Gaultier and Massaro prepare to defend US Open squash titles

Egyptian duo Ramy Ashour and Nouran Gohar currently lead the way on the PSA Road to Dubai Standings after prevailing in the first World Series tournament of the season – the Hong Kong Open – last month.

World Champion Gregory Gaultier and World No.2 Laura Massaro both suffered disappointing tournaments in Hong Kong, but both players will be eyeing a return to form in Philadelphia as they look to retain their U.S. Open titles – and you can watch all the action live on Eurosport Player.

Gaultier, whose win over Omar Mosaad in last year’s final acted as a pre-cursor to their World Championship final clash a month later, comes into the tournament after triumphing at the NetSuite Open in San Francisco.

Gaultier opens up against World No.17 Daryl Selby in round one and could face the likes of Australian No.1 Ryan Cuskelly, World No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad and three-time World Champion Nick Matthew as he bids to reach a second successive U.S. Open final – where he could lock horns with World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy.

ElShorbagy, like Gaultier, made a slow start to the season by bowing out in the second round of the Hong Kong but he returned to form with victory over the Frenchman in the final of the China Open.

The Egyptian opens up against Mexico’s Cesar Salazar in round one and is seeded to meet World Championship runner-up Mosaad in the semi-final, while Gaultier and three-time World Champion Nick Matthew are seeded to face each other in the other last four encounter.

In the Women’s event, Massaro is bang on form and looking for a third successive PSA World Tour title after winning in China and San Francisco.

The Englishwoman, also a winner in 2011, defeated World No.10 Nour El Tayeb in the final of the 2015 instalment and will face a qualifier in the first round.

World No.1 Nour El Sherbini heads the top half of the draw and is seeded to meet one of eight-time World Champion Nicol David or former World No.1 Raneem El Welily in the semi-final – the former of which could face El Tayeb in a difficult second round clash.

2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open – Men’s First Round Draw
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Chris Simpson (ENG) v [Qualifier]
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [Qualifier]
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[7] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v [Qualifier]
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v [Qualifier]
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [Qualifier]
James Willstrop (ENG) v [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [WC] Christopher Gordon (USA)
Simon Rösner (GER) v [Qualifier]
Leo Au (HKG) v Fares Dessouky (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY) v [8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Max Lee (HKG) v [Qualifier]
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Qualifier]
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)

2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open – Women’s First Round Draw
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [13] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[16] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Qualifier]
[WC] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) v [8] Alison Waters (ENG)
[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [10] Joelle King (NZL)
[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Line Hansen (DEN) v [3] Nicol David (MAS)
[4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [14] Emily Whitlock (ENG)
[15] Victoria Lust (ENG) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) v [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) v Delia Arnold (MAS)
Joey Chan (HKG) v [12] Annie Au (HKG)
[9] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v Heba El Torky (EGY)
[Qualifier] v [2] Laura Massaro (ENG)