Top guns for Rhodes squash event

DESPITE a small response from Eastern Province squash players, the Twizza Rhodes Open organisers have still managed to attract a top quality field when their annual tournament gets under way in Grahamstown today.

With prize-money of R10000, there should be no lack of incentive to succeed and No 1 seeds Adrian Hansen and Lauren Siddall will be keen to live up to their top billing.

Former England player Siddall, who reached a career high of 37 in the world rankings in 2008, now lives in SA, studying at Pretoria University, and she will add much class to the women's event.

With eight players having entered, the women's event will initially be contested on a round-robin format, with the two group winners qualifying for Sunday's final.

Siddall will be strongly favoured for the title, with her chief opposition expected to come from KwaZulu-Natal player Catherine Lewis.

Hansen will be aiming for his sixth Rhodes title and his main protagonist is sure to be the man he beat in last year's final, KZN colleague Gary Wheadon.

Both players have been excellent supporters of Eastern Province tournaments, particularly the Rhodes Open, and their presence lifts the tournament out of the ordinary.

One of EP's leading players, Sean Bailey, will use the tournament to regain some form after missing the start of the league season, while Stellenbosch student Daniel Smith slots in at No 4.

The remaining top eight seeds are Thami Mngcete, Stef Euijen, Shaun Viljoen and Geoff Stephen.

A good entry for the men will see 24 players contesting the A section, with 10 entries in the B section.

The women's groups are: Group A: Lauren Siddall, Shanna Swart, Nadia Ramchandra, Michelle Bailey; Group B: Catherine Lewis, Amy Farrell, Caro Ross, Emma Olley. - Neale Emslie