The four Cleos THE EGYPTIANS are seeded second at the 2006 Women's World Team Squash Championship which opens in Canada next week The Egyptian Cleopatras are making only their seventh appearance in the event. The nation's squad includes Omneya Abdel-Qawi, world junior champion Raneem El-Weleili, Amnah El-Trabolsi and Enji Kheirallah. The first three led the country to its maiden success in the World Junior Team Championship in 2003. Head of the Egyptian Squash Federation Galal Allam hopes the girls will have the same success as the men who won the world teams championship in the summer, beating Pakistan in the final 2-1. "The girls have been training hard for that goal," Allam said. "Though young, they have the experience of playing abroad and at world championships. Three of them led Egypt to the juniors world title three years ago, and I believe that they have gained more experience now to challenge the English team for the world title. So let's keep our fingers crossed." The English team has been named as top seeds and it seems that they are set to regain the Women's World Team Crown. Five-times winners of the title since 1985, England will be hoping to recapture the trophy the team last won in 2000, on home soil in Sheffield. The 2006 England squad will comprise Tania Bailey, Vicky Botwright, Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters, all ranked within the world's top 10. Malaysia, who recorded a best-ever fifth place finish in the previous (2004) championship in The Netherlands, are the third seeds, and will be led by world champion and world No 1 Nicol David. Holland, led by world No 2 Vanessa Atkinson, are fourth seeds. Hosts Canada are the seventh seeds. Defending champions Australia, winners of the title two years ago in Amsterdam for the eighth time, are seeded fifth in the absence of Queensland sisters Rachael and Natalie Grinham, ranked three and four in the world, respectively. The 16 nations competing in the Edmonton championship will initially play in four pools. Pool A will include the top seeds England, Hong Kong, Ireland and Austria. Pool B comprises second seeds Egypt, hosts Canada, France and Spain. Malaysia tops pool C with New Zealand, the US and Japan, while The Netherlands tops pool D along with Australia, South Africa and Germany. Italy's first Fed Cup ITALY won its first Fed Cup when Justine Henin-Hardenne retired in the final set of the tie Sunday. The pain in her knee was so searing that Henin-Hardenne knew there was only one thing to do -- stop. It didn't matter that the star Belgian was playing before a home crowd Sunday or that the Fed Cup crown was on the line in the deciding doubles match. Her body finally had enough in the third set, and the title went to Italy. "I could not stay on court for another point," the French Open champion said. "It was like a ball blasted me at the back of the knee." Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci beat Henin-Hardenne and Kirsten Flipkens 3-6, 6-2, 2-0, giving Italy a 3-2 victory and its first title in the top team event in women's tennis. Henin-Hardenne did not have much of a supporting cast as Belgium went for its second Fed Cup title in five years. Kim Clijsters, ranked No 4, was in the building, but sitting courtside. She withdrew from the final several weeks ago because of a wrist injury. A weakened Henin-Hardenne had given Belgium a 2-1 lead with 6-4, 7-5 win over Schiavone in the first reverse singles. But Mara Santangelo thrived in her Fed Cup singles debut, beating Flipkens 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-0 to tie it 2-2 for Italy. "Mara opened the door for us," Italy coach Corrado Barazzutti said. "She knew that if she loses, the team loses." Belgium's undoing came early in the third set, trailing 0-40 on serve. Henin-Hardenne went to the sidelines and her heavy bandage was undone. After a long massage, she returned. But when she lost her game, she called it quits to the dismay of the Spiroudome crowd. "It is not the way we like to win," Barazzutti said. " I am very sorry because she is a great champion. But we really fought very hard throughout the tournament." Even before the doubles, Henin-Hardenne feared the worst. She already was dealing with fatigue, an eye irritation and back pain let alone her knee. "I have no option but to play," said Henin- Hardenne, who appeared in the finals of all four majors this year. At the time, her right knee was troubled by chronic cartilage pain. She suspects her back knee muscle overcompensated for the pain. "I am very concerned," she said. This was the second significant final this year in which Henin-Hardenne was forced to pull out. At the Australian Open, she retired with a stomach bug against Amelie Mauresmo. Schiavone, who has yet to win a WTA Tour event, was the star of the Italian team despite losing to Henin-Hardenne earlier in the day. But she beat Flipkens on Saturday and was a force in doubles. She was mobbed by teammates and coaches while the Belgians gathered in a tearful embrace. She said Italy would have won even if Henin-Hardenne had not quit. "We were playing much better," she said. Belgium captain Carl Maes didn't hide behind Henin-Hardenne's withdrawal. "The best team won, even if it is an anticlimax," Maes said. "They had the four best players." Maes had to rely on Flipkens. She is ranked No 98, and lost her three matches on the indoor hard court. In the deciding match, the Belgians turned to players who had played just one doubles each this year, both losses. Schiavone had reached the US Open doubles semi-finals and Vinci is a doubles specialist. In the first set, Belgium's chance came when Vinci double-faulted to put the hosts ahead 5-3. Fatigue soon became a distant memory for Henin-Hardenne. She dominated Flipkens, serving out the first set. Italy regrouped in the second set. Henin- Hardenne faced two break points early in the second set but served herself out of them. Flipkens, however, could not hold serve, and the Italians came back one last time and took the set 6- 2. Henin-Hardenne said reclaiming the top ranking will be her main goal in the coming months. She takes solace in her strong showing in the four majors, but the rest of her season is unclear. "I hate that," she said.
