Yorkshire's Jenny Duncalf and Londoner Alison Waters – ranked three and five, respectively in the world – are set to meet in the women's final of the British National Squash Championships in Manchester this month for the third time in the past three years, according to the draw which is issued today (Wednesday).
The 2010 British National Squash Championships will take place at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity from 9-14 February.
Both women are at the top of their game: Defending champion Duncalf, winner of the title in 2007 and 2009, leapt to a career-high No2 in the world rankings in December after two successive wins over the sport's most dominant woman Nicol David, the Malaysian who has topped the rankings since August 2006.
Meanwhile Alison Waters, champion in 2008 and bidding to reach the final for the fifth time since 2005, has already notched up one WISPA World Tour title this year and – after hitting a career-best world No5 ranking this month - believes she is "playing some of the best squash I have played".
Favourite Duncalf opens her 2010 campaign against a qualifier – and is set to face 11-times Irish champion Madeline Perry, the third seed, in the semi-finals. The 32-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, also boasts a win over Nicol David – on the same National Squash Centre all-glass court, during last year's British Open – and ended a 45-month losing run by beating Duncalf in the Premier League last November.
Second seed Waters also lines up against a qualifier in the first round – and will expect a tough test in the semi-finals against England team-mate Laura Massaro, the fourth seed from Preston in Lancashire who will no doubt be the crowd's favourite.
Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (Yorks) v Qualifier
[7] Lauren Briggs (Essex) v Qualifier
[3] Madeline Perry (Ireland) v Lauren Siddall (Yorks)
[5] Tania Bailey (Lincs) v Fiona Moverley (Yorks)
[8] Sarah Kippax (Cheshire) v Victoria Lust (Beds)
[4] Laura Massaro (Lancs) v Qualifier
[6] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Middx) v Emma Beddoes (Warwicks)
[2] Alison Waters (Middx) v Qualifier