Australia Dominate World Masters Seedings In Hong Kong by Howard Harding 27 June 2014
- Whilst the South African Grainger family could walk away with three
of the trophies, Australians are expected to take the lion's share of
the titles on offer in next month's WSF World Masters Squash
Championships, co-sponsored by Hill Dickinson Lawyers and Silverline
Mobile, in Hong Kong, according to the seedings announced today by the
World Squash Federation.
More than 750 players
from all corners of the globe will compete in 18 events from 5-11 July
- from Men's and Women's Over-35 through to Men's Over-80 categories -
with action split between the Hong Kong Squash Club and Hong Kong
Football Club.
Jean Grainger, one of
three South Africans seeded to win titles, is favourite to claim the
Women's Over-70 crown for the first time - to add to world titles she
has won at O55, O60 and O65 since 1999.
Her husband Chris
Grainger is the No3 seed in the Men's Over-65 category - while their
daughter Natalie Grainger, a former world No1 now based in the USA, who
retired from the WSA World Tour over three years ago, is seeded to win
her maiden World Masters title in the Women's Over-35 championship.
Omar Elborolossy is
the top seed in the Men's Over-35 event in Hong Kong where the
38-year-old two-time British Open O35 champion is expected to be
Egypt's sole champion.
Former world No2 Brett
Martin, one of three Martin siblings (with Michelle and Rodney) who
dominated squash proceedings in the 90s, is making his World Masters
debut as top seed in the Men's Over-50 championship. The 51-year-old is
one of the eight predicted champions from Australia - yet may also be
joined on the winner's podium by his wife Melissa Martin, No2 seed in
the Women's Over-35 event.
Distinguished
Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerald is also expected to add to her title haul
in Hong Kong as top seed in the Women's Over-45 event. The five-time
World Open champion from Melbourne is making her first appearance in
the championships since lifting the Over-35 trophy in 2006.
Three players are
anticipated to add a fifth World Masters trophy to their collections.
South Africa's Craig van der Wath is expected to retain his Men's
Over-45 title after two previous successes at Over-35 and one at
Over-40.
With a pair of Over-45
and Over-50 titles already to his credit, Australia's Geoffrey
Davenport is now fancied for success in the Men's Over-55 category.
But the player whose
World Masters title success spans the greatest period is England's
Averil Murphy, who is seeded to win her maiden Women's Over-65 crown.
The 66-year-old from Essex claimed her first success at the Over-40
championship 25 years ago in 1989 - and went on to win the Over-55
trophy and two Over-60 titles!
Top World Masters seeds:
Men's Over 35: 1 Omar Elborolossy (EGY), 2 Morten W Sorensen (SWE), 3 Paul David Johnson (WAL), 4 Mick Biggs (ENG)
Men's Over 40: 1 Craig Rowland (AUS), 2 Craig Wapnick (RSA), 3 Glenn Hitch (AUS), 4 Stephen Cooke (NED)
Men's Over 45: 1 Craig van der Wath (RSA), 2 Michael Tootill (RSA), 3 Jean-Jacques Pineau (FRA), 4 Andrew Cross (ENG)
Men's Over 50: 1 Brett Martin (AUS), 2 Willie Hosey (IRL), 3 Trevor Wilkinson (RSA), 4 Peter Hill (SIN)
Men's Over 55: 1 Geoffrey Davenport (AUS), 2 Zainal Abidin (SIN), 3 Udo Kahl (GER), 4 Jeremy Goulding (ENG)
Men's Over 60: 1 John Macrury (CAY), 2 Peter Alexander (ENG), 3 Johnny Orsmond (RSA), 4 Stuart Hardy (ENG)
Men's Over 65: 1 Brian Cook (AUS), 2 Chris Goodbourn (ENG), 3 Chris Grainger (RSA), 4 Frederik Bester (RSA)
Men's Over 70: 1 Adrian Wright (ENG), 2 Gerry Poulton (CAN), 3 Desmond Sacco (RSA), 4 Ted Vale (AUS)
Men's Over 75: 1 Brian Phillips (WAL), 2 Barry Gardiner (NZL), 3 Michael Gough (USA), 4 Vincent Taylor (CAN)
Men's Over 80: 1 John Cox (ENG), 2 Trevor Coulter (NZL), 3 Eddie Delahunty (NZL), 4 Erkki Juslen (FIN)
Women's Over 35: 1 Natalie Grainger (USA), 2 Melissa Martin (AUS), 3 Farrah Fenner (RSA), 4 Sam Herbert (RSA)
