RESULTS: PSA International 50 CASE Swedish Open, Linkoping, Sweden
Qualifying finals:
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 4-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-3
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7
Bianchetti Battles Back Into Swedish Open
Italy’s 33-year-old Davide Bianchetti 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 of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event 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 first round.
Scot Clyne, the world No47 from Edinburgh, had to fight back from two games down to overcome the Hungarian number oneMark 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 number one Nick Matthew is seeded to win the title for the third time in as many years. The 30-year-old from Sheffield faces fellow countryman Tom Richards, ranked 31 in the world, in the first round and is expected to meet up with Egypt’s world No3 Karim Darwish, the No2 seed, in a repeat of the 2009 final.
Darwish, who won the event in 2004, will be hoping for better luck than in 2009, when an ankle injury forced him to concede the final without striking a ball. The 29-year-old from Cairo begins his 2011 campaign against German number one Simon Rosner.
Updated 1st round line-up:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) v [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA)
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) v [Q] Chris Simpson (ENG)
[3] Peter Barker (ENG) v Rasmus Hult (SWE)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) v [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) v Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
[2] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Simon Rosner (GER)