WORLD SQUASH NEWS

Farrukh Joins Cousins In Main Draw After Further World Open Withdrawals

Pakistan's world No38 Farrukh Zaman will now join his two cousins Mansoor and Shahid Zaman in the main draw of the Bank Alfalah Men's World Open Squash Championship in Lahore, Pakistan, following a further three withdrawals announced today (Thursday) by the Professional Squash Association (PSA).

A torn cartilage, which will keep him out of action for up to two months, has led to the withdrawal of Welshman David Evans, the 2000 British Open champion.  By coincidence, Evans' British Open final opponent Paul Price has also been forced to pull out of the final PSA Tour event of the year.  The world No15 from Australia has a knee injury.

England veteran Del Harris, runner-up in 1995, will also miss the 2003 World Open, citing the recurrence of a long-term injury.  Harris' former England team-mate Mark Chaloner now becomes the 16th seed - and moves in the revised draw to face Australia's Michael Corren in the first round.

Farrukh Zaman, 21, from Peshawar, becomes the 32nd seed, and will now take on Spain's Borja Golan.  Egypt's Wael El Hindi is also elevated to a seeded position.  As 31st seed, the world No33 from Cairo faces England's main draw newcomer Alister Walker in the opening round.

The two other late recipients of places in the main draw are Australia's Glenn Keenan and England's Joey Barrington, whose legendary father Jonah Barrington reached the inaugural event's quarter-finals in 1976 three years after winning his record sixth British Open title.  Keenan meets Malaysia's 28th seed Moh'd Azlan Iskandar, whilst Barrington junior takes on Welshman Alex Gough, the 17th seed.

The 2003 Bank Alfalah Men's World Open Squash Championship will take place in Lahore from 14-21 December, following two days of qualifying which starts tomorrow (12 December).

The full revised first round draw is:

[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) v Hisham Moh'd Ashour (EGY)
[30] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) v Gavin Jones (WAL)
[10] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[26] Rodney Durbach (RSA) v Qualifier
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier
[29] James Willstrop (ENG) v Lee Drew (ENG)
[13] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) v Lars Harms (SUI)
[21] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Cameron White (AUS)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) v Moh'd Essam Hafiz (EGY)
[28] Moh'd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Glenn Keenan (AUS)
[9] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Bradley Ball (ENG)
[22] Adrian Grant (ENG) v Peter Genever (ENG)
[5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[31] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Alister Walker (ENG)
[15] Simon Parke (ENG) v Ben Garner (ENG)
[20] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) v Viktor Berg (CAN)
[25] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Dan Jenson (AUS)
[16] Mark Chaloner (ENG) v Michael Corren (AUS)
[19] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Qualifier
[6] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Laurens Anjema (NED)
[24] Shahier Razik (CAN) v Qualifier
[12] Martin Heath (SCO) v Tommy Berden (NED)
[18] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) v Qualifier
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Shahid Zaman (PAK)
[23] Nick Taylor (ENG) v John Williams (AUS)
[14] Graham Ryding (CAN) v Qualifier
[32] Farrukh Zaman (PAK) v Borja Golan (ESP)
[8] Lee Beachill (ENG) v Qualifier
[17] Alex Gough (WAL) v Joey Barrington (ENG)
[11] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) v Liam Kenny (IRL)
[27] Stefan Casteleyn (BEL) v Qualifier
[2] John White (SCO) v Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA)