British Open Draw: Crowded half in women's

8.21.00 London

Campion Gets Tough Draw

The likely schedule for top-seeded Britons Peter Nicol and Cassie Campion in next month's British Open Squash Championships was outlined today when Scottish soccer legend Kenny Dalglish made the draw in Birmingham.

The pair, both world champions and world number ones, will be expected to meet the title-holders in re-runs of last year's finals - Scot Nicol taking on Jonathon Power, the No2 seed from Canada, and England's Campion facing the second-seeded New Zealander Leilani Joyce. The 2000 event will be staged at The NIA in Birmingham from 11-15 October.

Cassie Campion has drawn a qualifier in the opening round, and is scheduled to meet 12th seed Vanessa Atkinson, from the Netherlands, in the next. England' fast-improving former world junior champion Tania Bailey is also in the top half of the draw - as are Australians Carol Owens, the 3rd seed, and three-times former world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

"The top half of the draw is ridiculously strong," said Campion when she heard of her fate.

In the men's draw, Peter Nicol will open against Egypt's improving Omar Elborolossy, with England's Manchester-based world No15 the first seed he is likely to meet. Further heavyweight British opposition also lurks in the top half of the draw, including compatriot Martin Heath, the last player to beat Nicol on the PSA Tour, and English players Simon Parke, Paul Johnson, and Mark Chaloner.

The full men's draw is: [1] Peter Nicol (Scotland) v Omar Elborolossy (Egypt) [15] Nick Taylor (England) v Alex Gough (Wales) [6] Paul Johnson (England) v Mark Cairns (England) [16] Mark Chaloner (England) v Qualifier [4] Simon Parke (England) v Qualifier [14] Paul Price (Australia) v Qualifier [5] Martin Heath (Scotland) v Amr Shabana (Egypt) [11] Anthony Hill (Australia) v Joseph Kneipp (Australia) [12] John White (Scotland) v Qualifier [7] Del Harris (England) v Qualifier [10] David Evans (Wales) v Derek Ryan (Ireland) [3] Ahmed Barada (Egypt) v Qualifier [9] Peter Marshall (England) v Graham Ryding (Canada) [8] David Palmer (Australia) v Qualifier [13] Thierry Lincou (France) v Amjad Khan (Pakistan) [2] Jonathon Power (Canada) v Qualifier

Women's draw: [1] Cassie Campion (England) v Qualifier [12] Vanessa Atkinson (Netherlands) v Qualifier [8] Tania Bailey (England) v Liz Irving (Australia) [14] Rebecca Macree (England) v Qualifier [3] Carol Owens (Australia) v Salma Shabana (Egypt) [16] Jenny Tranfield (England) v Qualifier [5] Natalie Grainger (England) v Latasha Khan (USA) [10] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Australia) v Ellen Petersen (Denmark) [9] Fiona Geaves (England) v Qualifier [7] Sabine Schoene (Germany) v Pamela Nimmo (Scotland) [11] Rachael Grinham (Australia) v Maha Zein (Egypt) [4] Linda Charman (England) v Qualifier [13] Stephanie Brind (England) v Qualifier [6] Suzanne Horner (England) v Natalie Grinham (Australia) [15] Claire Nitch (South Africa) v Qualifier [2] Leilani Joyce (New Zealand) v Senga Macfie (Scotland)

Issued on behalf of: SRA For further information: Howard Harding Email: HowHard@aol.com

Jonah Barrington and Kenny Dalglish make the draw (Photo courtesy SRA)

Jonathon Power Ready to Repeat:

Dunlop Squash News, Reading UK: On the day of the 2000 British Open Squash Championships draw in Birmingham (England), reigning champion Jonathon Power declared that he is "ready" for the challenge of defending his title.

The enigmatic Power added: "2000 has had its frustrations, but I'm looking forward to the British Open and for a strong finish to the end of the year. I don't care who I have to play, I know I can beat anyone".

The draw for the 2000 event to be staged at The NIA in Birmingham from 11-15 October was made by Scottish soccer legend Kenny Dalglish, Jonah Barrington and British Junior Champion James Willstrop.

Willstrop, a fan of the world's most controversial character, was openly excited at being given the opportunity of being part of the draw for the UK's premier event: "The men's event has attracted the world's top players and the anticipated final of Jonathon Power and arch-rival Peter Nicol is expected to produce the ultimate clash of personalities and playing style."

Seventeen year old Willstrop hopes to qualify for the main competition and extend his impressive run of form which recently saw him reach the semi-finals of the recent World Junior Championships in Milan at the age of sixteen - underlining his potential as a future World Champion at both junior and senior levels.

In the men's British Open draw, Jonathon Power will head Dunlop's star cast which include Australians Anthony Hill and Joseph Kneipp; England's Peter Marshall, Egyptians Omar Elborolossy and Amr Shabana; and Pakistan's Amjad Khan.

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
• Kim Tunney: Midwest USA
• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

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