World Class entries have ensured quality competition for this year's Auckland Squash Open.
World No 11, Australian Anthony Ricketts is top seed in the men's draw, while the women's draw sees the long awaited comeback of Leilani Rorani (nee Joyce), who is seeded to meet world No 2, Carol Owens in
the final.
The women's draw sees New Zealand's five world ranked players in the same draw for the first time this year.
It will be Rorani's first tournament since returning from an Achilles injury, and her anticipated battle with Owens is shaping up to be the highlight of the tournament.
The tournament will provide valuable competition for New Zealand's Commonwealth Games team who leave for Manchester on July 21.
Ricketts, a member of the Australian Commonwealth Games team, recently beat world No 3 David Palmer in the Australian Open. He is the highest ranked men's player New Zealand has seen on the local tournament scene for some time.
He is seeded to meet Pakistan's Kashif Shuja in the final. Shuja is seeded to meet New Zealand's top hope George Crosby in the semifinals.
"This is one of the highest quality fields New Zealand has seen in many years. The competition also plays a pivotal part of the build-up to the Commonwealth Games for our top women," Squash New Zealand Operations manager Wayne Werder said.
Seedings
Men:
Anthony Ricketts (Australia) 1, Kashif Shuja (Pakistan) 2, George Crosby (Thorndan) 3, Gary Duberly (Browns Bay) 4, Jared Conning (Royal Oak) 5, Callum O'Brien (Royal Oak) 6, Willie Bicknell (Thorndan) 7, Mike Weston (Herne Bay) 8.
Women:
Carol Owens (Eden Epsom) 1, Leilani Rorani (Hamilton) 2, Shelley Kitchen (Herne Bay) 3, Lara Petera (Herne Bay) 4, Louise Crome (Remuera) 5, Sally Hawkes (Remuera) 6, Jackie Hawkes (Remuera) 7, Angie Toal (Hamilton) 8.
- NZPA
