Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom--Mohamed El Shorbagy served up a warning that he intends to achieve the last of his three main goals this season by winning the British Open for the first time.
The world number one from Egypt did that with a 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 11-7 win in a "scary" first-round match against the former world number one from England, James Willstrop.
El Shorbagy felt it was scary because he had been given a freakishly awkward start against an opponent of exceptional calibre, as a result of Willstrop having fallen outside the seeding positions during a recovery from a hip injury.
Indeed El Shorbagy played solidly enough now to be considered the unofficial favourite as well as the top seed.
Previously many had considered that to be either Ramy Ashour, the world champion who withdrew with an Achilles injury, or Nick Matthew, the three times former British Open champion who is trying to play through an enduring ankle injury.
The 34-year-old Matthew had been hoping to become the oldest player ever to win the British Open, but now cast doubt on his ability to achieve that after an uncharacteristically staccato performance during a 6-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-9 win over Laurens Jan Anjema, the former top-10 player from the Netherlands.
Matthew has been sidelined for a month, and looked match-rusty as he lost eight of the first nine points, only getting back into the match by forsaking his normal patient, accurate style, and taking risks to win points quickly.
AFP
