HOLDER Nathan Hill is expected to face a hard challenge in this year's York and District Squash Men's Open Championships from York clubmate Jamie Hopwood, last year's runner-up.

Milford's Anton Green and Wigginton's Mathew Lowery are also expected to give Hill a run for his money when the IT Sports-sponsored event gets underway at Clifton Park, York, on Sunday, February 3.

The other seeded places go to Ian Tooms (Wigginton), Paul Adams (York RI), Nick Robinson (York) and James Buckland (York RI).

The championships are to be held at Clifton Park from Sunday to Wednesday, before switching to York RI for the semi-finals on Thursday, plate finals on Friday and championship final on the Saturday.

Sunday also sees the start of the Ladies Open Championships which runs until Saturday, February 9.

Like the men, matches will take place from Sunday to Wednesday at Clifton Park, York, with the remaining matches at Railway Institute.

Holder and top seed Trish Kochaniec will defend her title with the Watson twins, Katie and Natalie, seeded two and three respectively. Annette Williams is in the fourth seed in the championships, which have attracted 16 entries.

Orders for Play

York and District Men's Championships

Sunday, February 3: 6.20 J Riley v P Buckland, G Woodward v P Wilkington; 6.40 M Stephenson v P Robson; 6.50 (3) A Green v M Milkinson, O Humphries v A Clapham; 7.10 R Burton v M Lowery (4); 7.20 (7) N Robinson v R Taylor, N Clifford v A Tuck; 7.40 J Duffield v P Adams (6); 7.50 C Plowman v J Buckland, N Chambers v A Fotherby; 8.10 S Ewing v J Rollinson; 8.20 P Turner v M Bassnett.

Monday, February 4: 7.00 N Hill v S Ewing or J Rollinson; 7.30 J Hopwood v C Plowman or J Buckland.

York and District Men's Vintage Championships

Sunday, February 3: 8.20 A Mendus v M King;

Monday, February 4: 7.10 M Thompson v C Burns; 7.40 B Sedgwick v A Williams

Tuesday, February 5: 6.50 M Taylor v D Booth, 7.30 M Goddard v Mendus or King.

York and District Ladies Championships

Sunday, February 3: 6.40 Natalie Watson (3) v Julie Mee at 7.10 Kathryn Cordell v Anne Scott

Monday, February 4: 6.40 Wendy Shepherd v Lynne Barratt, 7.00 Annette Williams (4) v Karen Mulligan, 7.30 Trish Kochaniec (1) v Pat Boden, 8.00 Amanda Hartland v Kath Dobson, Andrea Mayne v Fiona Parkinson at 8.10pm, 8.40 Katie Watson (2) v Sheila Clifford.

Updated: 12:02 Friday, February 01, 2002