Beachill & Botwright Lead British Bids In British Open Draws

England's world No2 Lee Beachill and world No7 Vicky Botwright lead the British bids for glory in next month's Dunlop British Open, according to the men's and women's draws which were announced today by event promoters iSPORTmarketing at the Gerrard Grand Prix Championship finals at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.

The 2005 Dunlop British Open will be held at the same Sportcity venue in Manchester, from 11-17 October.

"The quality of the field, which includes eight current or former world number ones, is testament to the unrivalled heritage of the British Open, underpinning the event's status as the most prestigious championships in the world," said promoter Paul Walters.

"Furthermore, it justifies the significant investment in the event by title sponsors Dunlop and hosting partner Manchester City Council," added Walters.

Second seed Beachill, who won three British National titles and a Commonwealth Games doubles gold medal on the NSC court in Manchester, faces a qualifier in the men's draw - and is seeded to meet fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, the No7 seed, in the quarter-finals.

Beachill's predicted semi-final opponent is 1999 champion Jonathon Power, the fourth seed from Canada. The 27-year-old Yorkshireman is then expected to meet favourite Thierry Lincou, the world No1 from France, in the final on Monday (17th October).

Peter Nicol leads British interest in the top half of the draw. The two-times champion and fifth seed faces wildcard entry Laurence Delasaux, a 20-year-old former European Junior champion from Hull, in the first round before a likely quarter-final clash with top seed Lincou.

Defending champion David Palmer, the Australian who has won the title three times in the past four years, is also in the top half of the draw, and opens his defence of the title against England's Joey Barrington - son of the legendary six-times British Open champion Jonah Barrington. Third seed Palmer is scheduled to meet compatriot Anthony Ricketts, the sixth seed, in the last eight.

Victory in Sunday's women's Gerrard Grand Prix title on the all-glass court at the National Squash Centre has boosted Vicky Botwright's hopes of success on her home courts in the Dunlop British Open. The sixth seed from Manchester meets Irish champion Madeline Perry in the women's first round and is then scheduled to face Malaysia's third seed Nicol David, the World Games champion, for a place in the semi-finals, where a meeting with Australia's top seed Rachael Grinham is predicted.

Grinham is seeded to win her third successive British Open title this year, and meets a qualifier in the opening round. Grinham's predicted quarter-final opponent is England's seventh seed Jenny Duncalf, from Yorkshire, the recent winner of the English Open.

World champion Vanessa Atkinson is the event's second seed, who faces a qualifier in the first round before a likely clash with England's eighth seed Tania Bailey. The predicted semi-final in the bottom half of the draw would feature Atkinson and fourth seed Natalie Grinham, the younger sister of Rachael Grinham.

Australia's five-times world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald will make her debut in the Dunlop British Open Masters event, as top seed in the Women's Over-35 championship. The 35-year-old winner of a record 63 major World Tour titles has already claimed her first 'seniors' title by winning the World Masters Games Over-35 trophy in Canada this summer.