.....An iDEASCOPE MEDIA

31 Oct 2016

Egyptian Trio Secure Wins on Day Four of World Championship




Day four of the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship saw a trio of Egyptians send the home crowd into raptures as World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, World No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad and World No.6 Ali Farag all rose to third round wins in Cairo.

ElShorbagy crashed out at the third round stage of last year’s tournament after a shock defeat to former World No.1 James Willstrop, but there was no danger of history repeating itself as the Bristol-based 25-year-old romped to a straight games win over compatriot Karim Ali Fathi.

"I've watched Karim all my life, he's in my brother's age group and I've always admired his fighting spirit on court,” said ElShorbagy.

"I felt like I am much more experienced on this stage than him and I used that to my advantage, especially on the first two games. It's a huge stage to play in the World Championship third round and I'm a lot more used to it than he is.

“I’m feeling good, I'm feeling happy and I'm just enjoying my squash. I had some tough times at the beginning of the season, but I'm back to where I was again on court.”

ElShorbagy will take on Farag for a place in the semi-final after the Harvard graduate dispatched Colombia’s Miguel Angel Rodriguez by a 3-1 margin.

Farag started superbly and dropped just four points in an opening game blitz before being pegged back by Rodriguez, a former World No.4, in the second.

But he recovered in the third and fourth games to seal an 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 win, setting up a repeat of his Al Ahram Open semi-final clash with ElShorbagy from last month, in which Farag triumphed.

“In the first game I think I started very well, I listened to what [four-time World Champion Amr] Shabana had to say, he said to keep it as tight as possible because when you give him any angles he is so good,” said Farag.

“But at the same time, I couldn’t play in a specific rhythm because he is so good when he gets in a rhythm. I tried to mix it up, hold a bit, then play fast and lift it up a bit. Then, in the second, it surprised me because he did that better than I did. He mixed up the pace quite well, it took me by surprise, and he won the second game so all credit to him.

“It’s quite exciting, I love playing with Mohamed because every time we have played so far it’s been a tough battle and he always gives it 100 per cent. I’m going to give it 100 per cent as well and hopefully we’ll give a good one to the crowd.”

Gawad was the other Egyptian victor on the fourth day of action after he dispatched Hong Kong’s Max Lee in a 7-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 victory.

The 25-year-old from Alexandria fought through two successive five-game battles to reach round three and he recovered from a slow start to take the match in four.

“It's very hard to play with Max Lee when he controls the middle. He's very, very tough to beat, so the main tactic for today was trying to control the middle as much as I could and try to make him run a little bit more," Gawad explained.

“This is my first quarter-final [in a World Championship]. Even in the juniors, my best result was the round of 16. It's nice to be in the quarters and play in front of your home audience. It’s a great thing and I just hope to keep this up, win the next round and the semi-final.”

Three-time winner Nick Matthew was the only non-Egyptian winner on the opening day of the third round and he defeated German No.1 Simon Rösner to reach the quarter-finals of the sport’s premier tournament for a tenth successive time.

Rösner went a game to the good after a superb start, but Matthew battled back and, despite initially letting a 7-1 lead slip in the second, he held out to draw level and then took the next two games, ensuring he will go head-to-head with Gawad - the man he beat in the U.S. Open to reach the final there.

“I was gearing up for a worst cast scenario and going 2-0 down, but I still believe I could have done it if I was 2-0 down,” said Matthew.

“I get the fe

30 Oct 2016

Ramy kept soaring as Adnan and Selby Cause Huge Shocks as World Championship Second Round Draws to a Close




Malaysia’s Nafiizwan Adnan and England’s Daryl Selby caused big upsets on day three of the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship after they rose to respective victories over 2015 runner-up Omar Mosaad and French World No.10 Mathieu Castagnet in Cairo.

Adnan was off the pace at the beginning of his encounter with Mosaad and went a game down before overturning that deficit to take a 2-1 lead. A loss of focus from the World No.33 then saw Mosaad restore parity in the fourth, but he battled back superbly from a 9-4 deficit in the decider to seal the biggest win of his career.

"When I was 6-0 down and then 6-3 down, I just told myself that I had nothing to lose," said Adnan.

"When I was behind, he was winning points off my mistakes. I just thought to myself that I should have fun. I had fun with the moment, the pressure, with everything and I got the luck.

"I’m really happy, I told myself that today could be my last much so I wanted to put in 100 per cent. All my life, my self belief was always low, but today, I proved to myself I could beat those top guys.”

After gaining a place in the second round without setting foot on court, courtesy of first round opponent Tom Richards withdrawing at the eleventh hour due to illness, Selby finally started his campaign in earnest today with an impressive 3-0 win over Castagnet.

Selby played with patience, poise and control throughout the encounter as he dealt with everything Castagnet could muster, as the Frenchman continued to look off the mark from the levels he set himself during his ascent into the top eight last season.

The Frenchman has struggled with injury since before the Dubai PSA World Series Finals in May and looked to have returned to something approaching his best with a first round victory over Mazen Gamal. But Selby exposed his limitations to run out a straight-games winner, with the kind of performance that saw the Englishman rise into the top ten back in 2010.

“Mathieu is a great fighter and he plays every point at 100%,” said Selby.

“The last few times we played he has beaten me. I always felt I was close and getting him tired in those matches but I was coming from behind in all of them, so was up against it.

“So today I knew the first game would be very important and I got off to a good start. I feel like I played solid squash – there was a good mix of attacking play, mixing pace and lifting, and I think he got a bit frustrated. I felt good out there."

Elsewhere, three-time winner Ramy Ashour continued his 100 per cent start to this year’s tournament with a superb display against South Africa’s Stephen Coppinger.

The maverick Egyptian continued where he left off after a dominant win over United States No.1 Todd Harrity in round one, and played at a furious pace to come out with a comfortable 3-0 win - setting up a third round clash with Selby in the process.

“I was more relaxed [in the first round], but I felt good and I think that’s natural as the tournament goes on,” said Ashour.

“The better you do, the more pressure you start feeling and I just wanted to back up what I did in the last round, so that was in my mind. I just tried to battle it out."

Defending champion Gregory Gautier was also victorious on day three, beating Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal, and the charismatic Frenchman will take on Tsz Fung Yip for a place in the quarter-finals after the man from Hong Kong defeated Germany’s Jens Schoor.

