Brunei Withdrawal Threatens Jackman's World No1 Ranking

Cassie Jackman could lose her world No1 ranking as a result of an Achilles injury which has forced the English No1 to withdraw from this week's Women's Brunei International.

The world's top women have been attracted to the first major international event to be staged in Brunei's capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, beginning on Wednesday (28 July).

Australia's world No2 Rachael Grinham will now take over as top seed in the new $43,500 WISPA Gold event which will be hosted by the Brunei Squash Rackets Association and televised internationally as part of the Qatar Airways WISPA Grand Prix TV international programming.

If Grinham reaches the final, the 27-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland will overtake Jackman, whom she has beaten in two WISPA finals already this year, to become world No1 for the first time.

Amazingly, however, it could be Rachael's sister Natalie who preserves the English woman's status at the top of the rankings: The pair are drawn to meet in Friday's semi-finals - and third seed Natalie, the younger of the Toowoomba twosome, beat her higher-ranked sibling in straight games in their last meeting in the WISPA World Grand Prix Finals in April!

The Brunei International will be staged at the Hassan Bolkiah National Stadium Squash Complex and at the superbly-appointed Jerudong Park Country Club, which boasts two permanently-sited all-glass courts.

1st round draw:
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Shelley Kitchen (NZL)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) v Qualifier
[4] Linda Elriani (ENG) v Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[5] Fiona Geaves (ENG) v Vicky Botwright (ENG)
[8] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) v Qualifier
[3] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
[7] Rebecca Macree (ENG) v Qualifier
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier