ToC reshuffle: Greg seeded first after Ramy withdrawal

Greg and Nick seeded to meet in Tournament of Champions final
By MICHAEL CATLING – Squash Mad Reporter

World number two Gregory Gaultier will be the number one seed for the Tournament of Champions next week, after Ramy Ashour’s withdrawal from the event last night.

Ashour, who beat Gaultier in the final last year, was due to face experienced Englishman Adrian Grant in the first-round but has been forced to pull out of the first World Series event this year on medical advice.

A significant reshuffle by the organisers now pits world champion Nick Matthew against the 33-year-old left-hander in the opening round, with the new world number one seeded to meet Gregory Gaultier in the final.

Gaultier’ first-round match with Tom Richards remains unaltered, while world number 10 Daryl Selby is the biggest beneficiary from Ashour’s absence and has been awarded the final seeded position at number eight.

Elsewhere, number four seed James Willstrop could now face Peter Barker in the quarter-finals, who has made a speedy recovery from an injury picked up at the World Championship in November. 

A semi-final encounter with Matthew could await either Englishman; provided the trio endorse the new seedings.

Pictures by Steve Cubbins (SquashSite)