A back injury has resulted in the late withdrawal of England's Cassie Campion, the defending champion and top seed, from the Women's World Open Squash Championship which will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 11-17 November.
Campion was troubled by a 'dead leg' which caused her early demise in last month's British Open. The problem, which has persisted, has now been identified as a pinched nerve in her back - for which she will undergo surgery next week in Nottingham. The 27-year-old from Norfolk, now based in Halifax, Yorkshire, will be out of action for the rest of the year.
"I am truly gutted," said Campion, who will also miss the Women's World Team Championships which immediately follow the World Open, in Sheffield. "This will be the second successive world team championships I've now missed, after an ankle injury forced me to withdraw from the 1998 event in Stuttgart. It's a little too early to say when I'll be competing again - I don't expect to be back on court training until the new year, and I hope I'll be able to defend my British National title in Manchester in February."
Campion's withdrawal will be good news for Scotland's Pamela Nimmo, the world No17 who, originally unseeded, was drawn to meet Australia's three times former world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald in the opening round in her home town. Whilst the event will not be re-drawn, second-seeded New Zealander Leilani Joyce moves up to No1 seed but remains in her original position at the bottom of the draw - and Australia's Carol Owens takes over Campion's position at the top of the draw as the new No2 seed. Nimmo, now the 16th seed, moves to a new position in the draw to face unseeded Shelley Kitchen in the first round.
The first three rounds of the World Open take place at the National Squash Centre at Heriot-Watt University from Saturday 11 November, with the top 24 players joining the event from the third round onwards on Monday 13 November. The action will then move onto the all-glass showcourt at the Meadowbank Stadium from Tuesday through to the final on Friday 17 November.
