WORLD SQUASH NEWS

Atkinson Heads WISPA Grand Prix Standings

World squash champion Vanessa Atkinson heads the latest Qatar Airways WISPA World Grand Prix standings after winning the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions in New York in February and reaching the semi-finals of the Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open earlier this month.

The 28-year-old from the Netherlands has narrowed the gap behind world No1 Rachael Grinham in the WISPA world rankings, and has two chances next month to overtake her Australian rival - in the Texas Open in the USA (04-09 April) and the later Qatar Airways Challenge, the draw for which is released today.

The Qatar Airways Challenge, in Doha from 19-23 April, features all the WISPA top thirty two ranked players.  Second seed Atkinson, holder of the title, will not only be attempting to win again, but also to wrest the number one slot from Grinham, whom she is seeded to meet in the final.

The Challenge will be the second played under the banner of Qatar Airways, the fast growing airline which also sponsors the WISPA one-hour highlights TV programming from Grand Prix events which are offered to TV stations on every continent of the world.

The two top seeds face strong challenges from Malaysian Nicol David, winner of the Kuwait Open; losing finalist Natalie Grainger; Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham; and the resurgent Linda Elriani - all of whom are conspiring to make the draw particularly open.

After two WISPA Gold level events (in which Grand Prix points are available), the Qatar Airways Standings show that Nicol David has shot up to second place behind Atkinson after her Kuwait triumph.  More points are on offer at the third WISPA Gold of the year, the Texas Open, before Doha hosts further Gold action in Doha.

Updated Qatar Airways WISPA World Grand Prix standings:
1 Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 3,430
2 Nicol David (MAS) 2,450
3 Linda Elriani (ENG) 2,205
4= Rachael Grinham (AUS) 1,960
4= Natalie Grainger 1,960
6 Vicky Botwright (ENG) 1,330
7= Natalie Grinham (AUS) 1,190
7= Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 1,190
9 Jenny Tranfield (ENG) 945
10= Fiona Geaves (ENG) 700
10= Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 700
10= Tania Bailey (ENG) 700
10= Pamela Nimmo (SCO) 700
10= Alison Waters (ENG) 700
15 Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) 595
16= Annelize Naude (NED) 350
16= Stephanie Brind (ENG) 350
16= Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 350

Qatar Airways Challenge, 1st round draw:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Qualifier
[16] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) v Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG)
[5] Linda Elriani (ENG) v Qualifier
[13] Fiona Geaves (ENG) v Qualifier
[4] Nicol David (MAS) v Latasha Khan (USA)
[11] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Alison Waters (ENG)
[8] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
[12] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Pamela Nimmo (SCO)
[14] Annelize Naude (NED) v Qualifier
[6] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Qualifier
[10] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Qualifier
[3] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v Carla Khan (PAK)
[9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Qualifier
[7] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Stephanie Brind (ENG)
[15] Tania Bailey (ENG) v Qualifier
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v Sharon Wee (MAS)