LIVERPOOL (England), May 9: Defending British Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier signalled a warning to the Egyptians by producing a brilliant performance on Friday to overcome Olli Tuominen in straight games to reach the quarter-finals in only 34 minutes.

The Frenchman not only moved well and showed no signs of the wrist injury which has spoilt his year so far, as he conjured remarkable winners from nowhere to beat his Finnish rival 11-4, 11-4, 11-5.

The third-seeded champion next faces Karim Darwish, the world No 7 from Egypt, who defeated Laurens Jan Anjema of the Netherlands 11-7, 11-5, 12-10.

Later there was the first seeding upset on the women’s side when French qualifier Isabelle Stoehr beat Omneya Abdel Kawy, the eighth-seeded Egyptian 9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6.

She now plays Natalie Grinham, the second-seeded Australian who is the younger of the sisters, and who won in four games against a battling Rebecca Chiu from Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s misery multiplied on Thursday as Amir Atlas Khan and Farhan Mehboob emulated their compatriot Mansoor Zaman by going out in the first round.

Amir took a game against James Willstrop, but the fourth seed Englishman still ran out a comfortable 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 winner.

Farhan, on the other hand, was on course for a shock victory when he won the first two games against Ong Beng Hee. But the Malaysian, seeded 10th here, recovered his composure to win 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7.

Results (x denotes seeding):

Played on Friday:

Men’s second round: Karim Darwish (EGY x7) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED x15) 11-7, 11-5, 12-10; Gregory Gaultier (FRA x3) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN x14) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5.

Women’s first round: Natalie Grinham (AUS x2) bt Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 9-4; Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGYx8) 9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6; Rachael Grinham (AUSx3) bt Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 9-6, 9-1, 9-2.

Thursday’s remaining results:

Men’s first round: Peter Barker (ENG x8) bt Tom Pashley (ENG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8; Lee Beachill (ENG x9) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; James Willstrop (ENG x4) bt Amir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2; Ong Beng Hee (MAS x10) bt Farhan Mehboob(PAK) 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7; Alex Gough (WAL x16) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 6-11, 11-1, 11-1, 0-11, 11-9; Mohammed Azlan Iskandar (MAS x11) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5; Ramy Ashour (EGY x2) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 11-8, 7-11, 12-11, 11-7.—AFP