There were also wins for Fares Dessouky - who will meet Adnan in the third round - Tarek Momen and Marwan ElShorbagy, with the latter two set to face off for a place in the last eight.

Results - Second Round (Bottom Half): 2016 PSA Men's World Squash Championship
Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 1-11, 12-10 (102m)
[15] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1:13-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 (64m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [9] Mathieu Ca

29 Oct 2016

Farag Halts Willstrop on Second Day of World Championship



Egyptian World No.6 Ali Farag booked his place in the third round of the 2016 PSA Men’s World Championship after he came through a thrilling five-game battle with former World No.1 James Willstrop at the Wadi Degla Club in Cairo.

The duo, both of whom have been in some of their finest ever form in recent months, went head-to-head for the first time on the PSA World Tour and it was a spectacle that lived up to the billing as the fans inside the Wadi Degla Club were treated to an exhibition of squash at its finest.

The nail-biting encounter - the match of the tournament so far - saw the lead change hands throughout the 66-minute contest until, with the scores locked at two games apiece, Farag began to pull away and stormed home in the latter stages to complete a 5-11, 11-1, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5 victory.

“I'm feeling so good about the win but not just that,” said Farag.

“I struggled to find the fire within me since Al Ahram – something was wrong. I lost a bit of confidence in myself and I was struggling get out of that dilemma.

"But that's the beauty of playing in Egypt – I had so many people yesterday talking to me. My parents, Nour, [El Tayeb] my brother, Shabana, Hassan from Heliopols club and they talked me out of that situation and I felt better going to bed last night."

Farag will be joined in round three by World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, who was in fine form to down experienced Finnish campaigner Olli Tuominen.

37-year-old Tuominen pushed ElShorbagy hard in the opener, but the hard-hitting Egyptian narrowly took it by an 11-9 margin and he maintained his superiority in games two and three to seal a third round berth.

"When I was 10-6 up [in game one] I lost a little bit of concentration and I shouldn't have done that against someone with as much experience as Olli," said ElShorbagy.

“I felt that he got tired after the first game, which helped me a little bit. In the third I was tired like him and I had to keep digging, especially when I was 8-7 down because I didn't want it to go to a fourth.

“Other than that, I'm so happy to get a rest day tomorrow and I'm looking forward to the next round.”

Elsewhere on the second day of action, three-time winner Nick Matthew followed up a narrow first round win over New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson with a comfortable 3-0 win over Hong Kong’s Leo Au.

The 36-year-old was in fine fettle to counter Au’s superb retrieval skills with some intelligent shots in all four corners of the court and he duly ran out an 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 winner to set up a third round clash with German No.1 Simon Rösner, who beat Cesar Salazar.

“I was happy, especially after yesterday, to get 3-0 today,” said Matthew.

“I was telling myself to stay fresh but sometimes you can rush it, so that was the danger. Sometimes you have to put the hard yards in to win quicker. That was the biggest battle I found tonight, he’s such a laid back character but all of a sudden he sparks back into action."

Colombia’s Miguel Angel Rodriguez was also victorious as he secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season after following up a round one win over Mahesh Mangaonkar with victory over Mohamed Reda and he will face Farag in the next round.

World No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad came through in five to defeat compatriot Mohamed Abouelghar and will take on World No.18 Max Lee in the next round, while Karim Ali Fathi dispatched Omar Abdel Meguid to ensure that he will take on ElShorbagy for a place in the last eight.

Results - Second Round (Top Half): 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men's World Squash Championship
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-2, 11-8 (34m)
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (81m)
[10] Ali Farag (EGY) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-2: 5-11, 11-1, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5 (66m)
[8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Mohamed Reda (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-2 (43m)
[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Mo

27 Oct 2016

Ashour and ElShorbagy Lead Egyptian Charge into World Championship Second Round



Egyptian duo Ramy Ashour and Mohamed ElShorbagy will head a 13-strong Egyptian contingent in the second round of the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship after they both claimed opening day victories in Cairo.

Ashour, a three-time winner, sported a full length calf support as he looked to step up his recovery from an injury sustained at last month’s Al Ahram Open, and the 29-year-old from Cairo put in a dominant display to claim an 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 triumph against United States No.1 Todd Harrity.

“Every time I try to get up and get excited and think that I can win the tournament, something comes and slaps me in the face,” said Ashour referring to the injuries that have ravaged the past two years of his glittering career.

“I know that, eventually, if things go well and I keep playing for a little bit more, I’ll get back to where I was because I am a human being. I’m going to get this excitement and temptation in my blood.

“I was surprised that he hit so many tins today, he hit about five or six tins, so it was interesting. I know he plays fast so I had to up the pace, he lunges and then he gets back up in an elastic way."

Ashour will take on South Africa’s Stephen Coppinger in the next round as he looks to continue his title charge, while his compatriot, ElShorbagy, saw off the challenge of Australian qualifier Rex Hedrick.

The hard-hitting Egyptian, twice a runner-up in 2012 and 2014 to Ashour, injected pace into proceedings from the outset which World No.58 Hedrick was unable to live with as ElShorbagy went a game to the good, dropping just five points in the process.

A dogged Hedrick responded though and pushed the Bristol-based 25-year-old all the way to a tie-break, but ElShorbagy drew on his energy reserves to push through by the narrowest of margins, before just having the upper hand in the third to close out an 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 victory – setting up a second round fixture with Finland’s Olli Tuominen.

“I'm really happy to win, I'm not the best first round player, I always struggle a little bit but I felt fresh today,” said ElShorbagy.

“He coped with the atmosphere pretty well, I understand it's a bit tough playing me in Egypt and in the first round of the World Championship it was tough for him. He surprised me in the second game and even in the third game he came back and nearly won the game.

"If you know you're living for another day you are happy. I woke up today and found so many shocking results. That's what happens in the World Championship, anything can happen, and I'm just glad that I'm here for another day.”

The in-form Karim Abdel Gawad will join his fellow Egyptians in round two after he stormed back from two games down to defeat England’s Nathan Lake.

Having never previously reached the main draw of the prestigious tournament, Lake played like a World Championship veteran as he controlled the court, mixing patience with deadly accuracy to go 2-0 up against the World No.4.

