Crunch Time In Kuwait For Rachael

After failing to fulfil her top seeding in the last four WISPA World Tour events, Australia's Rachael Grinham will be going all out to successfully defend her title in the Women's Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open, which gets underway on Green Island in Kuwait tomorrow.

Grinham is top seed in the $42,500 WISPA Grand Prix event - the second of the year - and is expected to meet second seed Vanessa Atkinson in Saturday's final.

The 28-year-old Australian claimed five WISPA titles last year and became world No1 in August. However, the Queenslander is in danger of losing the top spot to world No2 Atkinson, who rounded off last year by winning the World Open title, then clinched the Tournament of Champions trophy in New York last month.

The pair met seven times in 2004, with Grinham ahead 4/3 - but it was the Dutch champion who prevailed in the two most recent encounters, in December's Qatar Classic final and World Open semi-finals.

Grinham takes on England's Vicky Botwright, a Tournament of Champions semi-finalist, in the first round - and is then likely to face another English opponent Linda Elriani for a place in the semi-finals. Elriani clinched her first victory over the Australian in three years in the other New York semi.

Atkinson, also 28, from The Hague, meets a qualifier in the first round in Kuwait before a predicted semi-final against Rachael's sister Natalie Grinham, a regular practice partner in the Netherlands.

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