Richards downs Ashour in New Delhi!

Tom Richards (ENG) beat Hisham Ashour (EGY) 14-12, 12-10, 11-6 in the 1st round of the PSA Masters 2011 in India

England’s Tom Richards (pic le) caused the first notable upset in the Punj Lloyd PSA Masters in India when he defeated Egypt’s world No13 Hisham Ashour (pic ri) in the 1st round in New Delhi. Richards battled hard to secure his career-first straight games victory over Ashour, ranked 8 places higher, winning 14-12, 12-10, 11-6 in 35 minutes to secure a place in the 2nd round. Next upset in India was produced by Borja Golan’s, when the Spaniard beat world No19 Adrian Grant 12-10, 11-6, 11-4 in 51 minutes.

Remaining 1st round (top half of draw) results: [2] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 (32m); [6] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-7, 13-15, 11-6, 11-5 (60m); [8] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 (45m); Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 8-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (50m); Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (61m); [4] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-4, 11-1, 11-6 (46m).