Willstrop continues to find winning formula for Matthew elusive

Nick Matthew extended his unbeaten PSA Tour run against fellow Englishman James Willstrop to 16 matches over almost seven years when he defeated his fellow Yorkshireman the world No3 in semi-finals of the US Open in Philadelphia.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Oct 2013, 11:41 BST
YOU WIN AGAIN: Sheffield's Nick Matthew, left, extended his winning run on the PSA Tour over fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, right, to 16 matches with victory in the US Open semi-finals. Picture: Steve Cubbins/Us Open Squash.YOU WIN AGAIN: Sheffield's Nick Matthew, left, extended his winning run on the PSA Tour over fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, right, to 16 matches with victory in the US Open semi-finals. Picture: Steve Cubbins/Us Open Squash.
YOU WIN AGAIN: Sheffield's Nick Matthew, left, extended his winning run on the PSA Tour over fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, right, to 16 matches with victory in the US Open semi-finals. Picture: Steve Cubbins/Us Open Squash.

The 2007 champion from Sheffield will now face top-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the 2006 champion who defeated Egypt’s No4 seed Karim Darwish, also in straight games.

Former world No 1 Matthew, currently ranked just a single place behind another former top-ranked player in Willstrop, started well, taking a 6-1 lead in the opening game before closing it out 11-3.

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The second was level up to five-all - but Matthew then pulled away again, taking it 11-6.

Second seed Willstrop, was runner-up to his Yorkshire rival in the 2007 final - the same year he last beat Matthew at the English Open in Sheffield - and came out strongly for the third game to lead 4-2.

But his long-running nemesis reclaimed the upper hand to secure seven points in a row before taking the match 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 after a gruelling 42 minutes.

“I got a couple of errors and strokes out of him early in the first game, and I managed to carry that momentum through to the next two games,” said 33-year-old Matthew.

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“It’s good to get through in three. Greg’s in great form so I’ll need to be as fresh as possible for the final.

“I’m not putting any pressure on myself: he’s played 75 matches this season and I’ve played four, so he’s much more match-sharp than I am.

“I’ll just go out to express myself and enjoy it and, if I happen to win, that would be great.”

The earlier semi-final was a repeat of last year’s quarter-final, with Gaultier also prevailing then before being beaten by Ramy Ashour - absent this year - in the final.

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In the women’s draw, England’s Laura Massaro booked a Friday night final showdown with long-standing No 1 and defending champion Nicol David.

Massaro, ranked second in the world, had the more difficult route to the final, however, taking five games before seeing off the serious challenge from Malaysia’s Low Wee Wern, seeded sixth.

Massaro took 86 minutes to seal victory 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, while David had a slightly less time-consuming 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 win over the fifth seed Joelle King, from New Zealand, in the other semi-final.

THURSDAY NIGHT’S RESULTS

Men’s semi-finals

[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [4] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (46m)

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[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [2] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 (42m)

Women’s semi-finals

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Joelle King (NZL) 14-12, 11-4, 11-6 (38m)

[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (86m)

Related topics:EnglishmanPhiladelphia