But a tense third game went the way of Gawad and from then on he powered on, using his experience on the big stage to his advantage to complete the win and escape a shock exit, setting up a meeting with Mohamed Abouelghar.

The likes of World Championship runner-up Omar Mosaad, World No.6 Ali Farag and World No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy are also through to round two after the trio rose to wins on day one.

Elsewhere, English duo Nick Matthew and James Willstrop only just emerged unscathed from the opening round after they were pushed hard by New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson and Jaymie Haycocks.

Matthew began strongly to take the opening game but he was dragged into a real battle as Grayson upped his game and played with increased accuracy to level the match.

But it was the experienced head of Matthew that came back in the third to gain the advantage and he held firm to withstand a charge in the fourth, sealing the match at the second time of as

25 Oct 2016

PSA Seals Long Term Agreement With DAZN, the New Live Sports Streaming Service in Japan


PSA Seals Long Term Agreement With DAZN, the New Live Sports Streaming Service in Japan

The world's best squash players will receive more exposure than ever before across Japan after the Professional Squash Association (PSA) today announced a long-term partnership with DAZN, the new live sports streaming service, that will transform squash's visibility and profile across the region.

Under the five-year agreement, reached in partnership with Broadreach Media, DAZN will become the new home of squash in Japan.

Beginning in 2016, the agreement means squash fans in Japan will be able to watch the world's elite players compete at major tournaments such as the PSA World Championships, Tournament of Champions, British Open and more as the race to qualify for a top eight place on the PSA Road To Dubai and the season-ending PSA Dubai World Series Finals intensifies.

“We are delighted to have reached an agreement with DAZN and feel certain that this is the beginning of a partnership that will be of great benefit to squash fans in the region,” said PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough.

"Japan, and Asia in general, is an untapped market for the game and our agreement with DAZN will open up the sport to an entirely new audience in what is a significant move for squash.

“With major Asia Pay TV platforms including PCCW, Truevisions, Astro, Indovision, Ten Sports and Eleven Sports broadcasting squash into millions of homes across the region, the DAZN agreement is the next stage in our long term digital strategy, following our partnership with Eurosport Digital Player in Europe, and is in addition to PSA's own SQUASHTV digital service.

"Squash is reaching more homes, more fans and more potential new participants than ever before, helping us to make squash one of the most accessible sports in the world."

DAZN’S Chief Commercial Officer, John Gleasure said: “Having previously worked with the PSA to deliver global coverage of live squash we have first-hand experience of the dynamism and excitement that squash delivers.

“DAZN is all about putting fans first.  We want enable them to be able to watch the sports they love and also explore sports they may never have considered watching before. We are very excited to have reached an agreement that will see squash taken to a new audience and a new market, and we look forward to working closely with the PSA to aid their vision to grow the sport around the world.”

-ends-


ABOUT DAZN
DAZN is a live sports streaming service that allows fans to watch their sport, their way, live or on-demand.  With access to the world’s best sports, fans can watch their favourite teams, leagues and players anytime, anywhere, for one simple, affordable monthly price and with no long-term fixed contract.  DAZN has over 6,000 live events a year and features the widest array of live sports ever offered on one TV service.  DAZN has the ability to play, pause and rewind anytime with no commercial interruptions and no long-term commitments.

DAZN is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan on most connected devices including Smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and games consoles. DAZN is a part of Perform, a leading global sports media group.  Visit http://www.dazn.com/ for more information.

ABOUT PERFORM GROUP
Perform is a leading digital sports content and media group. Our mission is to connect the world of sport by supplying some of the quickest, most detailed and most engaging content, managing a network of wholly-owned global media brands and delivering premium sports content directly to fans.

Our B2B brands do this by contributing to one of the world’s most comprehensive sports content collections and distribution operations, servicing global customers in the broadcast, digital media and bookmaking industries. By investing in and developing our own media brands, we create destinations in which global advertisers and brands can engage with a huge worldwide audience of sports fans across all types

20 Oct 2016

Nigeria squash player Daniel shedrach shared pix of him and his wife on facebook

Daniel is one of Nigeria's best squash player who resides,hails and represent Ogun state. Not sure how active he is anymore internationally considering his present zero pack tommy *lol*
Never thought of him to be this romantic. See the caption below the way he wished his beautuful wife happy birthday on facebook.

19 Oct 2016

Hesham Withdraws from 2016 Men’s World Championship


Egyptian World No.22 Mazen Hesham has pulled out of the upcoming 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship in Cairo after failing to recover from the hip injury he sustained during last month’s Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA.

The 22-year-old, who has fast become one of the most popular and enigmatic characters on the PSA World Tour, was forced to retire mid-way through his first qualifying round clash with Spaniard Carlos Cornes Ribadas in the Al Ahram Open, meaning he also missed last week’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open.

As a result of the injury, United States No.1 Todd Harrity replaces Hesham in the main draw and will take on three-time World Champion Ramy Ashour in the opening round.

Revised Main Draw - 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Lucas Serme (FRA) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v [14] Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[10] Ali Farag (EGY) v Declan James (ENG)
James Willstrop (ENG) v [Qualifier]
Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Chris Simpson (ENG) v [Qualifier]
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v [16] Borja Golan (ESP)
[12] Simon Rösner (GER) v Diego Elias (PER)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [Qualifier]
Leo Au (HKG) v [Qualifier]
Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Alan Clyne (SCO) v Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [WC] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)
Joe Lee (ENG) v [15] Fares Dessouky (EGY)
[9] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Qualifier]
Tom Richards (ENG) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
Greg Lobban (SCO) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
Todd Harrity (USA) v [5] Ramy Ashour (EGY)
[7] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Raphael Kandra (GER)
Max Lee (HKG) v [Qualifier]
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [11] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[13] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Qualifier]
Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v [Qualifier]
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
Paul Coll (NZL) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)

Qualification for the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship begins on Tuesday October 25th, with the main draw action getting under way on Thursday October 27th.

Tickets to the tournament are available for free when purchasing a day pass to the Wadi Degla club, prices start from $5.

