Nicol David After British Open Revenge In Liverpool

World number one Nicol David will be after revenge when she takes on a qualifier in the opening round of the Dunlop British Open in Liverpool next month, according to the women's draw announced today by event promoters internationalSPORTgroup.

The longest-established and most prestigious event in world squash, the Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 will be staged at the city's new ECHO Arena Liverpool from 10-12 May following qualifying and early rounds at the Liverpool Cricket Club from 6 May.

David, who is in her third year at the top of the world rankings, is expected to reach the final for the fourth successive year. The 24-year-old two times champion from Malaysia will be eager to make up for the disappointment of a shock loss to Australian Rachael Grinham in last year's final in Manchester

Nicol David notched up her 40th WISPA World Tour final appearance when she won last month's KL Open on home soil. In a remarkable run since winning the British Open title for the first time in October 2005, Nicol David has competed in 25 Tour events - reaching the finals on all but two occasions!

Title-holder Rachael Grinham is one of three players making their 12th consecutive appearances in the event since debuting in 1997. Winner of the prestigious trophy in 2003, 2004 and 2007, the 31-year-old former world number one from Queensland enjoyed a stunning return to form last year - when she also won the World Open title, for the first time, in Madrid.

Rachael, the third seed who is also drawn to face a qualifier in the first round, will be joined in the field by her younger sister Natalie Grinham. The second seed will be competing in the event for the first time as a Dutch player after switching allegiance to the country in which she has lived for more than ten years in February. Grinham junior, who in October battled with Rachael in the first World Open final featuring two sisters, is looking for her first British Open title after finishing as runner-up in 2005.

Jenny Duncalf, the world No6 from Harrogate, leads British interest in the women's draw. The 2007 British National champion and the reigning European Champion, is the event's fifth seed - and leads the domestic attack in the absence of England number one Tania Bailey, the world No5 from Lincolnshire who underwent surgery this month to repair a tear in the cartilage in her right knee.

But Duncalf faces a formidable first opponent in England team-mate Alison Waters, the 24-year-old world number 11 from London who succeeded 25-year-old Duncalf as British champion in February.

The draw for the first staging of the British Open in Liverpool has - remarkably - thrown up an all-Lancashire first round clash between two England team-mates. Vicky Botwright, the 30-year-old No7 seed from Manchester, will face unseeded Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, a 24-year-old from Preston who is ranked just four places lower.

Whilst Botwright dominated the early exchanges between the pair, Lengthorn emerged victorious in four of their five meetings so far this year. The pair's career head-to-head tally in national and international meetings stands at 8-6 to Botwright: County, national and international pride will be at stake when the two next meet in Liverpool!

Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Qualifier
[6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Vanessa Atkinson (NED)
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Qualifier
[7] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Alison Waters (ENG)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier
[8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Qualifier
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Rebecca Chiu (HKG)