Local Star To Face Top Name In Liverpool 08 Open Qualifying Draw

Andrew Breen, the Liverpool Cricket Club champion who was offered a 'local' wild card place in the qualifying competition for the Liverpool 08 Open, will face the highest-ranked player in the 32-man field following this morning's qualifying draw at the club.

Breen will take on former England international Mark Chaloner, ranked 35 in the world, later today on the Merseysider's home courts at the Liverpool Cricket Club. Chaloner, a former world No7 from Lincolnshire, made his name in the sport over ten years ago when he clinched victory for England for the first time in the 1995 World Championships in the decisive final match against holders Pakistan.

Players from 13 countries will battle it out over the next two days for the eight available qualifying places in the Liverpool 08 Open at St George's Hall from 3-7 May.

The international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years boasts a $77,500 prize fund. The PSA Super Series championship has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

Further local hopes in the qualifying draw will be shared between Merseyside's Keith Thomason, who has been drawn to meet Germany's European Junior Champion Simon Rosner, and North West Counties league star Stephen Siviter, who faces Surrey's Ben Garner.

1st qualifying round draw:
Mark Chaloner (ENG) v Andrew Breen (ENG)
Lee Drew (ENG) v Kris Meadows (ENG)
Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) v Rob Sutherland (WAL)
Ben Garner (ENG) v Stephen Siviter (ENG)
Stacey Ross (ENG) v Jonathan Harford (ENG)
Liam Kenny (IRL) v Jethro Binns (WAL)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Jesse Engelbrecht (ZIM)
Scott Handley (ENG) v Shaun le Roux (ENG)
Alister Walker (ENG) v Julien Balbo (FRA)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Ryan Thompson (NAM)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) v Robbie Temple (ENG)
Simon Rosner (GER) v Keith Thomason (ENG)
Daryl Selby (ENG) v Darren Lewis (ENG)
Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) v Paul Davis (AUS)
Dan Jenson (AUS) v Tom Richards (ENG)