SQUASH STARS RETURN FOR MANCHESTER GLORY Six Commonwealth Games medallists return to the scene of their triumphs when the 2003 British National Squash Championships get underway at the National Squash Centre in Manchester next week. Furthermore, nine former National champions join the world-class fields in both the men's and women's events - led by title-holders Lee Beachill, gold medallist in the Men's Doubles in the Manchester 2002 Games, and Cassie Jackman, silver medallist in the Women's Doubles and bronze medallist in the individual event and the only woman to have claimed two medals in successive Games. England's Peter Nicol and Linda Charman, ranked one and four in the world respectively, head the seedings in the 2003 British Nationals which will take place for the first time at the National Squash Centre in Manchester from 11-16 February. Nicol was also a double Commonwealth Games medallist, claiming silver in the singles alongside gold with Beachill in the Men's Doubles. Beachill, the 25-year-old world No8 from Pontefract in Yorkshire, created history last year when he became the first player ever to successfully defend the men's title - beating his great rival and Commonwealth Games partner Peter Nicol, the then world champion, in a stunning final upset. "The Nationals is a big tournament for me and my second win was extra special. I'll be going to Manchester believing I can do it again, but undoubtedly Peter will be my biggest threat," said the third seed. Lee faces a qualifier in the opening round on Tuesday and is expected to have to overcome Scotland's second seed John White, runner-up in the World Open in December, in the semi-finals for a chance of a repeat of the 2002 final against England No1 Nicol. Local interest in the men's event will be focussed on Manchester-based world No19 Nick Taylor, the eighth seed. "Next week is one of the most important weeks of the year for me - I usually do well in the Nationals in Manchester and I am determined to repeat that success at the new National Squash Centre, which is a fantastic new facility in the area," said the Oldham-born 31-year-old who has reached at least the semi-finals over the past three years and was runner-up in 1995 and 2001. "I've been working hard for this year's tournament, training a lot with Australia's world No5 Stewart Boswell who is now based in the area, and I'm looking forward to my opening match on Tuesday," added Taylor on the event's official website www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk Cassie Jackman, the world No8 from Norfolk, will be competing in her first tournament in England since undergoing career-threatening back surgery for the second time in her career last September. The former world champion and world No1, who won the first of her four National titles ten years ago, can't wait to get back onto the court in which she claimed two Commonwealth Games medals last summer: "Things have gone really well since I've started playing again after the back operation - it's just nice to be playing again at all and it'll be wonderful to be back amongst all my fellow players after such a long break," said the upbeat third seed who has a tough first round draw against the in-form local star Vicky Botwright, one of highest-ranked non-seeded players in the women's draw. "I have such great memories of the Manchester Commonwealth Games - the crowds were the best I've ever experienced, so I hope we can expect a similar atmosphere next week." Top seed Linda Charman, bronze medallist in the M2002 Games Women's Doubles with Fiona Geaves, the fifth seed, lost to Jackman on two of the three occasions on which she has been runner-up in the Nationals. The 31-year-old from Eastbourne in Sussex faces Yorkshire's former European Junior Champion Jenny Duncalf in the first round, whilst Geaves, the 1995 champion from Gloucester who also won bronze in the Mixed Doubles, takes on another Yorkshire opponent Jenny Tranfield. The No2 seed in the women's draw is the England No1 Tania Bailey, a former world junior champion from Lincolnshire who, in addition to partnering Jackman to Commonwealth Games silver last summer, also reached the final of last year's British Open - against the odds - on the same all-glass court at the National Squash Centre. The line-up of former champions in the 2003 Nationals is headed by Lee Beachill (2001 & 2002) and Cassie Jackman (1993, 1999, 2000 & 2002) and includes Yorkshire's Simon Parke (1998), Oxfordshire's Mark Cairns (1997), former Scot Peter Nicol (1996), Berkshire's Stephen Meads (1995), Essex's Del Harris (1987 and 1989), Fiona Geaves (1995) and twice World Over 35 champion Suzanne Horner, the 1994 and 1996 women's champion from Yorkshire who is seeded seven and will be making her 23rd appearance in the Nationals since her debut in 1978 - a full year before second seed Tania Bailey was born! After two days of qualifying at Manchester's National Squash Centre on Sunday 9th and Monday 10th February, the main draw begins on Tuesday 11th with action from the quarter-finals onwards taking place on the all-glass court from Thursday through to the Finals on Sunday 16th February. Tickets are available from TicketMaster, either via the website www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by phoning 0870-602 1188. The 2003 Championships which will also include age-group competitions from Men's and Women's Over-35 to Men's Over-65, are the third to be backed by the Manchester Partnership, featuring Hi-Tec, Manchester Leisure Sport, Dunlop Sport, www.squashdiscount.com, England Squash, Manchester City Council, e-squash, Manchester Evening News, Slazenger, Goudie International, UltraFit magazine and Honda Cars. All the 2003 Nationals action will be covered by official media partner www.squashmedia.org, featuring the event's dedicated website www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk Revised Men's draw: [1] Peter Nicol (Yorks) v Qualifier [14] Peter Genever (Sussex) v Qualifier [7] Simon Parke (Yorks) v Qualifier [10] Nick Matthew (Yorks) v Ben Garner (Surrey) [4] Martin Heath (Scotland) v Lee Drew (Essex) [15] James Willstrop (Yorks) v Derek Ryan (Ireland) [8] Nick Taylor (Lancs) v Qualifier [12] Stephen Meads (Berks) v Liam Kenny (Ireland) [13] Adrian Grant (Kent) v Marcus Berrett (Yorks) [9] David Evans (Wales) v Qualifier [16] Bradley Ball (Suffolk) v Scott Handley (Oxon) [3] Lee Beachill (Yorks) v Qualifier [11] Del Harris (Essex) v Mark Cairns (Oxon) [6] Alex Gough (Wales) v Qualifier Tim Garner (Sussex) v Jonathon Kemp (Shropshire) [2] John White (Scotland) v Qualifier Women's draw [1] Linda Charman (Sussex) v Jenny Duncalf (Yorks) [5] Fiona Geaves (Glos) v Jenny Tranfield (Yorks) [4] Rebecca Macree (Essex) v Qualifier [8] Pamela Nimmo (Scotland) v Qualifier [6] Stephanie Brind (Kent) v Qualifier [3] Cassie Jackman (Norfolk) v Vicky Botwright (Lancs) [7] Suzanne Horner (Yorks) v Madeline Perry (Ireland) [2] Tania Bailey (Lincs) v Qualifier