The exotic location of the Cayman Islands provides the setting for a brand new event on the WISPA World Squash Tour when the Women's Cayman Islands Open takes place on Grand Cayman next month.

Hosted by the South Sound Squash Club from 7-10 May, following two days of qualifying, the event has attracted the highest quality field ever to appear in the Caribbean.

The event's top four seeds are the top four women in the world – led by Nicol David, the Malaysian who has held the world number one ranking since August 2006.

The event will renew the rivalry between David and world number two Natalie Grainger, the Pan American Games gold medallist from the USA who dramatically ended David's 17-month unbeaten run in March in the final of the KL Open in her country's capital.

"I haven’t been before and I’m looking forward to my first experience there," said David, the three times World Open champion who will be making her first trip to the Caribbean.  "I know Cayman is known for its gorgeous beaches and a true holiday resort.  I saw some photos of what to expect and they look amazing."

Natalie Grainger will be making her second trip to Cayman.  The 31-year-old from Greenwich played an exhibition match a year ago against Cayman’s best players and loved the island.

"I enjoyed the friendly, warm hospitality and the wonderful boat trip.  We swam with the sting rays! Amazing - gorgeous, clear blue water and fishes."

Grainger said she was looking forward to reconnecting with friends she made through the Cayman squash community and seeing more of the beautiful island.

The world No4 and current triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Natalie Grinham will also be making her first trip to the Caribbean.  "I haven’t been before but I’ve always wanted to go," said Grinham, who will be joined in the event by her older sister Rachael Grinham, the world No3.  "I know Cayman consists of three islands and is supposed to have incredible beaches."

Tournament director Dan Kneipp said he was ecstatic to have such a world class field attending this inaugural event.  "Cayman will be hosting the very best athletes from the Caribbean and in the world.  This is so exciting for what it will do for our junior programme and our elite players.  They’ll get a chance to get on court with their idols, on their home courts."

The Cayman Open’s goals include eventually aiming to offer free squash to Cayman’s youth. The 2009 event will have daily free workshops for Cayman schools where juniors will get to play against the visiting pros, and will offer squash scholarships to 12 Caymanians, including free squash equipment, free membership and free lessons.

There will also be opportunities for juniors new to squash to come down and learn about the sport.

The world’s top women think that the Cayman Open’s junior plans will be extremely beneficial to junior squash. "This will most certainly help in a huge way," said Nicol David. "Not every country has complete support from their respective national sports councils and giving the youth the opportunity like this will definitely generate a following for squash in the Cayman Islands."

Grainger agrees:  "It’s wonderful news that Cayman Squash is supporting the development of juniors. One of the best things I was told - and it happened to be a very special lady that told me, my mum - was: ‘Win with grace, lose with dignity, but above all, enjoy the game.’  Squash is huge fun and it teaches us plenty of life lessons - winning and losing is part of life, but enjoying the journey is the adventure."

Every day of the Cayman Open there will be scheduled matches that will be free for local juniors to watch, along with free viewing matches for the public.

The Cayman Open is sponsored by the Ministry of Sport, BDO, Maples, Massive, Sunshine Suites, Cayman Financial Review, Lime, Dunlop and the Department of Tourism. More details are available at www.caribbeansquash.com