Ryan's luck again draws in Khan

DEREK RYAN'S run of poor luck in the draws for major championships continued yesterday when he learned that, for the second year in succession, he must face world number one Jansher Khan in the opening round of the British Open squash championship.

The news will be a bitter disappointment to the Irish champion who has been repeatedly drawn early on against the strongest players in the world in the tournaments which carry the most ranking points, including this season's World Open where he came up against the world's number two, Rodney Eyles.

Twelve months ago the Dubliner produced one of the best performances of his career against the five-time champion, but Khan simply overpowered him in the closing stages of a match which set him on his way towards a straight games win over his Australian rival in the final.

Ryan travelled yesterday from his Manchester base to Vienna where he is due to play Jason Nicolle in the first round of the Austrian Open. From there he heads on to the Hungarian Open, where he must take on world number 19 Dan Jenson.

Those matches will now take on an added significance for Ryan, currently number 17 on the world list, who will be keen to pick up ranking points in order to provide himself with a cushion ahead of what may well prove to be an insurmountable first round task in Cardiff.