A 2nd successive straight games qualifying win in qualification in Wolverhampton sees local hero Chris Ryder (pic) boost to 8 the number of Englishmen competing in the ROWE British Grand Prix which gets underway on Monday, the 19th in Manchester. Ryder who beat Henrik Mustonen of Finland (11-9, 11-5, 11-4 ) led a cosmopolitan group of players celebrating successes in the qualifying finals – including a German, Spaniard, Swiss, South African and three Egyptians.
It was teenager Marwan El Shorbagy who had cause for the biggest celebration after beating England’s Robbie Temple to earn his 1st ever appearance in a PSA World Series event. Compatriots Tarek Momen and Mohammed Abbas also survived the qualifiers – bringing the Egyptian interest in the main draw to nine players. Abbas, a former world No13, needed five games to see off France’s Mathieu Castagnet 8-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 in an 88-minute marathon, while 23-year-old Momen was also fully extended before overcoming top-ranked Scot Alan Clyne 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11, 11-7.
Further qualifying finals: Simon Rosner (GER) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (43m); Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2 (62m); Borja Golan (ESP) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (34m); Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 (29m).
