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TODAY
in Manchester: 2014 Previews |
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Schedule & Info
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30-Jan:
Same again Nationals finals -
according to the seedings, at least ...
If the seedings prove to be correct then fans at the Nationals
Squash Centre on Sunday 18th Feb will see British
Nationals finals which are repeats of last year’s climaxes.
 In
the men’s draw top seed Nick Matthew will be looking for
a fifth successive final, a third successive title , and a
record-increasing sixth victory in all. Should he meet second
seed and two-time champion James Willstrop in the final
it will be their third final in a row.
Looking at the top seeds’ prospective paths to the finals, there
are a few potential pitfalls along the way:
Matthew would meet a qualifier, followed by Scottish #2 Greg
Lobban, then two tough matches against his England
team-mates Adrian Grant and Daryl Selby, the 2011
champion who famously beat Matthew in that final and recorded a
first-ever win over Willstrop at the back end of last year.
Willstrop’s route would be all-English, starting against
Declan James, then Charles Sharpes (again), a quarter
against upcoming Adrian Waller and a semi against
long-time rival Peter Barker, who looks to be in good
form after his injury in the World Champs in Manchester put him
out of action for a couple of months..
 Women’s
top seed Laura Massaro, should she reach the final, will
be there for the fourth year in a row, and should she meet
second seed Alison Waters it would be the defending
champion’s eight final in the ten years since she gatecrashed
the 2005 final unseeded.
In 2012 Massaro beat Waters in four games, then last year’s
final was a classic which Waters won 13-11 in the fifth, but
both top seeds face challenges along the way to setting up a
repeat.
Massaro’s route starts off against Welsh champion Tesni Evans,
then a prospective quarter-final against the fit again and
in-form Sarah-Jane Perry, and a semi against Ireland’s
Madeline Perry (whose birthday once again falls during the
event), surely the best player never to have reached a Nationals
final.
Waters’ path would entail a first match against a qualifier, a
quarter-final against the in-form Emma Beddoes, and a
semi against two-time champion and four-time finalist Jenny
Duncalf.
Nothing’s cast in stone there, then, and with 14 Masters
events taking place too the National Squash Centre is the
only place to be mid-February. You have got your tickets,
haven’t you ??? |
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17-Jan-14:
Top Man Matthew set to
make UK debut in Manchester
The
2014 British National Squash Championships will be staged at
National Squash Centre in Manchester from the 10th to 16th
February, which will be the first opportunity to see the
three time World Champion & newly crowned World No.1 Nick
Matthew compete in the UK in 2014.
 Matthew will renew his great rivalry with James Willstrop
in his bid to win a record sixth national title - a feat only
achieved by Cassie Jackman - but also hoping
to cause an upset will be World No.8 Peter Barker, former
British National Champion Daryl Selby, and Londoners
Adrian Grant and Tom Richards.
“I can’t wait to compete in
Manchester again," said Matthew.
"Obviously I have very special memories of playing in the city
after winning the World title there last year. The atmosphere in
Manchester is always electric and hopefully we’ll give them
plenty to cheer about.
“Of course I’m aiming for a sixth Nationals title but I’ll have
to be at the very top of my game because there’s great depth in
English squash at the moment with four guys in the world top 10.
It won’t be easy,” he added.
In the women’s competition, British Open Champion Laura
Massaro will be hoping to add a third National title to her
collection but will face stiff competition from defending
champion Alison Waters as well as Jenny Duncalf
and Ireland’s Madeline Perry.
The championships will also feature a full programme of
Masters competitions, with UK's best age group players
competing over fifteen age-group categories from Over-35 to
Over-75.
Manchester also boasts the country’s largest legacy programme
with over 2,000 local school children expected to attend during
the week.
Tickets are on sale now
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Schedule & Info
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