Tuominen Takes White Out In World Open

Qatar Men's World Open Squash Championship, Doha, Qatar

Scotland's John White, a world No1 in March this year, was sent packing in the first round of the Qatar Men's World Open Squash Championship when he was beaten in straight games by unseeded Finn Olli Tuominen in the Qatar capital Doha.

White, a finalist in the 2002 event, forced the first game to a tie-break, but it was Tuominen who took the game - and the next two, to record an 11-10 11-5 11-2 upset over the seventh seed in just 30 minutes.

England's fifth seed Nick Matthew also fell at the first hurdle.  The Yorkshireman twice led in his match against unseeded Graham Ryding - but the Canadian held out to earn a 6-11 11-8 7-11 11-9 11-6 win in 71 minutes.

In the second round, Ryding now faces Welshman Alex Gough, who became the only qualifier to reach the last sixteen when he despatched Egypt's 15th seed Omar Elborolossy 4-11 11-9 11-3 11-3 in 51 minutes.

The event has thrown up a second round clash which was the final when the event was last staged in Doha in 1998.  Canadian Jonathon Power, then the champion and now the ninth seed, will take on England's third seed Peter Nicol in what will be their 40th career meeting.  Power downed Dan Jenson, of Australia, 11-5 11-7 11-8 in 55 minutes while Nicol took only 26 minutes to overcome Egyptian qualifier Mohamed Essam A Hafiz 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.

The pair last met just 12 days ago in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Classic, on 'home soil' for Power.  "I lost to him in the Canadian Classic because I was just not able to compete for the court, so tomorrow should be a better contest," said Nicol to www.SquashNow.com.   "We have played a lot of big matches on this court over the years but, for one of us tomorrow, it will be like the final."

The only upset in the Women's Qatar Classic took place when unseeded Dutch number two Annelize Naude defeated Egypt's tenth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy 10-8 7-9 10-9 9-3 in 68 minutes.  Naude now meets England's second seed Cassie Jackman who needed only 24 minutes to quash Australian qualifier Amelia Pittock 9-2 9-3 9-1.

1st round:
[Q] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [15] Omar Elborolossy (EGY)     4-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (51m)
Graham Ryding (CAN) bt [5] Nick Matthew (ENG)   6-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6 (71m)
[9] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt Dan Jenson (AUS)    11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (55m)
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [Q] Mohamed Essam A Hafiz (EGY)    11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (26m)
[14] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS)   11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (39m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [7] John White (SCO)     11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 11-2 (30m)
[11] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG)  11-8, 2-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 (47m)
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Bradley Ball (ENG)  11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (33m)

Women's Qatar Classic, Doha, Qatar

1st round:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG)     9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (22m)
[12] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt Carla Khan (PAK)  9-4, 9-3, 9-5 (69m)
[6] Linda Elriani (ENG) bt Latasha Khan (USA)   9-1, 9-4, 9-2 (30m)
[13] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL)    10-8, 10-8, 9-2 (49m)
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)  9-2, 9-0, 9-5 (31m)
[14] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [Q] Melissa Martin (AUS)  9-3, 9-0, 9-2 (24m)
[8] Nicol David (MAS) bt Stephanie Brind (ENG)  9-7, 6-9, 9-1, 9-4 (42m)
[16] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Alison Waters (ENG)    9-4, 1-9, 9-10, 9-1, 9-2 (55m)
[9] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt [Q] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL)     9-4, 9-6, 5-9, 9-4 (48m)
[5] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Tania Bailey (ENG)    9-5, 5-9, 9-4, 6-9, 10-8 (63m)
[15] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Rebecca Chiu (HKG)    9-2, 10-9, 9-2 (48m)
[3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)  9-0, 9-4, 9-1 (24m)
[11] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Pamela Nimmo (SCO)  10-8, 10-9, 7-9, 9-1 (62m)
[7] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt [Q] Sharon Wee (MAS)  9-1, 0-9, 9-6, 9-2 (30m)
Annelize Naude (NED) bt [10] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)    10-8, 7-9, 10-9, 9-3 (68m)
[2] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [Q] Amelia Pittock (AUS)    9-2, 9-3, 9-1 (24m)