the British Open, but I’m conscious of not building the Yorkshire factor up too much to become something that’s unmanageable.

“I’m just going to take it in small chunks and, hopefully as a result, my squash will look after itself.”

In the women’s draw, the clear favourite will once again be Malaysia’s Nicol David, world No 1 for a remarkable seven years and who has already won the event four times.

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But a quieter-than-usual schedule at the start of this year has seen David suffer two defeats in the three Tour events she has played.

That gives hope to her rivals, including Harrogate’s Jenny Duncalf, for three years one place behind David in the world rankings until a poor 2012 – hindered by a foot injury­ – saw her drop down the listings, coming into the British Open ranked eighth in the world.

“I think everyone else on the world tour with me would agree that Nicol is still the one to beat,” said 30-year-old Duncalf. “But she’s been beaten twice already this year so that makes things a bit different going into this event.

“I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time now. I hope it being in Yorkshire makes a difference in a positive way.

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“It was great just to have it back in London last year. We play all over the world, but to have a tournament as big as this in your own county makes it pretty special.”

Video action clips courtesy of Squash TV. To watch all the action from the KC Stadium this week go to http://www.psasquashtv.com/

Twitter: PHarrisonYP

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