WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open Squash Championships, Kuwait City, Kuwait

Men's final:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [Q] James Willstrop (ENG) 15-13, 9-15, 15-4, 15-8 (63m)

Women's final:
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) 2-9, 9-6, 9-2, 9-5 (53m)

Nicol & Grinham Conquer In Kuwait

England's top seed Peter Nicol and the No2 seed Rachael Grinham of Australia claimed the titles in the first Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open Squash Championships in Kuwait City. 

In the first all-English clash in a major PSA Tour final since the mid-nineties, Nicol finally ended the brave run of Yorkshire qualifier James Willstrop, the world junior champion from Pontefract who toppled the world numbers two, seven and thirteen to reach the climax of the $65,000 event.

Nicol, the 30-year-old from London who ended his two-year unbroken run at the top of the world rankings this month, showed that he is still a major force on the world circuit as he battled for 63 minutes to conquer Willstrop, ten years his junior, 15-13 9-15 15-4 15-8.

After failing to reach the semi-finals in his last three events - including last month's World Open - Nicol was celebrating his first PSA title for three months, and the 46th of his career.

"I was disappointed not to win, of course - I had a great opportunity to pick up my first major title - but Peter played really well and I was just a bit jaded after playing my sixth tough match in six days," said the runner-up on his personal website www.jameswillstrop.co.uk 

"This was a huge tournament for me, a positive step forward in my career, and I learned a lot.  It's great to know that I can mix it with the guys at the top of the game."

The final of the women's $42,500 WISPA World Tour event was a repeat of last October's British Open decider - with Cairo-based Rachael Grinham, from Toowoomba in Queensland, again defeating England's Cassie Jackman, the favourite.

In only her second ever win over the 31-year-old from Norfolk, Grinham won 2-9 9-6 9-2 9-5 in 53 minutes to claim the 13th - and biggest - WISPA title of her career.  Jackman, who had gained revenge for her British Open defeat ten day later in the US Open, will be heartened by the fact that her appearance in the Kuwait final will guarantee her return to the top of the world rankings next month.