Barker & Grant In Dunlop British Open Qualifying Bid In Nottingham

Adrian Grant and Peter Barker, the only two Englishmen to survive the second qualifying round of the Dunlop British Open, meet each other in today's qualifying finals for a place in the main draw of the blue riband event which is being staged at the University of Nottingham for the first time.

Barker, the world No26 from Upminster in Essex, despatched fellow left-hander Mansoor Zaman, of Pakistan, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 in 35 minutes, while Londoner Grant, the world No17 now based in Halifax, Yorkshire, defeated compatriot Joey Barrington, from Somerset, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 8-11, 11-8 in 57 minutes.

Long-time local Nottingham hero Simon Parke failed in his bid to earn a 14th appearance in the sport's most prestigious event. The 34-year-old Yorkshireman from Leeds - a former world No3 - battled for 46 minutes against Ong Beng Hee before bowing out 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 to the world No14 from Malaysia.

Welshman Alex Gough, also a former Nottingham stalwart, is now one place away from a tenth appearance in the PSA Tour event in which he has made the quarter-finals on three occasions. The 35-year-old from Fleet in Hampshire dropped just two points against Daryl Selby before the 23-year-old from Essex was forced to retire with injury with the score at 11-1, 11-1.

Gough now faces Australian international Stewart Boswell, who beat England's Lee Drew, from Colchester, 11-5, 11-3, 11-7.

Domestic interest is being led by three English players in the women's qualifying event. Essex's Lauren Briggs claimed the swiftest second round win of the day, while Harrow's Dominique Lloyd-Walter survived the longest - and the pair now meet each other for a place in the main draw.

Briggs, the world No25 from Chingford in London, crushed France's Soraya Renai 9-3, 9-1, 9-2 in just 22 minutes.

In what turned out to be the longest ever match in her career on the WISPA World Tour, Lloyd-Walter battled to a 9-3, 9-3, 6-9, 7-9, 9-0 win over Canada's Runa Reta in an 84-minute marathon.

Rebecca Botwright is one match away from the chance of joining her illustrious sister Vicky Botwright in the main draw of the Dunlop-sponsored championship. The 24-year-old from Manchester beat Denmark's Line Hansen 9-2, 9-2, 9-5 and now takes on world No17 Annelize Naude after the Netherlands player overcame England's Sarah Kippax, from Cheshire, 9-1, 9-2, 8-10, 9-7 in 54 minutes.

Interestingly, the winner of this qualifying final match could face Botwright senior, the world No5, in Friday's first round.

The 2006 Dunlop British Open - featuring world-class men's, women's and masters events - gets underway with main draw first round action on Friday, leading to finals on Monday (18 September).

Men's 2nd qualifying round:
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Simon Parke (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (46m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-4 (77m)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Joseph Kneipp (AUS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (26m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 11-10 (2-0) (69m)
Peter Barker (ENG) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 (35m)
Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 8-11, 11-8 (57m)
Alex Gough (WAL) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-1, 11-1 ret. (16m)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Lee Drew (ENG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-7 (30m)

Women's 2nd qualifying round:
Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Georgina Stoker (ENG) 9-5, 9-3, 9-4 (26m)
Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt Laura Hill (ENG) 9-4, 9-6, 9-4 (40m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Runa Reta (CAN) 9-3, 9-3, 6-9, 7-9, 9-0 (84m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Soraya Renai (FRA) 9-3, 9-1, 9-2 (22m)
Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt Tricia Chuah (MAS) 9-6, 4-9, 9-7, 10-8 (75m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Jenna Gates (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-3 (27m)
Rebecca Botwright (ENG) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-2, 9-2, 9-5 (34m)
Annelize Naude (NED) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-1, 9-2, 8-10, 9-7 (54m)