-ends-

18 Oct 2016

List of Players to journey for November PSA Road to Dubai




Yeah it's here again November 13 world series Psa road to Dubai . Cash prize awaits you on this game;'winners prediction'
Serme Storms To Top Of Road To Dubai Standings

After securing the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open title yesterday courtesy of a superb 3-1 win over World No.1 Nour El Sherbini, France’s Camille Serme has stormed to the top of the 2016/17 PSA Road To Dubai Standings to sit alongside World No.4 Nouran Gohar at the summit on 125 points.

It was 19-year-old Gohar who won the first PSA World Series tournament of the season - August’s Hong Kong Open - but this week in Philadelphia it was an inspired Serme, who beat the World No.2, No.6 and No.1 to claim the spoils, who took the maximum 100 points on offer to get within touching distance of confirming a spot at the 2017 PSA Dubai World Series Finals.

Only the top eight players on the standings will qualify for a coveted place at the PSA Dubai World Series Finals - which will take place inside the Dubai Opera House from June 5-9, 2017 - with every match in the PSA World Series vital in determining who gets a shot at one of the sport’s most prestigious and financially rewarding titles.

“I made it to Dubai last year and it was an amazing experience and one that I’d really like to have again,” said 27-year-old Serme.

“It’s certainly an aim for me this season to qualify once again because I think it will be a fantastic tournament. I wasn’t really thinking about it before the US Open but I now have a very good chance of qualifying, so I'm very excited to hopefully keep playing well.”

Serme and Gohar hold a narrow 20 point advantage over El Sherbini and USA’s Amanda Sobhy at the top of the standings, with Nicol David (65), Raneem El Welily (55), Laura Massaro (50) and Nour El Tayeb (40) completing the top eight as it stands while in the Men’s Standings US Open winner and World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy has gone top.

ElShorbagy sits on 115 points, above compatriots Karim Abdel Gawad (105) and Ramy Ashour (100) with English duo Nick Matthew and James Willstrop joint fourth on 65 points.

Matthew secured a place in the top eight last season bur former World No.1 Willstrop finished a disappointing 25th on the standings after struggling with injury. But the 33-year-old has returned to form so far this season, reaching the quarter-finals in Hong Kong and bowing out to ElShorbagy in the last four this week, to move into a solid position.

“Even at this early stage the opportunity to qualify for the World Series Finals is in my mind,” said Willstrop.

“I heard so many good things about the tournament last year and there’s so much positivity around it. Being on that stage as a top eight player and competing in that event is a very prestigious thing - so the motivation to try and qualify is great.

“To make it would be a great achievement at this stage of my career. I’ve already made a few top eight finishes this season, so I’m hugely motivated to try and keep progressing.”

Hong Kong’s Max Lee (55), Australian Ryan Cuskelly (50) and Germany’s Simon Rösner (40) round out the top eight.

The journey towards the PSA Dubai World Series Finals continues on November 13 when the 2016 Qatar Classic gets underway in Doha.

The 2017 PSA Dubai World Series Finals will take place from June 5-9 at the Dubai Opera, further information can be found by visiting www.worldseriesfinals.com
Prediction date will be announced soon

16 Oct 2016

England to host 2017 World Doubles Championships



England will host the WSF World Double Squash Championships next year for the first time following an agreement between the World Squash Federation and England Squash.

The 2017 World Doubles will take place at the National Squash Centre in Manchester from 1st to 5th August, featuring Men’s, Women’s and Mixed events.

The Championships come just a year after the Australian city of Darwin successfully hosted the 2016 championships – in which medals were shared between the hosts, New Zealand, Scotland, India and Malaysia.

The 5th World Doubles Championships will provide ideal preparation both for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast – where doubles squash will be a feature of the Games for the sixth time since 1998 – and also the for Pan American Games the following year.

England Squash CEO Keir Worth commented: “We’re thrilled and honoured to have the opportunity to host the World Doubles Championships for the very first time. We have a strong track record of delivering a number of World Championships in England and this is a golden opportunity to showcase our wonderful sport ahead of the Men’s and Women’s World Championships in December 2017.”

WSF President Ramachandran added: “Doubles on a wider court with a lower tin has proved itself to be fast-paced and exciting. It has been a great success in the Commonwealth and PanAm Games as well as at our own WSF World Doubles earlier this year, and naturally we are very pleased that next year it will be in the strong hands of England to host.

“We are sure that the visiting teams will enjoy a hugely successful event, which so many will use as preparation for the next Games.”



WSFworlddoubles.com

Serme Claims Historic 2016 US Open Crown As ElShorbagy Doubles Up



Two years after becoming the first Frenchwoman ever to win the historic British Open Camille Serme, the 27-year-old from Creteil, wrote her name into the squash history books once again by defeating World No.1 Nour El Sherbini in the final of the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open and become the first Frenchwoman ever to lift the trophy.

Serme bowed out of her last tournament, September’s Al Ahram Open, with a whimper in the first round as she struggled for form but has turned her season around, producing a series of spellbinding performances to defeat World No.2 Laura Massaro, World No.6 Amanda Sobhy and World Champion El Sherbini to secure the win - in what was only her third ever PSA World Series tournament final.

After sharing the opening two games it was Serme who came through a crucial third game, coming from 0-4 down to take it in a tense tie-break courtesy of some sublime dropshot winners, and she continued to play with pinpoint precision and accuracy to come through in four games and seal an unexpected triumph.

“I cannot believe it,” said Serme.

“Two weeks ago I lost in the first round of the Al Ahram Open and was so far away from this. If someone had told me then I’d win the US Open I’d have laughed - so to now be the champion is crazy. I’m so, so happy!

“Today was a very difficult test. She’s not No.1 for nothing - it’s crazy because I felt like I was behind all the time. I just kept pushing and telling myself that I can do it.

“I had to trust in myself and be attacking. I knew I had the right tactics so I just had to keep believing. It’s one of the biggest victories of my career without a doubt.”

Speaking after the match El Sherbini said: “I gave it my all but she was the better player today and she deserved to win.”

In the Men’s final World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy put his name on the trophy for the second time in his career - adding to his 2014 triumph - after injury once again brought a potentially epic encounter with Nick Matthew to a premature end as the 36-year-old Englishman was forced to retire in the fifth game of their title decider inside Philadelphia’s Drexel University.

