Australia's top women squash players have received a generally favourable draw for the 2010 Australian Open, the $56,000 WISPA World Tour Gold event to be played in Canberra from 10-15 August.

Second seed Rachael Grinham will play a qualifier first up as she bids to win a second title and add to her 2006 triumph.


However, if the former world number one and world champion wins her opening match she would likely next play defending champion Joelle King of New Zealand, one of the few players on the tour to have a winning record against the 33-year-old Queenslander.

In their previous three encounters King, 21, has won twice, including in the final of the Texas Open in Houston in April - and it is a battle that Grinham will not relish.

Sixth seed Kasey Brown takes on Victorian Amelia Pittock in an all-Australian clash with the winner also probably facing a Kiwi, ninth ranked Jaclyn Hawkes.

New South Wales's Donna Urquhart takes on a qualifier, while Queenslander Lisa Camilleri has a real chance of upsetting the higher-ranked Irishwoman Aisling Blake.

"That's a good draw for me," said Camilleri, who has now won six women's professional tournaments in succession.

"I lost to her last year in Malaysia - but it was really close and I am playing much better now than I was then. I'm really happy with the draw - it could have been a whole lot worse."

Melbourne's Melody Francis has drawn one of the more daunting first round opponents, fifth seed Laura Massaro of England.

There are a number of mouth-watering clashes in the first round draw, none more so than right at the top where top seed Jenny Duncalf, the world number two from England, takes on recently-crowned world junior champion Amanda Sobhy of the USA.

The 2008 champion, Hong Kong's Annie Au, faces India's great hope Dipika Pallikal, the 18-year-old from Chennai who is almost as famous in India for her Bollywood style glamour as she is for her squash.

Londoner Alison Waters heads English interest in the lower half of the draw where she is the third seed.

1st round draw:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[14] Delia Arnold (MAS) v Qualifier
[6] Kasey Brown (AUS) v Amelia Pittock (AUS)
[9] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) v Qualifier
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[10] Annie Au (HKG) v Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) v Melody Francis (AUS)
[16] Line Hansen (DEN) v Sharon Wee (MAS)
[15] Aisling Blake (IRL) v Lisa Camilleri (AUS)
[8] Samantha Teran (MEX) v Song Sun-Mi (KOR)
[11] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v Qualifier
[3] Alison Waters (ENG) v Qualifier
[12] Donna Urquhart (AUS) v Qualifier
[7] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) v Kylie Lindsay (NZL)
[13] Joelle King (NZL) v Tania Bailey (ENG)
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier