Champion Gaultier up against Masnoor in British Open draw

LONDON—Frenchman Gregory Gaultier will begin the defence of his men’s title in next month’s Dunlop British Open in Liverpool against Pakistan number one Mansoor Zaman, according to the draw for the PSA Tour Super Series squash event released Wednesday.
The British Open - Liverpool 2008 will be staged at the city’s new Arena Liverpool from May 10 to12 following qualifying and early rounds at the Liverpool Cricket Club from May 6 .
Gaultier beat compatriot Thierry Lincou in last year’s British Open final in Manchester to become the first French champion in the 80-year history of the event. The 25-year-old from Aix-en-Provence is the event’s third seed - and would expect to meet Egypt’s world number one Amr Shabana in the semi-final in the top half of the draw.
Shabana, who won the World Open crown for the third time in December, is seeded to win the British Open for the first time. The 28-year-old from Cairo faces Italy’s highest-ranked player Davide Bianchetti in the opening round.
All eyes will be on the sport’s rising star Ramy Ashour, the 20-year-old Egyptian who shot to second place in the world rankings last year in only his third year on the PSA Tour. The No2 seed - who beat Shabana for the second time this year in last week’s Hurghada International final in his homeland - will meet England’s up-and-coming Alister Walker, the 25-year-old world No29 from Leeds.
Local interest in the British Open will be led by James Willstrop, the world number four from Yorkshire who is seeded to reach the semi-finals. Runner-up in 2005, Willstrop takes on Pakistan teenager Aamir Atlas Khan - at 17, the youngest competitor in the main draw - in the first round.
Fellow Yorkshire man Nick Matthew will make an emotional return to British Open action in Liverpool. Two years ago in Nottingham, the world No.6 from Sheffield became the first true Englishman for 67 years to become British Open champion. Matthew underwent shoulder surgery in January and will be making his Tour comeback on Merseyside, where he will face fellow Englishman Tom Pashley, the wild card entrant from Sussex, in the opening round.
Australia’s former world champion David Palmer will be making his 12th successive appearance in the event when he steps onto the court to face a qualifier in the first round. The 31-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales - now based in Boston, USA - is a three times winner of the British Open trophy and one of five former world number ones competing in the event.

—Agencies