It marked the third time that Matthew has been forced to retire during major encounters with ElShorbagy inside the past 18 months - with injury also thwarting the Yorkshireman during the 2015 El Gouna International and 2016 Windy City Open - bringing to an end what, for 50 minutes, was shaping up to be one of the best matches of the season.

Matthew started brighter and managed to control the play to open up a 2-0 lead after two punishing games but a hamstring injury suffered during a lengthy exchange took its toll as the Wolf began to break down, resulting with a handshake midway through the fifth game.

"I have great memories here, two years when I won it got me to the top of the rankings and whenever I'm back I just feel really happy to be here,” said ElShorbagy - who also goes top of the PSA Road To Dubai Standings courtesy of the win.

“It gives me a lot of confidence and I'm really happy that I've found my best squash this week. It's been a while since I played the way I love to play and I'm really happy I've got it back again.

"I grew up watching Nick playing and he comes from a golden generation. For me, he's the greatest out of all of them. He's raised the bar for everyone and I've watched that and learned from that, and every time I was coming close to that bar, he would push it even further.

"He's the greatest champion I've ever seen in my life, the greatest athlete I've ever seen in my life and the amount I have learned from him is unbelievable.”

After the match Matthew said: “This week was about more than squash for me.

“I haven’t won the tournament but I’ve won my squash back - on and off court I’ve found a method to enjoy the game again and play with a smile on my face.

“Ultimately my body just let me down at the end. My mind was in the game and I was enjoying it. I love being on this stage and I was a winner this week regardless of tonight.”

Result – Men’s 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open: Final
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [4] Nick Matthew (ENG) 10-12, 12-14, 11-1, 11-4, 3-0 retired (68m)

Result – Women’s 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open: Final
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 (54m)



12 Oct 2016

Willstrop And David Triumph In Five-Game Battles To Secure US Open Last Eight Berths




Former Men’s World No.1 James Willstrop and eight-time Women’s World Champion Nicol David held off an Egyptian charge to come through testing five-game battles in their 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open second round encounters and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the second PSA World Series tournament of the 2016/17 season.

World No.19 Willstrop, who produced a masterclass performance to eliminate World No.3 Omar Mosaad in the first round, had to call on all his experience to get the better of World No.20 Mohamed Abouelghar in a gruelling 70 minute encounter that saw the 23-year-old playing with fearless attacking intent that unsettled WIllstrop from the off.

But the 33-year-old showed why he’s considered one of the finest squash tacticians around as he managed to counter everything Abouelghar threw at him to keep his tournament hopes in tact.

“That was an hour and a bit of frantic intensity,” said Willstrop. “Hats off to him, he made me work so hard.

“I couldn’t get the ball off his racket in the middle area and he was playing excellent shots across me and that got me on edge. I had to play very, very well to beat him.

“I’m just so pleased to get through. I want to keep on playing - I don’t want to stop. I feel in a bit of a groove so I was so pleased to get through at the end and hopefully I can keep progressing.”

Willstrop will now go up against South African Stephen Coppinger for a place in the semi-finals after the 32-year-old - who’s place at the tournament was cast in doubt due to Hurricane Matthew wreaking havoc in his current home state of Florida - came out on the winning side of a huge 82 minute match with Malaysian qualifier Nafiizwan Adnan.

Adnan secured one of the biggest wins of his career when he took out Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the first round but his run came to an end as Coppinger powered through a series of dramatic exchanges in the fifth to secure his place in the last eight of a PSA World Series tournament for the first time since 2013.

“I’m lucky to be here in the first place, let alone be competing in a second match so I’m thrilled to get the win,” said Coppinger.

“I have plenty to work on squash wise but I’m in there and that’s what counts at this point. He’s ranked below me and on paper I should have won easier - but what it says on paper and reality is different, so I’m just very pleased to win.”

The winner of their encounter will face either World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy or his younger brother Marwan, the World No.7, after they came through their second round fixtures to set up a last eight head-to-head while in the Women’s draw three-time U.S. Open champion Nicol David came back from the brink to keep her campaign alive and defeat 2015 runner-up Nour El Tayeb.

David was caught flat footed in the first two games as El Tayeb dictated the play, hitting winners for fun, with David looking powerless to resist the charge but the experienced star - who has won a total of 80 PSA Tour titles - managed to turn the match around in the third and launch a comeback that was completed after 53 minutes when she sealed the win 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7.

“I wasn’t firing in the first game and a half and she made it very hard for me,” said David.

“I knew I had to fight all the way. I trained really hard over the summer during the off season and I wasn’t going to go down without a fight - I pushed to the limit and I’m really pleased to win that 3-2.

“I didn’t let up - I knew I wanted to keep going until the very end and that’s what I did.”

David will now take on former World No.1 Raneem El Welily in the quarter-finals, after she saw off the challenge of New Zealand’s Joelle King, while current World No.1 incumbent Nour El Sherbini will take on Alison Waters after the Englishwoman edged Egyptian qualifier Salma Hany Ibrahim.

Waters required 63 minutes, and a fifth game tie-break, to get the better of th

World No.1 ElShorbagy Escapes As Willstrop And Adran Upset US Open Seedings



World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy narrowly avoided a shock first round exit at the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open as he came from 2-1 down, saving multiple match balls, to defeat Mexican qualifier Cesar Salazar during an opening day of action at Philadelphia’s Drexel University that saw the Men’s draw blown wide open.

ElShorbagy, who won the tournament in 2014 to go top of the World Rankings for the first time in his career, struggled to contain an inspired Salazar during their 77 minute battle but managed to do just enough in the end to escape the clutches of defat and avoid joining World No.3 Omar Mosaad and number seven seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez in exiting the event at the first hurdle, as they fell at the hands of former World No.1 James Willstrop and Malaysian qualifier Nafiizwan Adnan, respectively.

“Being World No.1 isn’t always about playing the best, but about finding the way to win,” said ElShorbagy.

“In the past two seasons I have played more matches than anyone else and lately things have been going wrong with my body. I’ve had stomach problems and fevers and been struggling.

“Today I fought and fought. I won - that’s what matters - and I’ll keep fighting until the end. I’m really happy to come through - finding the way to win is the most important thing and I know that I’ll definitely be better next round after that match.”

32-year-old Englishman Willstrop evoked memories of the form that took him to the top of the World Rankings in 2012 as he produced a virtuoso display of complete control to knock out 2015 runner-up Mosaad in straight games.

