Last year's runner-up, Daryl Selby is no stranger to St George's, having played for their PSL team for a number of seasons.

Top seed last year, this time he comes into the draw unseeded, and while last year's champion Chris Simpson faces Marwan Elshorbagy, Daryl has the unenviable task of taking on top seed and world #1 Mohamed Elshorbagy.

Since last year's final Daryl reached the semi-finals of  the Edinburgh Open, Swedish Open, British Nationals and the Nantes International before winning the $50k Macau Open in September. He reached the third round of the Wadi Degla World Champs and a first World Series semi-final for four years in this month's Qatar Classic.

In the last three major events it's taken three world champions - Gregory Gaultier, Ramy Ashour and Karim Abdel Gawad - to stop him, sohe's returning to St George's in good form.



"I guess I have mixed memories from last year, disappointed not to win but Chris played well all week and deserved the title," said Daryl.

"I really enjoyed the tournament though, it's a club I know well and everyone is extremely welcoming and friendly - I love playing on home soil and St.Georges Hill will be no different.

"I'm fairly over the moon with my recent form! I planned my tournaments and season carefully this year and I think it's paid off so far. I put in some really good work again in the summer and that's showed through the last few weeks.

"On paper and in reality I obviously have the toughest draw I could have got! But I've had some pretty tough draws recently and I've just concentrated on trying to play good squash and not worry about the result.

"I'm really looking forward to the tournament, I'm sure it will be a great week of squash for the players and the fans."

Age:  34                  Birthplace:  Harlow, Essex

Current WR:    19      Highest WR: 9

PSA Events:   157     PSA Finals: 22     PSA titles:  12  

PSA Matches: 396     PSA Wins:  251