TEL AVIV WELCOMES WORLD-CLASS SQUASH EVENT

The British installed squash courts at their army bases. When the State of Israel was declared, they became part of the air force and the pilots became the Jewish state's first squash players.
If you’re walking around Habima Square in Tel Aviv this weekend, you may notice a glass box that fits right into the Tel Aviv landscape.

If you look a bit closer at the cube you’ll see two people swinging rackets and hitting a ball at high speeds. Over the course of the week, Israel is hosting the Migdal Insurance Professional Squash Association 11K Tel Aviv 2019 Challenger Tour, which will culminate with the final on Saturday night.

Arik Kaplan, the President of Ayelet, The Federation of Non-Olympic Competitive Sports in Israel, is thrilled to be able to host the world-class squash competition in Israel.

“Squash is one of the most successful sports in the world and requires a variety of athletic abilities,” said Kaplan. “We welcome the initiative that is being made by the squash association by making the sport accessible with the special glass court which will allow the sport to reach new audiences.”

The event is also recognizing those who are physically challenged and will include a number of exhibitions including the three-time Israeli women’s champion Roni Kesten, who has competed at the highest levels with cerebral palsy.

The tournament itself features over 20 players from around the world plus a number of top-ranked Israelis who will all battle it out for supremacy outdoors smack dab in the middle of one of the trendiest areas of the city.

Squash has steadily grown in popularity in Israel and this is one more step towards attracting many new fans and players.
Aviv Bushinsky, the chairman of the Israel Squash Association exclusively spoke to The Jerusalem Post about how the sport has been gaining momentum over the years.

“When we first hosted a squash tournament we did it at a Tel Aviv shopping mall and then we held it in Jerusalem by the Jaffa Gate in the Old City,” noted Bushinsky. “This time when we thought of placing the glass squash court in Habima Square the municipality thought we were crazy and they decided against it. However, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai overrode the decision and here we are bringing the community and sport together at one of the most popular places in the city.”

The tournament is a realization of a longtime dream for Bushinsky.

“It’s a dream come true to have this tournament. I wanted to buy a glass court which would be portable, and when I saw this exact thing near the pyramids in Giza, EgyptI said why can’t we do it.

Squash in Israel has an interesting history.

“When the British controlled the country they installed squash courts inside of their army bases,” explained Businsky. “Later on, when they were handed over to the Israel Air Force, the soldiers saw the courts and began playing the game. In essence the first Israeli squash players were pilots.”

One of the great parts of the squash competition is that it will also recognize people who are physically challenged. Kesten, 25, is a shining example of a true role model for many youngsters across the country.

“Due to my challenging situation, at the age of seven it was decided that I had to play a sport,” said Kesten. “I had a choice of many, whether it was soccer, basketball or even ping-pong. I saw that there was a sport called squash, however I had no idea of what it actually was. I registered to see what it was like and the rest is history. When I was 16, won the Israel under-19 championship and I’ve competed in three Maccabiahs as well as the European Championships. Today, I am ranked third among all women in Israel.”

Bushinsky sees squash as an ideal sport for Israeli athletes.

“Squash is almost identical the most popular sport in Israel, matkot, the paddle game that is played on the beaches. In squash you can hit the ball like matkot, the ball is the same size as that of matkot and you can use the same intensity and aggressiveness as you do in matkot. Squash is a perfect fit for a Sabra.”

PSA ANNOUNCES 'IT'S MINE' CAMPAIGN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EIGHT-TIME WORLD CHAMPION NICOL DAVID

The Professional Squash Association, in partnership with recently retired eight-time World Champion Nicol David, has unveiled a new joint awareness campaign titled ‘It’s Mine’ – created to help foster a greater sense of belonging and ownership amongst squash players and the PSA World Tour.

Malaysian icon David, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever pick up a squash racket, is a key driving force behind the campaign, with the former World No.1 wanting to leave behind a legacy following her retirement from the sport earlier this month at the Allam British Open.

The PSA, along with David, has developed the campaign in an effort to increase awareness of, and engagement with, the women's tour, increase the participation of female athletes on the PSA Tour and create a more sustainable women’s tour.

The campaign will initially feature seven different ambassadors – Egyptian trio Raneem El Welily [World No.1], Nour El Sherbini [three-time World Champion], Nour El Tayeb [World No.3], France's World No.4 Camille Serme, England's World No.6 Sarah-Jane Perry, United States' World No.8 Amanda Sobhy and Welsh World No.9 Tesni Evans.

These ambassadors have each selected a different value which they feel belongs to them and epitomises the qualities found amongst their peers on the PSA World Tour. These values will be unveiled in a multimedia campaign consisting of videos, graphics and candid interviews, while players across the PSA Tour will be encouraged to engage with the campaign and showcase their own values. In addition, the ambassadors will travel to tournaments on the PSA World Tour and PSA Challenger Tour to hold talks with, and inspire, up-and-coming players.READMORE

WORLD TOUR FINALS: FARAG LOOKING FORWARD TO BEST OF THREE

World No.1 Ali Farag is looking forward to the best-of-three games format at the CIB PSA World Tour Finals next month.

This tournament has a round robin group stage, while the best-of-three format is only used at one other event on the PSA World Tour, at the Citigold Wealth Management Canary Wharf Classic.

“I actually like the format a lot. You never get the chance to be on the losing end of a match, and come back to fight again the next day. It definitely takes a bit of pressure of while playing that you still have a chance to go through and even win the whole thing even if you lose one match,” Farag explained.

