Forexx Dutch Open Boasts World Class Line-Up
The women’s draw is represented by the sport's best players - led by Amsterdam-based defending champion Nicol David, a double World Champion. The 25-year old from Penang, who recently won both the Malaysian Open and the Singapore Masters, starts her Forexx Dutch Open campaign with a first round match against Isabelle Stoehr from France, who scraped into the main draw after the late withdrawal of England's world number six Tania Bailey with a recurring knee injury.
David’s long time rival Natalie Grinham, the world number two, is seeded second in her first attempt to win a major WISPA tournament in the Netherlands as a Dutch player. The former Australian, who has been competing under the Dutch flag since March this year, faces a qualifier in her opening match with the prospect of meeting her ‘new’ compatriot Vanessa Atkinson in the quarter finals. The former world number one and World Champion also takes on a qualifier in the first round. The third and fourth seeding positions are held by two previous world number ones, reigning World Champion Rachael Grinham from Australia and America’s Natalie Grainger.
Leading the men’s draw is the in-form James Willstrop. The 25-year old Englishman, whose remarkable run of results during the end of 2007 and the first six months of 2008 saw him shoot up the rankings to his current position of number three, faces a qualifier in round one - and is scheduled to meet 18-year old Aamir Atlas Khan in the quarter finals. The Pakistani, who finished runner-up at last month’s World Junior Championship, exploded onto the senior tour in the last twelve months and is drawn against wildcard Dutchman Piedro Schweertman in the first round.
Local interest in the men’s draw of the Forexx Dutch Open is led by current Dutch National Champion Laurens Jan Anjema. The 25-year old, who is desperately seeking the open title, will have to do it the hard way though. Anjema is seeded third and is drawn to meet the top seed James Willstrop in the semi-finals, but the number fifteen of the world must first overcome tough opposition to reach the last four. Anjema faces a qualifier in his first match and is scheduled to meet the hard-hitting and experienced former world number one ranked Scot John White.
English ace Nick Matthew makes a welcome return to international competition after a shoulder operation kept him off court for eight months. The former British Open Champion and current world number seven plays South African’s Jesse Engelbrecht in his opening match. If successful, Matthew will face either Dutch number two Dylan Bennett or seventh-seeded Columbian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the quarter finals.
Tournament promoter Tommy Berden is excited by the support of the world's best players: "We are very happy with the entries we secured. Naturally we would have liked it better if Natalie (Grinham) and Vanessa (Atkinson) were drawn in opposite sides of the draw, but it ensures that home interest will be high from early on.
"There will be plenty of top matches from the start and we can look forward to an exciting week of squash," said the former four-time Dutch Champion and world number 22.
More information about the Forexx Dutch Open Squash 2008 can be found on the official tournament site www.dutchopensquash.nl
Women’s 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
[6] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) v Rebecca Chiu (HKG)
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Madeline Perry (IRL)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Qualifier
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) v Kasey Brown (AUS)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier
[7] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Qualifier
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Qualifier
Men’s draw 1st round draw:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) v Qualifier
[6] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Piedro Schweertman (NED)
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Qualifier
[5] John White (SCO) v Qualifier
[8] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) v Qualifier
[4] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND)
[7] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v Dylan Bennett (NED)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA)