KARACHI, July 24: World No1 and top seed, Thiery Lincou of France, was extended to four sets by England’s 19th seed, Bradley Ball, before he advanced to the second round of Pakistan Open squash championship which got under way on Sunday at the DHA Asif Nawaz squash complex.

After conceding the first set 10-11, Lincou recovered to clinch the following three 11-2, 11-5, 11-10 in a battle that lasted 36 minutes.

“My first game in every tournament is always tough,” he told newsmen in his post-match comments.

The 29-year-old Lincou who crowned the world title only seven months back at Doha, said Bradley Ball was a surprise opponent as after snatching the opening set he came close in the fourth but could not extend him to full distance.

Lincou now faces Pakistan’s twelfth seed Shahid Zaman in the next round, who had a smooth sailing over qualifier Aqib Hanif.

Shahid took just 18 minutes to clinch the opener against fellow countryman 11-7, 11-5, 11-4.

Shahid, who has undergone an extensive training in London under the guidance of Jamshed Gul, said he had won three tournaments of Pakistan circuit and would go all out to create an upset against Lincou on Tuesday.

Shahid disclosed that he had once beaten the Frenchmen 3-1 when he (Shahid) was in Pakistan under-19 team.

Joining the above two in the second round were fourth seed Anthony Rickets (Aus), sixth seed Nick Mathew (Eng), seventh seed Karim Darwish (Egypt), tenth seed Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia), thirteenth seed M Azlan Sikandar (Malaysia) and fourteenth seed Olli Tuominen (Fin).

Rickets ranked seventh in the world, disposed of qualifier Shamsul Islam 11-2, 11-5, 11-9 in 21 minutes.

England’s Nick Mathew was stretched to four sets by qualifier Dylan Benet in his 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-2 triumph.

Egyptian Karim Darwish took 17 minutes in securing 11-5, 11-2, 11-3 win over qualifier Safeerullah Khan.

The two Malaysians, Ong Beng Hee and Azlan Sikandar also romped home against Ramay Ashour of Egypt and England’s Jonathan Kemp, respectively.

Lincou’s compatriot Olli Tuominen overcome Egypt’s Hisham Ashour 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 in 23 minutes.

Results (first round):

Anthony Rickets (Australia) bt Shamsul Islam (Pak) 11-2 ,11-5, 11-9; Thiery Lincou (France) bt Bradley Ball (England) 10-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-10; Karim Darwish (Egypt) bt Safeerullah Khan (Pak) 11-5, 11-2, 11-3; Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia) bt Ramay Ashour (Egypt) 11-9, 11-6, 1-11, 11-6; Shahid Zaman (Pak) bt Aqib Hanif (Pak) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 , Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt Hisham M. Ashour (Egypt) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8, Nick Mathew (England) bt Dylan Benet (Netherlands) 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-2, M. Azlan Sikandar (Malaysia) bt Jonathan Kemp (England) 11-8, 11-10, 11-7.

Monday’s fixtures (first round): Matches begin at 12.00 noon. Basit Ashfaq (Pak) v Simon Parke (Eng); Mansoor Zaman (Pak) v Gregory Gualtier (Fra); Yasir Butt (Pak) v Adrian Grant (Eng); Dan Jenson (Aus) v Amr Shabana (Egy); Renan Lavigne (Fra) v Joseph Kneipp (Aus); Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) v James Willstrop (Eng); Wael El Hindi (Egy) v Mohamed Abbas (Egy); Khayal Mohammad (Pak) v David Palmer (Aus).