Lincou & Grinham Named Top Seeds In World Games

World number ones Thierry Lincou and Rachael Grinham have been named as top seeds in the squash events in this month's World Games, the multi-sport event which is being staged in the German city of Duisburg under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The 2005 World Games will feature 3,500 athletes from 100 nations, competing at 27 venues in 40 sports ranging from Sumo to Squash. The squash action will be staged in Mülheim an der Ruhr, near Duisburg, from 16-19 July.

Lincou, the most successful French squash player of all-time, first became world number one in January 2004 and has held the position for nine months. The 29-year-old from Marseille, who is also the reigning world champion, faces Germany's Stefan Leifels in the first round - and is expected to meet Great Britain's second seed Peter Nicol, whom he succeeded as world No1, in the men's final.

"The World Games are a big step to get into the Olympic Games," said Thierry Lincou. "It has been a great season for me and I would like to finish it by winning in Duisburg."

Australia's double British Open champion Rachael Grinham has held the women's world number one ranking unopposed since August 2004. The 28-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland faces Italian Sonia Pasteris in the opening round - before heading to her anticipated place in the women's final where she is expected to meet Malaysia's world No3 Nicol David, the No2 seed.

Players from 20 countries across the five continents will compete for the squash titles won in Finland in 1997 by Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald and Egyptian Ahmed Barada.

Men's 1st round draw:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Stefan Leifels (GER)
[8] Shahid Zaman (PAK) v Tommy Berden (NED)
[6] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) v Christian Drakenberg (SWE)
[4] Nick Matthew (GBR) v Mark Krajcsak (HUN)
[3] James Willstrop (GBR) v Steve Richardson (IRL)
[7] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Rodney Durbach (RSA)
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Eric Galvez (MEX)
[2] Peter Nicol (GBR) v Matthew Giuffre (CAN)

Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Sonia Pasteris (ITA)
[5] Jenny Tranfield (GBR) v Pamela Pancis (AUT)
[8] Runa Reta (CAN) v Karin Beriere (GER)
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Olga Puigdemont Sola (ESP)
[3] Linda Elriani (GBR) v Samantha Teran (MEX)
[6] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v Milja Dorenbos (NED)
[7] Latasha Khan (USA) v Ellen Petersen (DEN)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) v Tenille Swartz (RSA)