Squash Set To Light Up World Games In Poland

Eyes of the squash world will be focussed on Poland this coming week where the sport's top players will be in action in the World Games in the city of Wroclaw from 25-28 July.

Squash will be making its fifth appearance in the World Games, the multi-sport event for non-Olympic programme sports which will take place at the 33-court Hasta la Vista club - the world's largest squash club.

Malaysia's eight-time world champion Nicol David is bidding to win a record fourth gold medal in the women's event, while world No.11 Simon Rösner is seeded to become the first German gold medallist in the men's event after finishing as runner-up in the 2013 championship in Cali, Colombia.

David won gold in the 2005 Games in Duisburg, Germany, then the 2009 event in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, before retaining the title in the Cali Games in 2013.

The 33-year-old from Penang, who topped the world rankings for an unprecedented 112 months until August 2015, is the No.2 seed - and expected to renew her career-long rivalry with 28-year-old French favourite Camille Serme, the world No.3, in the final.

Rösner, 29, from Paderborn, is predicted to line up against Max Lee, also 29, the No.2 seed from Hong Kong, in the men's final.

A lower back injury has caused Hong Kong's Annie Au to withdraw from the women's event. Her place as a 3/4 seed has been taken by Great Britain's Millie Tomlinson, while Belgian Nele Gilis is elevated to a 5/8 seed and Australian Jessica Turnbull allocated a 9/16 seeding - with Dutch player Milou van der Heijden benefitting from a first round bye.

The 2017 Games has attracted squash players from 27 nations.

Men's 1st round draw:
[1] Simon Rösner (GER) v Wojciech Nowisz (POL)
[9/16] Rhys Dowling (AUS) v Daniel Mekbib (CZE)
[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) v Matias Tuomi (FIN)
[5/8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v Vasile Hapun (ROM)
[5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Lau Ulrik Kiehn (DEN) w/o
[9/16] Douglas Kempsell (GBR) v Joe Chapman (IVB)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) v Ahmed Hany Hussein (EGY)
[3/4] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Balázs Farkas (HUN)
[3/4] Diego Elias (PER) v Alex Eustace (AUS)
[9/16] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Alex Pavulans (LAT) w/o
[9/16] Ben Coleman (GBR) v Yuri Farneti (ITA)
[5/8] Yip Tsz Fung (HKG) v Kostiantyn Rybalchenko (UKR)
[5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Mateusz Kotra (POL)
[9/16] Shehab Essam (EGY) v Rory Stewart (GBR)
[9/16] Joshua Masters (GBR) v Jan Koukal (CZE)
[2] Max Lee (HKG) v Alexey Severinov (RUS)

Revised Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) v Natalia Ryfa (POL)
[9/16] Alison Thomson (GBR) v Tessa ter Sluis (NED)
[9/16] Catalina Pelaez (COL) v Ineta Mackevica (LAT)
[5/8] Nadine Shahin (EGY) v Franziska Hennes (GER)
[5/8] Fiona Moverley (GBR) v Nadiia Usenko (UKR)
[9/16] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) v Zuzana Kubáňová (CZE)
[9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) v Anna Serme (CZE)
[3/4] Millie Tomlinson (GBR) v Céline Walser (SUI)
[3/4] Joey Chan (HKG) v Alina Bushma (UKR)
[9/16] Milou van der Heijden (NED) bye
[9/16] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) v Lisa Aitken (GBR)
[5/8] Coline Aumard (FRA) v Csenge Kiss-Máté (HUN)
[5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) v Magda Kamińska (POL)
[9/16] Tamika Saxby (AUS) v Sina Kandra (GER)
[9/16] Samantha Teran (MEX) v Cristina Gomez (ESP)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) v Irina Beliaeva (RUS)