BY ARMSTRONG vAS
Doha: World champion Nick Matthew, bidding to win a fourth world title, dropped a game to German qualifier Raphael Kandra but came on top when it mattered to register an emphatic 11-2, 11-6, 10-12, 11-1 win in the first round of the PSA World Championship here yesterday.
Also advancing into the second round at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex were Egyptian duo of four-time winner Amr Shabana and world number one Mohammed Elshorbagy.
The 34-year-old Englishman who is aiming to become the oldest male ever to win the title took the first two games in little more than 20 minutes but faltered in the third.
“Sometimes when you start (a tournament) you lose accuracy — but it can be good if that happens. It can give you a kick up this part of the body,” Matthew said.
“Sometimes if you get a bad start you have some catching up to do. And that can be a difficult thing to do. I paid for it a little bit as well. It shows you can’t do that against anyone,” he added, reflecting on the ragged third game.
Matthew came into the groove to win the fourth and set up a clash with Gregoire Marche of France.
The Frenchman took 99 minutes to overcome Alan Clyne of Scotland 15-13, 5-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-5.
Matthew said dropping a set was a good thing to happen at the start of the championship and said he remains relaxed ahead of his fourth world Open title.
The Sheffield based player who aims to supersede current Aspire Academy coach Geoff Hunt of Australia. Hunt won the last of his four World Open titles at the age of 33 years and six months while becoming the oldest male world champion, a record which has so far lasted 34 years.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Elshorbagy, the world number one from Egypt needed only 25 minutes to to get past Malaysian qualifier Asyraf Asan 11-5, 11-4, 11-8.
Mohamed next plays India’s promising player Mahesh Mangaonkar today. Mangaonkar overcame Lance Beddoes of New Zealand 11-9, 11-3, 11-13, 11-9. Another Indian, 14th seed Saurav Ghosal made it to the second round. The former national champion beat Steven Finitsis of Australia 11-5, 11-4, 11-6.
Another former winner Shabana dropped a game but came to his groove to down Adrian Waller of England 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2.
Shabana next meets Nicolas Mueller of Switzerland. The Swiss downed Ryan Cuskelly of Australia 11-9, 11-7, 11-5.
Of the five Pakistan players in the main draw, Nasir Iqbal was the lone to clear the first round hurdle. Iqbal beat qualifier Charles Sharpes of England 13-11, 11-5, 11-8. THE PENINSULA
