KHOBAR: World No. 1 Ramy Ashour suffered an injury scare as he limped into the second round of the World Open with a faltering performance against a lucky loser Friday. The Egyptian hurtled through the first game against Kristian Frost of Denmark, but aggravated a hamstring strain in the second and became involved in a dogfight in the third and fourth before surviving 11-1, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9. Ashour also needed a three-minute injury time-out in the third game before he could continue, and several times decided against running or stretching for the ball as the contest moved into its tense closing stages. From the middle of the match onwards his movement looked odd, and his relief at surviving against the world No. 76 caused him to hurl his racket away after the final points and face the spectators with a theatrical gesture. It earned Ashour what could be a vital day's rest before taking on Aamir Atlas Khan, the talented Pakistani No. 1 who beat Steve Finitsis, an Australian qualifier 11-5, 12-10, 11-5 Ashour's third round could be with his compatriot Mohammed El Shorbagy who beat Martin Knight, the improving New Zealander, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9. The biggest threat in Ashour's quarter though should be James Willstrop of England, who won 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 against Nicolas Muller of Switzerland. – Agence France
