The draw for the premier PSA World Tour event, which takes place on December 7-14 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, published today by the PSA shows defending champion Nick Matthew as the number two seed.

Matthew will be aiming to win the prestigious title for a third successive year – becoming only the fourth player in history, after legends Geoff Hunt of Australia, and Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan both of Pakistan – to achieve this feat.

If Willstrop, who was beaten in the world final by Matthew two years ago, can live up to his seeding, it will make him only the third world junior champion to go on and win the senior title.

The world number one from Leeds begins his 2012 campaign against his compatriot Chris Ryder, the world number 43, while Matthew lines up against the highest-ranked Swiss player of all-time, Nicolas Mueller, the world number 20.

But there will be fierce resistance to the predicted all-English final – particularly from Egyptian players, as former champions Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana are both in Matthew's half of the draw.

Ashour despatched Matthew in last week's US Open semi-finals in Philadelphia in straight games – and will be looking for a second world title after success in 2008.

2010 world number one Ramy Ashour will be hoping to stop an all-English final occurring 

But Shabana already boasts four title triumphs – in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 – and will be celebrating his 13th successive appearance in the event since 1998.

Fifth seed Ashour faces compatriot Marwan El Shorbagy, the world junior champion, in the first round, while the illustrious seventh-seeded Shabana takes on a qualifier.

With three runner-up finishes over the past six years, Frenchman Grégory Gaultier will be hoping to add his name to the trophy for the first time.

Seeded three, the recent US Open runner-up begins his bid against Egyptian Mohammed Abbas.

Egypt's former world number one Karim Darwish is also seeded to reach the semi-finals.

The number four seed from Cairo is in the top half of the draw, with a qualifier as his first test.

Players from 21 countries will contest the 64-man main draw, with a further 11 nations represented in the qualifying competition.

Briton Nick Matthew will be looking to win his third title in three years

"This year's World Championship promises to be one of the most competitive in the event's history," said PSA CEO Alex Gough.

"Nick Matthew will be looking to win an incredible third event in three years whilst James Willstrop, the current world number one will be looking to win his first.

"They will both face stiff competition from Australian Open and US Open Champion Ramy Ashour."

Formerly known as the World Open, the world championship will be hosted by Qatar for the third time, following stagings in 1998 and 2004.

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