Matthew & David Back On Tour Trail In Malaysian Open

Just days after claiming the Squash gold medals in the World Games in Chinese Taipei, England's Nick Matthew and Malaysian Nicol David are back in the pursuit of world ranking points and Tour title triumphs at the CIMB Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

David, who this month celebrated her third complete unbroken year at the top of the women's world rankings, is seeded to reach her seventh successive final - and win her fifth title in a row - in the $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold event which gets underway on Wednesday (29 July), after qualifying which begins today.

Nick Matthew, the world number five from Sheffield, is the second seed in the men's $52,500 5-star PSA Tour event - in which he is expected to meet Egypt's three-time World Open champion Amr Shabana, the top seed, in Saturday's final on an all-glass showcourt at the The Curve Shopping Mall at Damansara.

David faces a tough first round hurdle in the shape of 2004 champion Vanessa Atkinson, the former world number one and world champion from the Netherlands. En-route to the final, the 25-year-old from Penang is likely to face Egypt's sixth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy and third-seeded Dutch player Natalie Grinham - her semi-final and final victims, respectively, last week in Kaohsiung!

In the final, favourite David is expected to renew her acquaintance with Australia's world number four Rachael Grinham - in what would be their 12th meeting in a WISPA final since April 2000.

Nick Matthew faces a qualifier in his opening match, before an anticipated quarter-final clash with Pakistan teenager Aamir Atlas Khan, the No7 seed. His predicted semi-final opponent is Wael El Hindi, the third seed from Egypt - but the 29-year-old from Cairo is expected first to meet defending champion and local hero Ong Beng Hee in the quarter-finals.

Dato' A Sani Karim, President of event hosts the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia, looks forward to his country's major event on the international circuit: "We are indeed very delighted to be able to continue this CIMB Open series following our third two-year sponsorship term with effect from 1 July 2009 till 30 June 2011. This renewal is even more meaningful as this year of 2009 is pivotal for the Olympic future of the sport of Squash.

"CIMB's renewal is also done during a period of the world economic contraction! This further underscores CIMB's commitment in its sports partnership with us," concluded the SRAM President.

Injuries sustained at the World Games have led to the late withdrawals of New Zealander Shelley Kitchen, the world No10, from the women's event, and Australian Stewart Boswell, ranked 20 in the world. England's fourth seed Adrian Grant, the 2006 champion, has also been forced to pull out, following a calf injury.

Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Vanessa Atkinson (NED)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Kasey Brown (AUS)
[3] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Delia Arnold (MAS)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Qualifier
[7] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) v Qualifier
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v Qualifier
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Qualifier
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)

Men's 1st round draw:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Qualifier
[8] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[5] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[6] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS)
[3] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Qualifier
[7] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Qualifier
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Qualifier