El-Shorbagy starts British Open squash title defence

Mohamed El Shorbagy admits he got exactly what he didn?t want to begin the defence of his British Open title on Tuesday, but managed to handle the discomfort anyway.

The world number one from Egypt's well-taken 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 win over Nicolas Mueller, the former top-20 player from Switzerland, suggested he has been developing the knack of keeping the mindset he needs.

"I said to my brother (Marwan) that Nicolas Mueller was the one guy I didn?t want in the first round ? and I got him," El Shorbagy admitted. "It was the best I ever saw Nicolas play in Chicago last month. He can be very dangerous and today I had to be focussed the whole match."

Winning the second game, in which Mueller was only prevented from taking an 8-7 lead by El Shorbagy's successful video appeal against the referee's penalty point decision, was doubly important.

Not only did that prevent difficulties from becoming prolonged, it assisted with El Shorbagy's need to preserve energy early in the tournament, ready for probable big battles later.

He kept the pace high, his mind calm, and the ball tight, and was prepared to play out the rallies for as long as it took. Eventually Mueller, who often attacked creatively, was pressured into landing three drop shots into the tin in the last four rallies of that pivotal game.

It supported El Shorbagy's contention that he has continued to improve his mentality, something which came under scrutiny again after his failure to get past the third round of the World Championships at Washington in November.

"When I got to world number one I placed a lot of pressure on myself and I didn?t enjoy it at all," he admitted. "But when I lost it for a month I realised what I had - and I appreciated getting it back.

"It relaxed me and made me thankful. Not many people have the opportunity to be where I am. I know I have already won the British Open and it makes me more relaxed - and I think it shows."

- Willstrop up next -

He may indeed need to show it again, because his second-round match is against James Willstrop, the former world number one who was his conqueror in that sensational World Championship upset. The 32-year-old Englishman, now ranked 13, proved again that on his day he can still beat anyone.

Competing only a short distance from his Yorkshire home Willstrop overcame Tarek Momen, the world number six from Egypt, 5-11 , 11-4, 11-6, 11-7.

"I approached playing Tarek like a final, put everything into it and managed to pull out a performance," he said. "I?m just thrilled to be able to play a big match again against Mohamed.

"I?m sure he is at the top of his game and he is the world?s top player. But I?m in much better shape even than a few months ago," Willstrop contended.

"So I have to be confident, try to enjoy it and put in another performance. Hopefully with that comes winning games and matches."

Earlier three of the women?s front-runners progressed, but with less trouble. Laura Massaro, the world number one from England, needed only 26 minutes to come through 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 against Olivia Blatchford, an American qualifier, while Raneem El Welily of Egypt, her predecessor at the top, took five minutes less to win 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 against Nele Gilis, a Belgian qualifier playing on a glass showcourt in a competitive match for the first time.

Camille Serme, the British Open titleholder from France, needed just a little longer to get past Fiona Moverley, a qualifier playing in her home city, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 - but perhaps this was not entirely surprising.

Serme is trying to find a way of dealing with memories of here last year, the greatest day of her life. "I try to get into the same state of mind as then," she explained. "But that?s not easy. Everywhere I go I see my face on a poster."
Source :AFP