Perry Poised For World Open Success In Belfast

Madeline Perry, the seven-times Irish champion from Banbridge, is seeded to reach the quarter-finals in next month's Women's World Open in Belfast.

The world's most prestigious squash event - and the biggest championship ever to be held in Northern Ireland - will be held in Belfast from 20-26 November, with action from the last sixteen onwards staged at the city's world-renowned Ulster Hall.

Boasting the richest prize fund (£61,000) in the 27-year history of the championship, the 2006 Women's World Open has attracted a star-studded field which includes the top 24 players in the world, according to the entry list and seedings announced today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

Malaysia's world No1 Nicol David will defend the title she won for the first time last year in Hong Kong. The top-seeded 23-year-old from Penang is enjoying a stunning run of form after winning the Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Open last week - notching up her fifth successive WISPA title since July and extending her unbeaten run to 22 matches!

Perry, who put up a brave fight against David in Hong Kong before bowing out in the quarter-finals, will be hoping to avoid the Malaysian when the draw is made in Belfast at the end of the week. Seeded eight, Perry will be expected to reach the quarter-finals on the state-of-the-art four glass-walled court which will be erected in the Ulster Hall auditorium.

The Craigavon-born 29-year-old will be hoping to emulate her south-of-the-border success in April, when she lifted the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open trophy in Dublin - a triumph which brought to five the number of international titles Perry has won since joining the WISPA World Tour in 1998.

Among the top seeds in Belfast will be Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson, the 2004 World Open champion and a former world No1; Australia's Rachael Grinham, last year's runner-up and also a former world No1; and her younger sister Natalie Grinham, winner of a record three gold medals in March's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Manchester's world No5 Vicky Botwright will lead a strong British field, including Lincolnshire's Tania Bailey, the British National champion and runner-up in Hong Kong last week; Yorkshire's Jenny Duncalf; and London's Alison Waters - all members of the England squad which won the World Team Championship title in Canada last month.

The 16 seeds are: 1 Nicol David (MAS); 2 Vanessa Atkinson (NED);3 Rachael Grinham (AUS); 4 Natalie Grinham (AUS); 5 Vicky Botwright (ENG); 6 Jenny Duncalf (ENG); 7 Tania Bailey (ENG); 8 Madeline Perry (IRL); 9 Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY); 10 Alison Waters (ENG; 11 Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG); 12 Engy Kheirallah (EGY); 13 Shelley Kitchen (NZL); 14 Natalie Grainger (USA); 15 Rebecca Chiu (HKG); 16 Annelize Naude (NED).

The 2006 Women's World Open Squash Championship will be hosted by Irish Squash, in conjunction with Ulster Squash and its partners the Belfast City Council, Sports Council for Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Events Company - and follows an agreement reached between Irish Squash and the World Squash Federation (WSF).

The championship will get underway at the Belfast Boat Club on Monday 20 November before moving to the city's historic Ulster Hall from the second round onwards, leading to the final on Sunday 26 November

Tickets for the event, from £5 to £15, are available now. Full details - including group ticket offers and hotel packages - are available on the official website www.womensworldopen.com.