Willstrop, currently ranked No.19 in the world after slowly working his way back from a serious hip operation in 2014, rekindled his form during last week’s NetSuite Open when he reached a first high profile tournament final since that surgery and he picked up where he left off as he controlled the ball and lived up to his ‘Marksman’ moniker to put Mosaad to the sword.

“I’m feeling good,” said Willstrop. “But it’s been a long time since I’ve put together a tournament winning, or latter stages, run.

“Last week in San Francisco was good but doing it at a World Series event is even tougher. I’m feeling good and if I can keep the intensity then you never know what could happen.

“The enjoyment is there for me and there’s a freshness about how I feel which is pleasing.”

Willstrop will now face Mohamed Abouelghar in the second round of a draw that is now wide open after Miguel Angel Rodriguez’s shock first round defeat to Adnan - the 30-year-old Malaysian qualifier who came through in straight-games to reach the second round of a PSA World Series tournament for only the third time in his career.

“I’m really, really happy,” said Adnan. “I almost lost to Charles Sharpes in the first round of qualification when I was 0-2 down. I told myself just to play - that I had nothing to lose - and relax. That worked and I tried to do the same today, and it is really pleasing to win - it’s a big win for me.”

Elsewhere in the Men’s draw there was a impressive win for Peruvian qualifier Diego Elias as he downed Frenchman Gregoire Marche while England’s Chris Simpson came through against Egyptian Karim Ali Fathi.

It was more straightforward for the top seeds in the Women’s draw as World No.1 Nour El Sherbini, three-time US Open champion Nicol David and World No.5 Raneem El Welily all set down impressive markers to stroll into the second round.

After returning to form at last month’s Al Ahram Open, where she claimed the honours with victory over El Sherbini in the decider, El Welily continued to impress as she saw off Belgian qualifier Nele Gilis courtesy of a comfortable 3-0 win .

“I’m always happy to be back in the US Open - I always enjoy coming back here,” said El Welily.

“Looking back at Al Ahram really makes me smile but it is in the past now. I want to make a strong push now and carry on that ki

9 Oct 2016

2nd Episode of Music & Movie Review with Jadesola

2nd episode of Music/Movie Review On HF Tv with ADEGBOYEGA Jadesola
https://youtu.be/C_H805ObCJo


7 Oct 2016

Squash Championships Taking Over Philadelphia This Weekend



By Pat Gallen

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –– It’s not tennis, it’s not racquetball. It’s squash.

And Drexel University has one of the top programs in the country.

Former number one player in the world John White is the coach at Drexel.

“When squash came to America the court was a little bit narrower and we used to have to convert the racquetball court.”

White adds, “It is a very small sport in America against baseball, hockey and football, but it is growing.”

It’s growing so much that the sport is taking over Philadelphia this weekend for the US Open Squash Championships at Drexel University.

“It’s the best of the best guys and girls in the world. Everybody’s coming to play.”

But before the tournament invades Philly, Pat Gallen got a lesson from Mary and Ryan of the Drexel women’s team.

Mary Fung-a-Fat, a Drexel senior says, “It’s intense. You have agility skills, technique, fitness. I’m surprised it’s not in the Olympics yet.”

Ryan Morgan, also a senior at Drexel, says,  “I just explain it like racquetball because most people know what that is, but they think it is an older person sport. So I tell them it’s a younger person sport version of racquetball, but the size is a little different and the lines are different.”

If you want to see the best of the best, the US Open runs through October 15th at Drexel University.

Last season, the Drexel team finished ranked 10th in the country. Their new season starts next month.

5 Oct 2016

ElShorbagy And El Sherbini Top October World Rankings As Egypt Make History

 


25-year-old Egyptian Mohamed ElShorbagy has maintained his World No.1 status for the 10th consecutive month to top the October 2016 Men’s PSA World Rankings during a month that sees Egypt break ground by becoming the first country ever to boast seven players inside the World’s Top Ten.


ElShorbagy, who has now marked 23 months as No.1 in total - taking him to sixth in the all time rankings list - is joined by compatriots Omar Mosaad (3), Karim Abdel Gawad (4), Ali Farag (6) Marwan ElShorbagy (7), Ramy Ashour (8) and Tarek Momen (9) to complete Egypt's domination and overtake the previous record mark of six players inside the top ten which was set by Australia in 1990.


Both Gawad, who won September’s Al Ahram Squash Open NewGiza, and Ali Farag, who lost out to Gawad in that final, have moved up to career highs while Fares Dessouky (16) and Mohamed Abouelghar, who breaks into the top 20 for the first time in his career at No.20, complete a nine-strong Egyptian contingent within the Men's Top 20.


In the Women’s World Rankings 20-year-old World Champion Nour El Sherbini has maintained her status as World No.1, holding a strong advantage over England’s Laura Massaro at No.2, while fellow Egyptian Nour El Tayeb has broken back into the top ten at No.10 for the first time in six months to complete a five-strong contingent of Egyptian players at the the summit of the women’s game, including Nouran Gohar (4), Raneem El Welily (5) and Omneya Abdel Kawy (8).


Elsewhere inside the Women’s top ten American Amanda Sobhy has moved up one spot to a new career high of No.6, overtaking Frenchwoman Camille Serme, while New Zealand’s Joelle King moves up two places to No.9.




