Australia & Malaysia Seeded To Win Squash Singles Gold In Melbourne

Australia's David Palmer and Nicol David of Malaysia are seeded to win gold for the first time in the squash singles events in next week's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, according to the draws announced today by the World Squash Federation (WSF).

The sport's Commonwealth Games action will be staged on a new purpose-built all-glass show court at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) where players will challenge for five gold medals in both singles (men and women) and doubles (men, women and mixed) events across 11 days of competition.

The singles events get underway on Thursday 16 March, leading to the two finals on Monday 20th, followed by the doubles events which reach their climax on Sunday 26 March.

"Squash will be represented by an all-time record of 28 nations and 91 athletes in Melbourne 2006," commented WSF Chief Executive Christian Leighton. "This includes our two newest members: Mauritius and the British Virgin Islands. This growth underscores the health of the sport as well as our commitment to the Commonwealth Games and the values and endeavours of the Commonwealth Games Federation."

Mauritius and British Virgin Islands join a number of new nations making their Games debuts this year - including Malawi, Malta, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji and Norfolk Island.

David Palmer, a bronze medallist in the 2002 Games in Manchester, returned to the top of the world rankings last month after a four-year gap. The 29-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales, a former World Open champion and three-times British Open champion, is expected to meet England's No2 seed James Willstrop in the men's final.

Willstrop, the 22-year-old England No1 from Pontefract in Yorkshire making his debut in the event, led England to success in last year's World Team Championships in Pakistan after reaching No2 in the world in December.

Peter Nicol, the former world No1 who won singles gold for Scotland in Malaysia in 1998, and doubles gold for England four years later, is seeded four in Melbourne behind Australia's third seed Anthony Ricketts. Nicol, the only man to win two medals in both previous Commonwealth Games, is expected to meet Willstrop in an all-English semi-final, while Palmer and Ricketts are due to face each other in the other all-Australian battle.

A new champion is assured in the women's event in which Nicol David, a mixed doubles silver medallist in Manchester, is expected to face Australian rival Rachael Grinham, who won silver in the 2002 women's doubles and bronze in the singles, in the final.

Nicol David has become one of her country's most successful sports stars of all-time after following her maiden triumph in last year's World Open by becoming world number one. The 22-year-old from Penang is expected to meet Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham, the third seed, in the semi-finals.

Victory by Queenslander Rachael Grinham would keep the women's title in Australian hands after triumphs by Michelle Martin in 1998 and Sarah Fitz-Gerald in 2002. The 29-year-old from Toowoomba is expected to meet England's fourth seed Vicky Botwright, a Games debutante, in the other women's semi-final.