Grinham & Ghosal Elevated In World Games' Draws

World number three Natalie Grinham, from the Netherlands, and India's world No31 Saurav Ghosal are the chief beneficiaries of two late withdrawals from the Squash championships in the World Games, the multi-sport event which is being staged in the Chinese Taipei city of Kaohsiung under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Players from 24 nations - more than ever before - will compete in the Squash events which get underway tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Chung Cheng Martial Arts Stadium in Kaohsiung. The championships have attracted world-class fields - led by Malaysia's world number one Nicol David, the top seed in the women's event, and Great Britain's world No5 Nick Matthew, who is favourite in the men's championship.

Over 4,000 athletes, competing in more than 30 sports, will take part in the 2009 Kaohsiung World Games, the eighth edition of the multi-sport event featuring sports not currently on the programme of the Olympic Games.

A foot injury has forced USA's world number two Natalie Grainger to withdraw from the women's event: Australian-born Natalie Grinham, who earlier this month won her first WISPA World Tour title since becoming a Dutch national last year, has been elevated to second seed. The 31-year-old - a record three times Commonwealth Games gold medallist who is making her debut in the event - is expected to face Tour rival Nicol David in Friday's final.

England's Alison Waters, ranked six in the world, moves up to No4 seed, while former world champion Vanessa Atkinson, also from the Netherlands, moves into the top eight as eighth seed. Irish player Aisling Blake also benefits from the reshuffle - rising to 16th seed.

The late withdrawal of Egypt's Hisham Mohd Ashour gives a boost to rising Indian star Saurav Ghosal in the men's event. The Kolkata-born 22-year-old becomes the No8 seed - and also receives a bye in the opening round.

South African Stephen Coppinger - who, like Ghosal, is also based in the English city of Leeds - is also elevated to a seeded position, the 16th slot.

Squash, which made its World Games' debut in 1997 in Finland, is keen to prove its credentials for Olympic inclusion in the Kaohsiung Games. The sport is one of seven currently under consideration for addition to the programme of the 2016 Olympic Games.

World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran looks forward to the sport's latest appearance in this major multi-sport event: "I am particularly pleased that we have extended this year from 16 to 32 draws, with top world-class players in both and so many countries represented.

"This demonstrates the commitment of Squash and our leading players to the World Games - and is a very important facet of the message in our recent presentation to the IOC Executive Board for inclusion in the ultimate dream for us, the Olympic Games themselves," added the WSF President, who will be attending the Kaohsiung World Games.

Revised Men's 1st round draw:
[1] Nick Matthew (GBR) v Joe Chapman (IVB)
[15] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v Scott Arnold (AUS)
[9] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Max Lee (HKG)
[8] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bye
[6] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Italo Bonatti (GUA)
[12] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) v Dick Lau (HKG)
[11] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) v Christopher Gordon (USA)
[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Alexei Severinov (RUS)
[4] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Yuta Fukui (JPN)
[13] Julien Balbo (FRA) v Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND)
[10] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bye
[5] Stewart Boswell (AUS) v Nyeon-Ho Lee (KOR)
[7] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Robin Clarke (CAN)
[16] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v Jens Schoor (GER)
[14] Simon Rosner (GER) bye
[2] James Willstrop (GBR) v Cheng Yao Huang (TPE)

Revised Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Helga Kecse-Nagy (HUN)
[15] Sharon Wee (MAS) v Joshna Chinappa (IND)
[16] Aisling Blake (IRL) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[6] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v Amelia Pittock (AUS)
[5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Birgit Coufal (AUT)
[12] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[10] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) v Lisa Camilleri (AUS)
[3] Jenny Duncalf (GBR) v Pamela Hathway (GER)
[4] Alison Waters (GBR) v Siyoli Lusaseni (RSA)
[13] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bye
[11] Samantha Teran (MEX) v Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[8] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Chinatsu Matsui (JPN)
[7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Song Sun-Mi (KOR)
[9] Kasey Brown (AUS) v Camille Serme (FRA)
[14] Delia Arnold (MAS) v Miranda Ranieri (CAN)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Pan Kuei Yeh (TPE)