The
Professional Squash Association (PSA) today unveiled its new vision for
professional squash which will see a new-look professional squash tour
structure come into effect for the 2018/19 season onwards, while a WSF
& PSA Satellite Tour has also been
announced following the recent partnership agreement between the PSA
and World Squash Federation (WSF).
The changes, which have been made in order to streamline the sport
and increase earning potential for professional squash players, will see
the current PSA World Tour rebranded into two individual circuits -
comprising of the PSA World Tour and PSA Challenger
Tour - while qualification rounds will be scrapped and a series of new
tournament tiers will be introduced across both circuits.
Under the new look, the PSA World Tour will continue to be home to
all current top-tier events offering total prize money from $50,000 -
$1,000,000 and above including the PSA World Championships and PSA World
Tour Finals - while new tournament tiers in
the form of World Tour Platinum, featuring 48-player draws, and World
Tour Gold, World Tour Silver and World Tour Bronze, all of which are set
to feature 24-player draws, will be introduced.
The 2018/19 PSA World Championships, which will be held in Chicago
with a record $1 million prize fund up for grabs, will be the first
World Championships to be staged under the new tour structure. Both
draws will comprise of 56 PSA entrants and one wildcard,
with the other seven places taken up by winners from selected
tournaments on the PSA Challenger Tour in a 'Road to Chicago'
competition.
The PSA Challenger Tour will provide a platform for the world's
most exciting up-and-coming players to cut their teeth on the
professional circuit against some of squash's most experienced
professionals, with tournaments offering prize money between $5,500
- $30,000. Tournament tiers consist of Challenger Tour 30, Challenger
Tour 20, Challenger Tour 10 and Challenger Tour 5 tournaments, while a
round robin system will be trialled at selected Challenger Tour 5
tournaments throughout the 2018/19 season.
Following on from last year’s partnership agreement between the PSA
and the World Squash Federation (WSF), the WSF & PSA Satellite Tour
will be formed, which will integrate sanctioned World, Regional,
National and Junior tournaments into the PSA World
Rankings to create a pathway to the professional circuit for aspiring,
up-and-coming players, strengthening the link between the global
governing body for squash and the professional tour.
Comprising the WSF National Championships, Satellite Tournaments,
World & Regional Junior Championships, National Junior Opens and
National Junior Championships, the WSF & PSA Satellite Tour will run
throughout each calendar year.
Players will earn PSA World Ranking points based on their results
at tournaments on the PSA World Tour, PSA Challenger Tour and the WSF
& PSA Satellite Tour.
"We are committed to promoting a thriving and sustainable
professional squash circuit and feel that simplifying the tour structure
and easing the transition from junior squash to professional squash
will help us to achieve those aims," said PSA Chief Executive
Alex Gough.
"Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the WSF in August
2017, we have been hugely encouraged by the commitment from both sides
to forge a strong working relationship and believe that partnering with
the WSF in this manner will be a significant
boost to the growth of the sport in the coming years."
PSA Tour Director Hannah Ridgard-Mason said: "This is an exciting
time for the tour and we believe that these changes will enable us to
further promote the game at the highest level while creating visibility
for the PSA Challenger Tour, which will be the
backbone of the new tour structure.
"We would like to thank our players and tournament promoters for
their cooperation during this transition and look forward to working
with them closely to ensure that the new tour structure will be a
success."
WSF President Jacques Fontaine said: "It was an important intention
for me to bring WSF and PSA closer together when I became WSF
President, as a unified sport will progress even more strongly. Our MoU
has achieved this aim. Now joining together to allow
players competing in our member nation's national and junior
championships to have the opportunity of ranking points is an example
showing the benefits of this unity.
"Our priorities as a sport are to offer leadership in education,
accessibility and sustainability, and competition too – and our strong
bond with PSA addresses the last pillar especially. I am sure that the
WSF & PSA Satellite Tour will go from strength
to strength."
About PSA
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) is the global governing
body responsible for the administration of both men’s and women’s
professional squash around the world.
With over 850 registered players and more than 200 events taking
place around the globe every year, the PSA World Tour – managed and run
by the PSA – showcases the game of squash at its highest level in some
of the world’s most unique and stunning locations.
Encapsulating all that is good about top flight professional squash
and combining athleticism, skill, fitness, tenacity, power, drama and
above all else, passion, the PSA World Tour is the pinnacle of world
squash.
About WSF
The World Squash Federation (WSF) is the global governing body for
the sport of squash and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
The WSF is an International Federation of approaching 150 members
and around 50,000 courts worldwide. There are also five Regional
Federations under their auspices.
They are responsible for every facet of squash development and
promotion, other than the professional tours which are overseen by the
Professional Squash Association (PSA).
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