PSA World Rankings Men’s Top 20 - October 2016

Rank Name Nationality Points Average

1 Mohamed ElShorbagy Egypt 2,100.000

2 Gregory Gaultier France 1,403.500

3 Omar Mosaad Egypt 1,003.500

4 Karim Abdel Gawad Egypt 892.500

5 Nick Matthew England 743.000

6 Ali Farag Egypt 666.500

7 Marwan ElShorbagy Egypt 612.727

8 Ramy Ashour Egypt 604.500

9 Tarek Momen Egypt 592.500

10 Mathieu Castagnet France 587.727

11 Miguel Angel Rodriguez Colombia 578.000

12 Simon Rösner Germany 566.000

13 Cameron Pilley Australia 483.636

14 Borja Golan Spain 467.000

15 Ryan Cuskelly Australia 457.727

16 Fares Dessouky Egypt 425.500

17 Daryl Selby England 411.500

18 Max Lee Hong Kong 409.000

19 James Willstrop England 377.500

20 Mohamed Abouelghar Egypt 338.000


PSA World Rankings Women’s Top 20 - October 2016

Rank Name Nationality Points Average

1 Nour El Sherbini Egypt 1,833.125

2 Laura Massaro England 1,553.750

3 Nicol David Malaysia 1,100.625

4 Nouran Gohar Egypt 1,072.778

5 Raneem El Welily Egypt 1,011.111

6 Amanda Sobhy United States 859.375

7 Camille Serme France 830.625

8 Omneya Abdel Kawy Egypt 801.250

9 Joelle King New Zealand 485.556

10 Nour El Tayeb Egypt 434.375

11 Sarah-Jane Perry England 407.222

12 Annie Au Hong Kong 392.222

13 Joshna Chinappa India 387.778

14 Alison Waters England 386.667

15 Delia Arnold Malaysia 305.556

16 Emily Whitlock England 296.500

17 Jenny Duncalf England 289.000

18 Victoria Lust England 287.778

19 Dipika Pallikal Karthik India 262.000

20 Joey Chan Hong Kong 238.333

4 Oct 2016

NetSuite Champion Laura Massaro Ready For US Open Defence


Fresh from lifting the silverware at the 2016 NetSuite Open England’s Laura Massaro says she is ready to return to Philadelphia and defend her Delaware Investments U.S. Open crown when the second PSA World Series tournament of the season gets underway on October 8.


Massaro stormed to the title in 2015 - beating Nicol David and Nour El Tayeb in two memorable encounters en route - in a victory that set up her charge towards the World No.1 ranking which she claimed in January 2016, and fresh from taking down crowd-favourite Amanda Sobhy to take the spoils in San Francisco the 32-year-old is hoping to keep her momentum going into one of her favourite events.


"I really enjoy playing at the U.S. Open,” said Massaro.


“I love going back to Drexel University (where the action takes place) each year and I have some really good memories there. I’ve won it a couple of times now, which has been special, and I always feel really welcome there in the city.


“My brother is also now living in Philadelphia, so it feels like a home away from home because I can stay with him for a few days as well so I’m really looking forward to it.”


With Nouran Gohar, Nour El Sherbini and Raneem El Welily all having claimed major PSA World Series titles inside the past six months along with Massaro - and players like Sobhy and Nicol David in the mix in major finals - the Englishwoman knows she will have to be at her best in order to keep the trophy in her hands - but she admits her focus will only now shift to Philadelphia after a sterling week at the NetSuite Open which was caped off with a 3-1 victory over Sobhy to claim the W50 title.


“I try to keep really present and take care of the matches that I'm playing so I wasn’t looking ahead during NetSuite or focusing on the draw or anything,” she said.


“Apart form booking my flight and knowing that it was coming up, I hadn’t given it too much thought but I will prepare myself for the tournament now.


“The Tour on the Women’s side is perhaps the strongest it’s ever been. I think it’s really exciting right now for the game and I’m really pleased to be part of it. I think all of us have got such different games, every single one of us steps on court with a different style of play.


“It’s keeping all of us on our toes and hopefully it is entertaining the fans as well and hopefully I can play well this week in Philadelphia.”


Massaro will begin her title defence against a qualifier on October 9 and is seeded to meet India’s Joshna Chinappa, France’s Camille Serme and Egyptian Nouran Gohar on route to any potential appearance in the 2016 title-decider.


2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open - Women’s First Round Draw:

[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [Qualifier]

Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [13] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

[16] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Qualifier]

[WC] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) v [8] Alison Waters (ENG)

[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [Qualifier]

[Qualifier] v [10] Joelle King (NZL)

[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [Qualifier]

Line Hansen (DEN) v [3] Nicol David (MAS)

[4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [Qualifier]

[Qualifier] v [14] Emily Whitlock (ENG)

[15] Victoria Lust (ENG) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)

Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) v [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA)

[6] Camille Serme (FRA) v Delia Arnold (MAS)

Joey Chan (HKG) v [12] Annie Au (HKG)

[9] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v Heba El Torky (EGY)

[Qualifier] v [2] Laura Massaro (ENG)


Tickets for the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open are now available to buy online by visiting the event website (www.usopensquash.com) with tickets priced from $25 – $250.

U.S. Open Squash
www.usopensquash.com
Official site with directions, announcements, tickets, players attending and their ranks, the schedule, and results.


-ends-

3 Oct 2016

Music & Movie Review on HFtv with Jadesola ADEGBOYEGA


Music/Movie Review with Adegboyega Jadesola
This is not about squash; Meet Naija Squash Media Freelance Editorial Manager- ADEGBOYEGA Jadesola now making waves in the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
Click/copy link to your url-
https://youtu.be/YnRIdyzWqmc
https://youtu.be/YnRIdyzWqmc
Often times i wonder how she does these: NAIJA SQUASH MEDIA EDITORIAL MANAGER, An AOP... co-host on the program YOUTHMAG at eko fm every saturday 6pm-7pm and presently a full time presenter at HFtv an online Tv channel.
Incase you don't know,Jadesola is one of those behind the Squash updates you get on this Blog.
No thanks to HFtv because they took her from us.......lol


Willstrop, Elias and Massaro All Win on Day Three of NetSuite Open



Former World No.1 James Willstrop produced a superb comeback to overturn a two-game deficit and eliminate Germany’s Simon Rösner in the quarter-final stage of the NetSuite Open, PSA M100 tournament taking place on San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza.

The Englishman looked down and out after Rösner opened up a two-game lead, but tournament wildcard Willstrop dug in superbly and used all of his 17 years of experience to battle back, taking three games without reply to earn a 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 12-10 victory.

"I think the quality of the squash was so good," said Willstrop.

"It was a pretty high standard, we were both hitting the ball accurately. It’s cut-throat stuff, the ball was flying around and you have to have such control to stay in it. His pace and control was a little bit better in the first two games.

"He won the crucial points in the second, but it was close. The key is that I didn’t panic, it’s a difficult psychological deficit to overcome when you’re 2-0 down. The statistics show that people don’t do it often, so I just had to keep making him play and I knew that I might be able to find a way in."

Two-time World Junior Champion Diego Elias will meet Willstrop for a place in the final after a clinical showing saw him overcome Frenchman Gregoire Marche.

