Italy’s 33-year-old Davide Bianchetti (pic) battled to a surprise straight games win over England’s world No35 Joey Barrington in the qualifying finals of the Case Swedish Open to claim a place in the main draw in Linkoping for the sixth time since 2002. The former world No24 from Brescia, now ranked 65, despatched his English opponent 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 and will now line up against fellow qualifier Alan Clyne in the 1st round. Scot Clyne, the world No47 from Edinburgh, had to fight back from two games down to overcome the Hungarian number 1 Mark Krajcsak 4-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-3. Englishman Chris Simpson and Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet also made it through the qualifying finals – Simpson defeating compatriot Robbie Temple 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5, while Castagnet outlasted South African Stephen Coppinger 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7. England’s world No1 Nick Matthew is seeded to win the title for the third time in as many years. He is expected to meet up with Egypt’s world No3 Karim Darwish, the No2 seed, in a repeat of the 2009 final.
