British Open Ticket Box Office Now Open

Tickets for the 2004 British Open Squash Championships - Nottingham, the longest-established event in world squash, will be available for the first time next Monday 21st June when the box office opens at 10.00 am.

Tickets can be booked either by telephone on 0115-941 9419, or via email on britishopen@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk. Further details will also be available on the event's official website www.britishopensquash.com

After a highly successful inaugural year in 2003, this year's British Open will return to England's East Midlands city of Nottingham, from 29 October to 6 November, featuring the biggest combined men's and women's event in Europe.

Furthermore, the event will be boosted by a special BBC Sport highlights programme which will be broadcast on BBC TV Grandstand on Sunday 7th November.

Beginning at the Nottingham Squash Rackets Club on Friday 29 October, the 'Wimbledon of Squash' will transfer onto the spectacular all-glass court sited at the Albert Hall from the last sixteen onwards, from Tuesday 2nd November through to the finals on the Saturday.

Promoted by John Beddington and John Nimick, the 2004 British Open is also backed by England Squash, the sport's governing body in England, and a Nottingham consortium featuring Nottingham City Council, Experience Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA).

Messrs Beddington and Nimick have also revealed a partnership with a number of Associate Sponsors - including Head, the 'Official Racket'; Hi-Tec Sports, the 'Official Shoe'; and Gerrard, the preferred 'Investment Manager' - and Official Suppliers, including the E-Sportgroup (trading as squashdiscount.com), the 'Official Retailer'; Ernest & Julio Gallo, the 'Official Wine'; and Yellow Dot, 'Official Clothing'.

Title-holder David Palmer, the world No4 from Australia, will be aiming to win his third men's British Open title in Nottingham. Three further former champions are also likely to be bidding to win the men's trophy: Peter Nicol, the world No1 who was the champion in 1998 and 2002; David Evans, who became the first Welshman to lift the trophy in 2000; and one of the sport's most exciting players Jonathon Power, the Canadian winner in 1999.

Local hopes will be led by 2002 runner-up John White, the Nottingham-based Scot who became world No1 for the first time in March.

Australian Rachael Grinham is certain to defend the women's title she won for the first time last year - though home hopes will be led by England's Cassie Jackman, the world No1 from Norfolk, who was runner-up both in 2003 and 1999, and was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours this month.