Teenager Waller Is Youngest Nationals' Qualifier

Teenager Adrian Waller became the youngest player to qualify for the 2008 British National Championships when he beat Essex's Rory Pennell 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 in 28 minutes in today's men's qualifying finals at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.

The 18-year-old British Junior champion from Enfield in Middlesex, who led England to success in last year's European Junior Team Championships in Belgium, will face local star Andrew Whipp in Tuesday's first round. Whipp, the 26-year-old 13th seed from Stockport, is making his sixth appearance in the event and seeded for the first time.

Waller survived an 88-minute second round qualifying match against Northamptonshire's Chris Fuller earlier in the day before easing through against his Essex opponent in the evening.

"I felt a lot looser and more comfortable than in my earlier match, and he seemed a bit tired, maybe feeling his five-setter from earlier," said Waller after his qualifying final. "It was a different game too, a faster pace which suited me better.

"I was a lucky loser last year, so it's good to qualify properly this time."

Derbyshire's Joel Hinds was given the toughest ride in the qualifying finals - taking 81 minutes to overcome Surrey's England junior international Joe Lee 11-10 (4-2), 11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 11-6.

The 20-year-old from Duffield now meets three-time champion Lee Beachill, the No2 seed from Pontefract in Yorkshire.

Qualifying finals:
Joel Hinds (Derbyshire) bt Joe Lee (Surrey) 11-10 (4-2), 11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 11-6 (81m)
Adrian Waller (Herts) bt Rory Pennell (Essex) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (28m)
Lewys Hurst (Wales) bt Chris Tasker-Grindley (Glos) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (23m)
Eddie Charlton (Notts) bt Thomas Phipps (Bucks) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (28m)
Jethro Binns (Wales) bt Neil Cordell (Yorks) 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (30m)
Stuart Crawford (Scotland) bt Mark Fuller (Northants) 11-5, 11-6, 11-0 (24m)
Jaymie Haycocks (Shropshire) bt Phil Rushworth (Yorks) 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (29m)
David Barnett (Northumbria) bt Stephen Siveter (Merseyside) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (29m)