RESULTS: British National Squash Championships, National Squash Centre, Sportcity, Manchester Men's semi-finals: [1] Peter Nicol (Yorks) bt [15] James Willstrop (Yorks) 15-8, 15-13, 15-11 (46m) [3] Lee Beachill (Yorks) bt [6] Alex Gough (Wales) 15-7, 15-8, 15-6 (46m) Women's semi-finals: [4] Rebecca Macree (Essex) bt [1] Linda Charman (Sussex) 10-9, 9-1, 9-6 (70m) [3] Cassie Jackman (Norfolk) bt [2] Tania Bailey (Lincs) 9-4, 9-2, 9-0 (26m) NICOL & BEACHILL TO RENEW NATIONALS RIVALRY Commonwealth Games Men's Doubles gold medallists Peter Nicol and Lee Beachill will renew their singles rivalry in Sunday's final of the British National Squash Championships - a repeat of the 2002 final - after straight games victories in today's (Saturday) semi-finals at the National Squash Centre in Manchester. The women's final will feature defending champion Cassie Jackman and Essex's first-time finalist Rebecca Macree after upsets in both semi-finals. Third seed Beachill, the world No8 from Yorkshire, remains on track to become the first man to win the title for a third successive year after beating Welshman Alex Gough 15-7 15-8 15-6 in 46 minutes. "I drove home to Pontefract last night planning my match today against John White, the second seed, only to get a call at around midnight to say that Alex had beaten him in a titanic one-and-a-half hour battle. Alex was obviously still feeling the effect of this and I was eventually able to exploit that," said 25-year-old Beachill. Peter Nicol, the world No1 and top seed from London, despatched surprise teenage opponent James Willstrop 15-8 15-13 15-11 in a semi-final featuring master and pupil: Nicol, who first became world No1 in 1998, was facing for the first time the world junior champion widely regarded as his eventual successor. Willstrop, 19, the 15th seed from Pontefract in Yorkshire who had already removed two higher-ranked players, was far from overawed - and in the second game raced to a 6-0 lead before the wily and vastly-experienced Nicol fought back to nullify the advantage. "I expected him to be good, and he's certainly got the potential to go far," said the favourite after his triumph over the 6' 5" tall youngster on the same all-glass showcourt that he won his Commonwealth Games gold medal last summer. "I want to win this title desperately and I'm glad to be in the final again," added Nicol Cassie Jackman, the third seed from Norfolk, crushed second-seeded Tania Bailey 9-4 9-2 9-0 in just 26 minutes. Bailey, suffering from a stomach virus, conceded: "You've got to be 100% to cope with that sort of pace, yet I kept feeling dizzy and just couldn't raise my game." Jackman, a former world No1 and world champion, is making her comeback at the event just five months after undergoing career-threatening back surgery for the second time! "I'm so glad to be in the final again, but most of all just glad to be playing again," sad the 30-year-old from Norwich who has reached her sixth successive final and will be bidding for a record-equalling fifth title. In the other semi, Linda Charman, the world No4 from Sussex who was fancied to win the women's title, crashed out 3-0 to arch rival Rebecca Macree. The match was always going to be a grudge affair after the pair's acrimonious battle last year which led to Charman, Chairman of the women's international players' association, being banned for a week. "I really wanted to win that badly" said fourth seed Macree after her 10-9 9-1 9-6 shock upset in 70 incident-filled minutes. "That was my best ever win over her - and I was determined to make sure I wrapped in up in three games as I didn't want it to go to five." The first game alone lasted 32 minutes, with Linda saving four game balls from 8-4, then having two of her own at 9-8 before Macree eventually closed the game 10-9 to reach her first final in her 16th successive appearance in the event. For the latest results, visit the official website: www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk