By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor)

Defending champion Mostafa Asal has made a dramatic exit from this year’s U.S. Open after his opponent Lucas Serme was awarded the match after being struck in the head by a wayward shot from the Egyptian.

Serme was given 15 minutes to recover, but was unable to do so in that time and so the match referee deemed it to be an “opponent-inflicted injury” which was caused accidentally by Asal.

Asal, who last year became the youngest winner in the history of the U.S. Open, was cruising with a two-game lead and was 6-4 up when he turned on a loose ball at the back of the court and then hit a shot up the middle of the court.

Serme – who was ducking – was struck in the head with the ball and fell to the floor. Asal immediately looked full of contrition for injuring his opponent.

After the 15-minute recovery period had expired, the PSA physio deemed Serme to be unable to continue, with the world No.43 from France requiring further medical examination.

Serme was taken from the Arlen Specter National Squash Center to a local hospital in Philadelphia and was diagnosed with concussion and a perforated eardrum.

The PSA said: “Everyone at the PSA wishes Lucas well and he will be monitored closely ahead of his potential return to the court.”

The World No.43 is due to take on Marwan ElShorbagy later today.

ElShorbagy beat England’s Patrick Rooney, hitting back after losing the first game to win 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 in 48 minutes.

? @joeybarrington and @Lee_M_Drew discuss defending champion @mostafasal_'s disqualification from the @USOpenSquash following @LucasSerme's injury during their round two match pic.twitter.com/LqgsLDCYDR

— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) October 10, 2022

SquashTV commentator Lee Drew, who is the PSA’s referees liaison officer, confirmed that Asal will inevitably face a disciplinary hearing because of the conduct decision to award the match against him.

Considerable debate has developed in the game following a nasty leg injury suffered by Hania El Hammamy after being struck by a shot from world No.1 Gohar. The shot was struck with such force that it burst the skin on her calf.

In the recent Egyptian Open, Gohar herself was struck close to the eye by El Hammamy’s racket swing.

After the first incident, Gohar’s coach Rodney Martin blamed the referee for calling a “no let” when Gohar stopped play in a similar situation, believing her opponent to be in her path between her and the front wall.

One leading coach, who was watching on TV last night, remarked: “It may have been an accident but the sensible thing would have been to stop and ask for a let.

“The rules are there to stop this kind of thing from happening. The key issue is to prevent the risk of injury and if the ball had struck Lucas a couple of inches away it could have resulted in a serious eye injury. This incident, therefore, was clearly dangerous play.”

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Pictures courtesy of PSA World Tour