World's Best Head To Manchester For British Squash Glory

For the 12th successive year, Manchester will attract many of the world's leading squash players next February to compete for the title of British National Champion.

Though restricted to players from the UK, the title is widely regarded as one of the world's best - with previous winners including world number ones, world champions (senior and junior), and Commonwealth Games gold medallists!

The 2008 British National Championships will take place at the National Squash Centre in Sportcity, Manchester, from 10-17 February.

In addition to men's and women's open events, this festival of squash in its sixth year at Sportcity will feature Masters events which will attract the nation's best players in age-group categories ranging from Over-35 to Over-70.

The 2007 championships produced a sensational Yorkshire double when James Willstrop, the former world junior champion from Pontefract, and Jenny Duncalf, the European champion from Harrogate, won their first National titles in style at the National Squash Centre.

The men's final was played at a blistering pace - with favourite Willstrop overcoming a mighty challenge from Scotland's John White, the sport's world-record-holding hardest-hitter, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 11-5 in 44 minutes.

"I'm just so proud to win the title," said a jubilant Willstrop after receiving his trophy. "I've been coming here for so many years - I've had so much inspiration from the event. It's something I've been brought up on.

"Winning this title has always been one of my main ambitions - alongside the World Open and British Open."

Jenny Duncalf began her campaign as the sixth seed - and made her breakthrough in the quarter-finals when she upset top seed Tania Bailey, the defending champion and her England team-mate.

After overcoming Ireland's No3 seed Madeline Perry in the semi-finals, the Harrogate-based 24-year-old recovered from 0/2 down to topple close friend and England team-mate Alison Waters 5-9, 6-9, 9-3, 9-0, 9-3 in 74 minutes in the final - her third match in a row lasting more than an hour!

"That was definitely my best win ever," said Duncalf after her stunning victory.

Willstrop and Duncalf will return to the scene of their triumphs to defend their titles in the 2008 championships - after both went on to enjoy successful 2007 campaigns.

Willstrop lifted two further PSA Tour titles on home soil, winning the Canary Wharf Classic in London and then the inaugural Prince English Grand Prix in Birmingham - in both cases only seeded to reach the semi-finals! Later in the year, he reached the US Open final in New York.

Jenny Duncalf successfully retained her European Championship crown, again upsetting Tania Bailey in the final in Royan, France. She had earlier reached the final of the Seoul Open in South Korea unseeded - and went on to record a hugely successful run on the WISPA World Tour, exceeding her seeding in the World Open and Hong Kong Open before reaching December's final of the Carol Weymuller US Open in New York as the fifth seed!

But both Willstrop and Duncalf can expect stiff opposition from all sides. Local interest in the women's event will be led by Manchester favourite Vicky Botwright.

Whilst Botwright, who completed her third successive year in the world top ten in December, has won titles on the all-glass court at the NSC, the 30-year-old from Worsley in Manchester has yet to fulfil her potential in the Nationals. In nine appearances in the event since 1997, Vicky has been stopped five times in the quarter-finals - and will be looking to give her home supporters more to cheer this time.

Or will it be younger sister Rebecca Botwright that will shine this year? The 2004 European champion led her Yorkshire club Pontefract to the final of the European Club Championships this year in Hungary - and will be hoping for success nearer to home this February.

But 2006 champions Nick Matthew and Tania Bailey will undoubtedly be wanting revenge. Both head the England national rankings - and both have enjoyed significant success in 2007. Matthew, the 2006 British Open champion from Sheffield, added the US Open title to his collection in 2007 and led England in the defence of their World Team Championship title in India at the end of the year.

Bailey, from Lincolnshire, reclaimed her career-high world No4 ranking in the year - and reached the final of the Malaysian Open in July.

For ticket details, visit the official website: www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk