In the first day of qualifying for the Al-Ahram world open, several favorites advanced. Peter Barker, LJ Anjema and Davide Bianchetti all advanced in straight games, while Joey Barrington characteristically held his opponent, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, on court for five games and 88 mintes before advancing.

Spanish pro Borja Golan also advanced in straight games, while rookie pro, CSA champion Yasser El Halaby, failed to advanced against Alistair Walker.

Hosts Egypt and England dominated the early action on the first day of qualifying in the Al-Ahram World Open Squash Championship in Cairo.  Today's (Thursday) qualifying finals will produce the eight players who will join the main draw of the $152,500 PSA Tour event which returns to the sport's most spectacular location by the country's famous pyramids at Giza for the first time since 1999.

Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz battled for 80 minutes to deny Englishman Simon Parke the chance of competing in his 16th World Open since 1989.  Aziz, the 22-year-old world No74 from Cairo, defeated the 34-year-old former world No3 from Yorkshire 11-9, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5 – and will now meet another Englishman Peter Barker for a place in the main draw.

Barker, the world No24 from Essex and the highest-ranked player in the qualifiers, despatched Egypt's Sherif Moustafa Kamel 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 in 35 minutes.

Indian interest in the event was wiped out by two Egyptians when Amr Ramzy Swelim beat Indian No1 Ritwik Bhattacharya 10-11 (1-3), 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 in 42 minutes and Amr Mansi resisted a fight back by Saurav Ghosal to overcome the 20-year-old from Chennai 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 4-11, 11-6 in 51 minutes.

England's Joey Barrington endured the longest tussle on the Cairo courts when he fought from two games down to beat Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez 9-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-0, 11-4 in 88 minutes.  Another Englishman Jonathan Kemp also survived a five-game battle, beating Dutchman Dylan Bennett 11-10 (4-2), 11-3, 10-11 (2-4), 10-11 (1-3), 11-8.

But perhaps the most frustrating encounter took place after the lone pair of Pakistanis in the event – Mansoor Zaman and Aamir Atlas Khan – raced from Sri Lanka where they won the South Asian Games squash title for their country, only to discover that they were drawn to face each other for a place in the qualifying finals.  Zaman, the 26-year-old world No28 from Peshawar was unable to outwit his younger compatriot as Khan, just 16, claimed an unexpected 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 victory.

1st qualifying round:
Peter Barker (ENG) bt Sherif Moustafa Kamel (EGY) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (35m)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt Simon Parke (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5 (80m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Andre Holderegger (SUI) 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 (27m)
Amr Ramzy Swelim (EGY) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 10-11 (1-3), 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (42m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 (28m)
Amr Mansi (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 4-11, 11-6 (51m)
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 9-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-0, 11-4 (88m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 (42m)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Ahmed Mohsen Hassaan (EGY) 11-8, 11-1, 11-5
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (31m)
Mark Chaloner (ENG) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (50m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Steve Coppinger (RSA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (35m)
Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Bradley Hindle (AUS) 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (40m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (31m)
Alister Walker (ENG) bt Yasser El Halaby (EGY) 11-10 (2-0), 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 10-11 (2-4), 3-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 (53m)