WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Dutch Open Squash Championships, The Hague, Netherlands

Men's qualifying finals:
Andrew Whipp (ENG) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 15-12, 14-15, 15-10, 15-6
Laurent Elriani (FRA) bt Stefan Leifels (GER) 15-8, 15-8, 15-7
David Barnett (ENG) bt Callum O'Brien (NZL) 15-11, 15-9, 15-3
Raj Nanda (AUS) bt Jason Barry (RSA) 15-8, 15-10, 15-7

Women's qualifying finals:
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Charlie De Rycke (BEL) 9-3, 10-8, 9-4
Olga Puigdemont Sola (ESP) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 9-6, 9-6, 9-4
Line Hansen (DEN) bt Margriet Huisman (NED) 10-8, 9-0, 9-6
Kim Hannes-Teunen (BEL) bt Amnah El Trabolsy (EGY) 9-3, 6-9, 9-1, 3-9, 9-6

Local Stars In Bid To Go 'One Better'

Dutch squash stars Tommy Berden and Vanessa Atkinson are seeded to reach the finals of this week's Dutch Open in The Hague - and will be seeking to go one better than they did in last year's championships when both were runners-up.

Dutch National champion Berden, the No2 seed in the men's event, faces qualifier Andrew Whipp in the first round after the Englishman beat France's Julien Balbo 15-12 14-15 15-10 15-6 in the qualifying finals.  The Dutchman is expected to meet Italy's top seed Davide Bianchetti in Sunday's final.

Atkinson, the No2 seed in the women's event who is based in The Hague, will be hoping to erase memories of her miserable performance in last month's World Grand Prix Finals as she aims to win her second title in three years.  The 28-year-old world No3 faces Belgian qualifier Kim Hannes-Teunen in the first round and is expected to come up against England's world No1 Cassie Jackman in the final.

Jackman, the World Grand Prix Finals champion, meets Egypt's Eman El Amir in the opening round.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) v Rafael Alarcon (BRA)
Callum O'Brien (NZL) v [Q] Raj Nanda (AUS)
[4] Gavin Jones (WAL) v [Q] Laurent Elriani (FRA)
[6] Alex Stait (ENG) v Saeed Hassan (PAK)
Liam Kenny (IRL) v [Q] David Barnett (ENG)
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Tom Hoevenaars (NED)
[8] Glenn Keenan (AUS) v Stacey Ross (ENG)
[2] Tommy Berden (NED) v [Q] Andrew Whipp (ENG)

Women's 1st round:
[1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) v Eman El Amir (EGY)
[7] Carla Khan (PAK) v [Q] Line Hansen (DEN)
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) v [Q] Olga Puigdemont Sola (ESP)
[8] Annelize Naude (NED) v Laura Lengthorn (ENG)
[5] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
[3] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)
[6] Latasha Khan (USA) v Rebecca Botwright (ENG)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v [Q] Kim Hannes-Teunen (BEL)