Barker Survives Marathon To Win Dunlop British Open Qualifier In Nottingham

Peter Barker vindicated his England team selection over Adrian Grant in this year's European Team Championships when he beat his fellow left-hander in a 96-minute marathon in today's qualifying finals of the Dunlop British Open at the University of Nottingham.

Barker, the world No26 from Upminster in Essex, took the opening two games - but Londoner Grant, ranked nine places higher, stormed back to draw level for the loss of only four further points.

Barker regained the initiative, however, and clinched his first ever win over Grant 11-6, 11-10 (3-1), 2-11, 2-11, 11-7 in the longest clash in the event so far.

"That was a bit of a pressure match," conceded Barker. "He seemed a bit more tense than I was."

When asked how he rated the win, 22-year-old said: "That certainly ranks up with the best of them. He's in the top 16 after all, and it's nice that he hasn't become a bogey player for me.

"But, to be honest, the significance of beating him for the first time ever hasn't really sunk in yet," added Barker, who now meets Egypt's No8 seed Karim Darwish in the first round on Friday.

Welshman Alex Gough came near to pulling off an upset over Stewart Boswell, the world No13 from Australia. After Boswell took the opening two games, the former Nottingham stalwart fought back to level the match. Boswell took command of the encounter in the fifth game and clinched an 11-7, 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 4-11, 11-4 victory in 76 minutes.

Showing few signs of the effect of her 84-minute marathon encounter 24 hours earlier, Harrow's Dominique Lloyd-Walter took the opening game in her women's qualifying final against fellow Englishwoman Lauren Briggs.

But the world No25 from Chingford in London bounced back to beat Lloyd-Walter 8-10, 9-6, 9-2, 9-2 in 75 minutes to earn herself a place in the main draw against compatriot Vicky Botwright, the fifth seed from Manchester.

There were Manchester links in the easiest victory in the women's event when USA's Natalie Grainger, the Manchester-born former world No1, claimed a place in the main draw after Welsh champion Tegwen Malik conceded the match as the result of a sore Achilles tendon.

Grainger, the 29-year-old world No13 from Washington DC, has suffered mixed fortunes since topping the world rankings in June 2003.

"But I am really enjoying my squash now and feeling on top form," said Grainger, on the eve of her first WISPA World Tour event since April.

"All I can say now is, bring on my first round opponent - I'm ready for whoever it is!"

Grainger, runner-up in the event two years ago in Nottingham, has been drawn to face England's sixth seed Jenny Duncalf, from Harrogate in Yorkshire, in the first round.

Updated men's 1st round draw:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v John White (SCO) 15.00
[8] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [Q] Peter Barker (ENG) 14.00
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) v Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 13.00
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 12.00
[7] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 20.00
[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Lee Beachill (ENG) 19.00
[5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v [Q] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 18.00
[2] David Palmer (AUS) v Chris Simpson (ENG) 17.00
Updated women's 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 20.00
[5] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v [Q] Lauren Briggs (ENG) 19.00
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 18.00
[7] Tania Bailey (ENG) v [Q] Annelize Naude (NED) 17.00
[6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Natalie Grainger (USA) 12.00
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) 13.00
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 14.00
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Alison Waters (ENG) 15.00

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 qualifying finals:
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5 (63m)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (39m)
Peter Barker (ENG) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 11-10 (3-1), 2-11, 2-11, 11-7 (96m)
Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Alex Gough (WAL) 11-7, 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 4-11, 11-4 (76m)

Women's qualifying finals:
Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Tegwen Malik (WAL) w/o
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 8-10, 9-6, 9-2, 9-2 (75m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Manuela Manetta (ITA) 6-9, 9-3, 9-1, 9-3 (58m)
Annelize Naude (NED) bt Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 9-4, 9-1, 9-3 (33m)