WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Marsh & McLennan Apawamis Squash Open, Rye, New York, USA

Men's final:
[2] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Dan Jenson (AUS) 15-7, 15-6, 17-15

Women's final:
[2] Linda Charman (ENG) bt [1] Natalie Grainger (USA) 9-3, 9-4, 9-2

Second Seeds Succeed In Rye

Egypt's Karim Darwish and England's Linda Charman, both the No2 seeds, claimed the first international squash titles of the year at the Marsh & McLennan Apawamis Open in Rye, New York.

Darwish, the world No9 from Cairo who reached the final without meeting another seed, beat former world No5 Dan Jenson, a qualifier, 15-7 15-6 17-15 to deny the Australian his tenth PSA Tour title. 

The victory brings the Egyptian, winner of the world junior title four years ago, his eighth title on the PSA Tour - and repeats his success in 2003 when he also lifted the trophy in his first event of the year, the COAS International in Pakistan.

Linda Charman's 9-3 9-4 9-2 victory over Natalie Grainger, the top seed ranked No2 in the world, will be a major confidence-booster to the 32-year-old from Eastbourne in Sussex who has slumped to No7 from third place in the world rankings after mixed fortunes in 2002.

Like Darwish, Charman was also victorious in her first event of last year, winning the Greenwich Open in January, when she also triumphed over Grainger.