The fixture featured a clash of styles, with Marche’s all-action style contrasting with the languid one of Elias, and it was the latter who rose to a two-game lead courtesy of some intelligent court craft and fine winners.

Marche had beaten three-time World Champion Nick Matthew in the previous round, but was frustrated time and time again by the prodigious talents of Elias, who wrapped up an 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 triumph in 40 minutes.

"I’m really happy, it’s my first win on SQUASHTV," said Elias.

"I was focused, I wanted to enjoy the match and I played my best. It has been an amazing experience, I knew the court was a bit tricky, but I’m happy I was able to play well on it.

"I had so much fun and wanted to thank everyone for supporting me."

In the Women’s event, World No.2 Laura Massaro became the first finalist after overcoming New Zealand’s Joelle King in an imperious display from the Englishwoman.

Preston-based Massaro overcame a strong start from King to record a 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 win, ensuring she will lock horns with either eight-time World Champion Nicol David or home hero Amanda Sobhy, who play tomorrow, in the final.

"I was way down in that first one, and I think it just shows that if you’re not completely focused, then her skills are just too good, so it was about making sure that I was 100 per cent focused on the game plan that I set out before," said World No.2 Massaro.

"Being able to stick to a game plan is probably one of my biggest strengths and as long as I do that, I’m happy win or lose, so that’s my only focus when I’m on court."

2016 NetSuite Open - Men’s Quarter-Final Results (Bottom Half)
[WC] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [6] Simon Rösner (GER) 3-2: 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 12-10 (79m)
[Q] Diego Elias (PER) bt [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (40m)

2016 NetSuite Open - Men’s Semi-Final Draw: To be played on September 30th
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[WC] James Willstrop (ENG) v [Q] Diego Elias (PER)

2016 NetSuite Open - Women’s Semi-Final Result (Top Half)
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [4] Joelle King (NZL) 3-0: 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 (33m)

2016 NetSuite Open - Women’s Semi-Final Result (Bottom Half): To be played on September 30th
[3] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [2] Nicol David (MAS)

-ends-

Elias and Al Tamimi Cause Upsets in Final Round of NetSuite Open Qualifying



Peruvian World No.34 Diego Elias and Qatari World No.42 Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi overcame higher-ranked opposition in the final qualifying round of the NetSuite Open to reach the main draw of the PSA M100 tournament taking place in San Francisco, United States.

World No.34 Elias, a two-time World Junior Champion, came up against England’s Tom Richards in his fixture, with 30-year-old Richards ranked eight places above Elias in the World Rankings.

But an apparent injury to Richards after the opening game saw him struggle with his movement, and Elias picked him off to record an 11-5, 11-3, 11-1 triumph in 35 minutes, setting up a main draw clash with Egypt’s Ali Farag, who reached the final of the Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA last week.

"The first game was very tough and long," said Elias.

"I think something happened, maybe he picked up an injury because he wasn’t the same. But I’m happy with the win and to feel well on court.

"It’s the first time I’ve played here, I got injured a week before the tournament last year so it’s great to reach the main draw. I’m very happy to be here. I didn’t think ahead to the main draw because I was focusing on getting through qualifying first. I don’t care who I face, every match is going to be hard."

Al Tamimi, meanwhile, secured his main berth courtesy of a fine win over World No.36 Adrian Waller in straight games. The 21-year-old, who has three PSA World Tour titles to his name, will take on World No.12 Simon Rösner for a place in the last eight.

Frenchman Gregoire Marche and Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller were the other victors on the final day of qualifying after they achieved respective wins against Alan Clyne and Cesar Salazar.

Marche will lock horns with last year’s runner-up Nick Matthew in the next round, while Mueller will line up against World No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy.

Elsewhere, all of the top four qualifying seeds in the Women’s event made it through to the main draw unscathed, with former World No.5 Low Wee Wern banishing the injury demons that have dogged the last 18 months of her career to defeat England’s Alison Thomson.

"I’m feeling great to be able to be back on court again. To be honest, it feels a bit weird to be playing in the qualifying, I haven’t done that in a long time. But it’s good to get two matches in and to get to the main draw again.

"I’m just happy to get back on court again. When I first came back I put a lot of pressure on myself to want to do well and win again. After a while, you realise that you should just be happy to play with no pain. So right now, this year that’s my goal. To play as many matches as I can without any hassle.”

Low is set to face Egypt’s World No.12 Nour El Tayeb in round one, while Fiona Moverley, Samantha Teran and Sarah Cardwell also rose to victories.

Moverley and Teran will meet United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy and Heba El Torky, respectively, while Cardwell will clash with England’s Victoria Lust.

2016 NetSuite Open - Men’s Final Qualifying Round Results
[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [8] Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-1: 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 (65m)
[6] Diego Elias (PER) bt [2] Tom Richards (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-1 (25m)
[5] Nicholas Mueller (SUI) bt [3] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 5-11, 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3 (46m)
Abdulla Al Tamimi (QAT) bt [7] Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (35m)

2016 NetSuite Open - Men’s First Round Draw
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Max Lee (HKG) v [8] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[7] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
[Q] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v [4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[3] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v [WC] James Willstrop (ENG)
[Q] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [6] Simon Rösner (GER)
[6] Ali Farag (EGY) v [Q] Diego Elias (PER)
[Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [2] Nick Matthew (ENG)

2016 NetSuite Open - Women’s Final Qualifying Round Results
[1] Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 3-0: 11-8

2 Oct 2016

OCTOBER 2016 PSA Ranking


October 2016 PSA Professional squash Athlete ranking

1 Oct 2016

NIGERIA AT 56!!!





*HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO NIGERIANS HOME & ABROAD WITH HER VISITORS *
Nigeria is our country/we dwell in it. Despite all odds,we need to bless it,the earlier we accept this the better for us all to achieve our dreams.
*ATTITUDE* plays a large role in things we do, ATTITUDE towards your Leaders, at your place of work,where you earn commercial value; ATTITUDE towards the country you dwell in & her people . ATTITUDE,the only word added together numerically = 100%
Give a good ATTITUDE today,your Reward will come in FOLDS!
God bless Nigeria

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SQUASH: The Nigeria Squash Federation starts Grassroot Development program with 16 states

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