LAHORE, March 22: The world No 1 and top-seed Peter Nicol started his campaign to clinch the 19th Pakistan Open Squash Championship in style, by thrashing the world No. 21 Graham Ryding in straight games in the first round at the Fortress Stadium Friday.

England’s Nicol took only 49 minutes to earn15-11, 15-12, 15-11 victory over his Canadian rival.

The world No.1 with forceful forehands had Ryding stranded on most occasions. Nicol finished his rallies with delicate drop shots. However, Ryding also helped Nicol mount up the points on a number of occasions with many unforced errors.

The Canadian surrendered every game by hitting the tin.

Nicol took only 20 minutes to win the first game. He started casually by losing points but recovered soon to level the score 3-3. From there onwards, Nicol did not look back.

He maintained the lead till the score was 14-11. Ryding tried to fight back by taking the score from 7-11 lead to 11-14 but hit the tin to lose the crucial point of this first game.

Ryding tried to come back into the match by taking a 4-3 lead in the second game. At that stage, Nicol hit an excellent drop shot and displayed his brilliant court-craft which enabled him to surge ahead and finally win the second game at 15-12. It tool Nicol only 18 minutes to win this game.

The top seed then wound up the match clinching the third game in just 11 minutes which saw him through to the next rounds.

Exhibiting his rich repertoire of strokes, Nicol built a 6-0 lead in th final game and did not allow Ryding to fight back at any stage of the game.

Fourth seed Thierry Lincou (France) survived a scare, before his rival the world No 21, Joseph Kneipp (Australia) conceded the match at the end of the third game.

The score in Lincou’s favour was 16-17, 15-1, 15-6.

Joseph Kneipp worked overtime to win the first game from his superior opponent, but Lincou after struggling for 35 minutes got into his strides to pinch the second game 15-1 in only seven minutes.

Before the start of the third game Kneipp requested the referee for treatment of cramps in his thigh. But this treatment was to no avail, as the Australian lost the third game also 15-6.

After conceding the third game also Kneipp conceded the match.

In other matches, the world No 8 Chris Walker (England) outplayed qualifier Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia) 15-10, 15-11, 15-10.

The experienced Walker played with total command and never allowed Azlan to pose any threat for him.

World No. 13 Martin Heath from Scotland faced  good opposition from the world No. 20 Omer Elborolossy (Egypt) before coming through a 3-1 winner. The score in his favour was 15-8, 11-15, 15-12, 15-9. The match lasted 65 minutes.

Heath won the first game easily. But Elborolossy fought back in the second game winning it 15-11 despite trailing 4-6 at one stage of the game.

Heath, however, did not allow the Egyptian to progress, winning the next two games 15-12 and 15-9.

Olli Tuomenan the No.21 from Finland, also struggled for 46 minutes before eliminating the challenge of world No. 27 Mohammad Abbas (Egypt). Tuomenan won 15-4, 8-15, 15-10, 15-11.

Results:

Olli Tuomenen (Finland) bt Mohammad Abbas (Egypt) 15-4, 8-15, 15-10, 15-11.

Martin Heath (Scotland) bt Omer Elborolossy (Egypt) 15-8, 11- 15, 15-12, 15-9.

Chris Walker (England) bt M Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia) 15-10, 15-11, 15-10.

Thierry Lincou (France) bt Joseph Kneipp (Australia) 16-17, 15-1, 15-6, after the Aussie conceded the fourth game due to cramps.

Peter Nicol (England) bt Graham Ryding (Canada) 15-11, 15-12, 15-11.

John White (England) bt Wail El-Hindi (Egypt) 15-10, 12-15, 15-11, 15-7.

Mark Chaloner (England) bt Muhammad Ilyas (Pakistan) 15-5, 15-14, 15-4.