Nick Matthew advanced to the second round of the Tournament of Champions in New York after a tentative, but ultimately telling win over improving Australian Ryan Cuskelly, the world No 54, at Grand Central Station.
England’s No 1 laboured in the opening game but came back strongly to win 8-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-7 in 60 minutes and remains on course to meet world No 1 Ramy Ashour in the semi-finals. He will, though, play another Aussie, Stewart Boswell, in the second round.
After the Yorkshireman lost the first, he found himself 5-4 up in a close second before the ball hit Matthew’s ankle from close range.
The referees gave a let and, much to his disbelief, Matthew then came out of the court, showing where it hit him “to prove” that it would have gone on to hit the tin. The remonstration proved a boost for the Englishman as he subsequently won 17 from a possible 20 points thereafter.
He raced into a 6-0 lead in the third and took it 11-2 before giving himself five match balls in the fourth. Cuskelly, who is coached by Aussie great Rodney Martin, showed grit to hold off two of those before an error into the tin handed Matthew victory.
Matthew said: “I struggled a bit there. There was no fire or intensity and he deserved to win the opening game. I was flat but I came back and got fired up.”
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