Perry Paired With Irish Compatriot Blake In World Open Draw

Madeline Perry, the world No8 from Banbridge, will face Irish compatriot Aisling Blake in the draw for next month's Women's World Open in Belfast which was made today at the city's Ulster Hall.

Conducted by Professor Eric Saunders OBE, Chairman of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, the surprise draw guarantees that there will be domestic interest in the second round of the biggest squash championship ever to be held in Northern Ireland.

The world's most prestigious squash event will be held in Belfast from 20-26 November, with action from the last sixteen onwards staged on a state-of-the-art four glass-walled court in the auditorium of the Ulster Hall.

"The chances that Aisling and I should be drawn to play each in the first round must be incredibly small," said Perry, the seven-times Irish champion, after hearing the news that she will meet Irish No2 Blake, from Sligo, in the first round.

"It's really tough on both of us, as we both want to do well in the event which is in Belfast for the first time," added the 29-year-old No8 seed who was born in Craigavon and raised in Banbridge.

"But if I get through, I should meet Annelize Naude - who I beat in the final of the Irish Open - then her Dutch team-mate Vanessa Atkinson, a former winner of this title.

"I certainly could have had a worse draw," conceded the Irish star. "But now that I know the draw, it's even more exciting - the fact that the event is being held in Ireland has become even more realistic - and I can now really focus on what lies ahead."

Galway's Laura Mylotte, who like Blake has been awarded a wildcard into the event, has been drawn to face 15th seed Rebecca Chiu, the Asian Games champion from Hong Kong, in the first round.

Whilst some will view the draw positively for the host country, Irish Squash spokesman Angus Kirkland disagrees: "The disappointment now is that we can't get three players into the last sixteen!"

Defending champion Nicol David, the world No1 from Malaysia, will meet a qualifier in the first round. The top seed's second round opponent is likely to be Egypt's 12th seed Engy Kheirallah.

"They will have played each other countless times as juniors," explained Perry. "But it will be tough enough for Nicol as Engy is playing really well at the moment."

The draw also predicts two early all-English clashes: England team-mates Tania Bailey and Alison Waters, the seventh and tenth seeds, respectively, look set to meet in the second round - while a 'war-of-the-roses' last sixteen clash between Yorkshire's sixth seed Jenny Duncalf and Lancashire's 11th seed Laura-Jane Lengthorn is also on the cards.

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.

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.

1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Qualifier
[12] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) v Qualifier
[5] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
[9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Qualifier
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Raneem El Weleily (EGY)
[15] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) v Laura Mylotte (IRL)
[6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Qualifier
[11] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) v Qualifier
[10] Alison Waters (ENG) v Qualifier
[7] Tania Bailey (ENG) v Sharon Wee (MAS)
[13] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Qualifier
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier
[16] Annelize Naude (NED) v Kasey Brown (AUS)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Aisling Blake (IRL)
[14] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Pamela Nimmo (SCO)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)