Squash: Charman wants British title

The second seed takes on the best of British in Manchester while fiancee Laurent Elriani, the French No.5, battles for his domestic crown in Bordeaux.

It's Valentine's Day on Saturday and Charman said: "It's not very romantic but we will organise our own unofficial one when hopefully we will celebrate being national champions."

The world No. 6 is blissfully happy with the man she will marry in Alfriston in June.

For now, though, she must channel her emotions into reaching Sunday's final where she is expected to face new world No.1 Cassie Jackman.

Should she succeed, Charman will dedicate the triumph to the expert who developed her winning mentality.

She has been a competitor to the core since childhood but an excitable nature often led to defeats, that is until she met mentor Alfred Jones, a sports psychologist from Horsham, who died last September.

Charman said: "I've got a fantastic coach (Michael Harris) but being mentally prepared and strong is more than half the battle. I put a lot of my success down what Alfred taught me over the ten years I knew him.

"I've been over-emotional on court and lost concentration. If you don't get the right decision it is easy to get like that.

"Alfred told me it's a question of refocusing before carrying on. There's a fine line between being motivated and over-excitable, determined but not trying too hard, keeping calm but not too laidback.

"It was a shock when he died but he continues to do a good job for me. I used to ring him up with a problem and he would have the solution but now I've got to think of the solution for myself or remember what he told me."

Charman, who faces a qualifier in the first round tomorrow, is in good form.

She beat Natalie Grainger, when the South African was world No.1, in the Marsh-McLennan Open International in New York last month, and won the Edinburgh Open last week.

But she knows the British nationals will be difficult.

Charman, who trains with Harris at Corals (Hove), said: "It is packed with world class players because we are one of the strongest squash nations in the world.

"I've been to the final three times, but I believe I can win this time because of the form I'm in and the self- belief I've got."

Such is her confidence, Charman believes she can claim the world title later this year and even Jackman's No.1 slot.

"There is a group of us coming to a peak. We are each capable of beating the other. I'd love to be world champion this year and the No.1 spot is there for the taking. It would be cool to rule the roost.

"But it won't be easy. I've had a good start to the year but I've got to have a succession of wins and set realistic targets. The first is to get back in the top four which would help in tournament draws. But I'm confident I can get my ranking right to the top."

Charman, 32, who shares a home in Eastbourne with Elriani, is on a quest.

She will not be diverted, even by her regular ranking tournament trips to the Middle East, where safety concerns have become an issue.

"I'll keep going to tournaments there. We played in Qatar right after September 11 and I played an event in Kuwait a week or so ago when there was a big conference going on close by about the Iraq situation.

"I'm not silly about it but the security is so tight these days I feel safe.

"Besides, you can't be governed by what might or might not happen. When your number's up, it's up. It could happen anywhere."

Charman, who plays in the National League for Chichester, intends to quit squash after the next Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and wants to start a family.

But, for now, she is out to finally conquer Britain and the world, dreams she has held on to since starting out on the professional tour 12 years ago.

She has played in front of the pyramids in Egypt, in Grand Central Station, New York, on French beaches and in town squares. Wonderful venues but nothing drives a competitor like winning no matter what the setting - even the glass-backed Manchester courts.