“The best of three format adds a lot of excitement to it as well, given that it’s the best eight players in the world are competing against each other with the margins in levels are so slim.”

For the first time in the tournament’s history, ranking points will be awarded. This gives the otherwise-fun tournament a sharper edge, according to the World No.1.

“It’s always been fun, yet very competitive due to the prestige and the glory behind it. But this year it’s even more competitive with the element of ranking points added to it,” he admitted.

READMORE

Squash great Nicol shown exit in final career match

The curtains came down on Malaysia’s eight-time world champion Nicol David at the British Open squash championships in Hull, England.

The 35-year-old had wanted to call it a day at the prestigious British Open, one of her favourite tournaments and in which she has won five times.

And it ended for her in 41 minutes in the second round yesterday. Nicol lost 4-11, 7-11, 13-11, 5-11 to world No. 3 Nour El Tayeb of Egypt at the Hull University Hall.

After the 26-year-old Nour from Cairo dominated the first set, Nicol showed her ability to adapt and change as she unleashed her attacking prowess to cause trouble for the Egyptian in the second before winning the third.


But a couple of friendly bounces that went away from the Malaysian allowed the Egyptian to regain her confidence and win the match.

Nicol announced in February that she will retire when the 2018-2019 Professional Squash Association (PSA) season ends and the second-round exit in the British Open marked the end of her glittering career.

It has been more than 20 years since the squash legend mesmerised her fans with her tenacity, skills and determination en route to winning numerous titles and being voted the greatest female player of all time.

She won a record eight world titles, 81 PSA titles and held the world No. 1 spot for an unprecedented 109 consecutive months from 2006-2015.

Earlier, national squash player Low Wee Wern showed her mental strength in coping with the loss of a loved one to advance into the second round.

Wee Wern packed off England’s Fiona Moverley 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 in the first round and the 28-year-old had no hesitations in dedicating the win to her grandfather who passed away on Monday.

“This match today is for my grandpa,” said Wee Wern on her social media account.

But despite her grief, the Penangite displayed fortitude to overcome the 32-year-old Moverley, who incidently, was playing the last match of her career.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s men’s hopes ended when both Ivan Yuen and Ng Eain Yow suffered first-round defeats.

World No. 43 Ivan gave the higher ranked world No. 30 Greg Lobban of Scotland a run for his money before bowing out 10-12, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11.

World No. 36 Eain Yow suffered an upset against home favourite and world No. 95 Patrick Rooney, losing 8-11, 10-12, 7-11.

“Ivan played well against Greg as the first three sets were very close and he could have won the match had things gone his way,” said national head coach Ajaz Azmat.

SQUASH BRITISH OPEN - DAY THREE

Day three of the 2019 Allam British Open takes place today as the oldest tournament in squash continues at the newly renamed Allam Sport Centre.

All of the action will be LIVE on SQUASHTV (Rest of World) and Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the PSA World Tour Facebook page (excluding Europe and Japan) from 12:00 local time (UTC+1).

On the glass court, Hong Kong’s Joey Chan and Egypt’s World No.7 Nouran Gohar kick start the day’s action, before being followed on court by an exciting battle between Egyptians Ali Farag and Marwan ElShorbagy. READMORE

Schedule: Glass Court

ALLAM BRITISH OPEN: CLASSIC ENCOUNTERS

Next week sees the iconic Allam British Open take place at the brand new Sports and Fitness Centre at the University of Hull, when the tournament takes place between May 20-26.

The tournament has seen some of the greatest players of all time battle it out to lift the iconic trophy throughout its storied history and we take a look back at some classic encounters that the SQUASHTV cameras were there to capture. READ MORE

PSA FOUNDATION LAUNCH HULL RACKETS CUBED PROGRAMME AT BRITISH OPEN

The PSA Foundation, in partnership with Rackets Cubed, the University of Hull and Nurture A Child, have announced that the Hull Rackets Cubed Programme will officially be launched on May 23 during one of squash's most prestigious tournaments – the Allam British Open.

The legacy programme will take place at the University of Hull with St. James Church of England Academy being the school of focus, where children will have an hour of squash, an hour of academics focused on the STEM (science technology, engineering and mathematics) programme and a hot meal.

The programme is the first of its kind to be born from the Allam British Open and will leave a legacy in the Hull community. Local charity Nurture A Child are providing funding to support the initial pilot, with their aim being to improve the confidence, aspirations, life chances and advancement of young people through exposure education, sports, business, arts, culture and science.

Rackets Cubed Founder and Chairman, Michael Hill, said: “Rackets Cubed is very excited to be partnering with the University of Hull and the PSA Foundation in building these legacy programmes.

“Over time, we believe there is significant potential to increase the number of children involved and to make a real difference in these communities.”

University of Hull Partnership and Project Manager, Steve Curtis, commented: “The University of Hull is thrilled to be leading the Hull Rackets Cubed project, along with Rackets Cubed and the PSA Foundation.

“The project provides a unique platform to work in the local community, providing opportunities for our current students that will help raise attainment and aspirations for children in the region.”

PSA Foundation Manager, Adriana Olaya, added: “One of our main objectives as a tour is to leave a lasting legacy in the communities where we have tournaments.

“Hull has been the home of the British Open for many years and this being one of the most iconic and historic tournaments, it’s truly amazing for it to also be the first legacy programme born from a PSA event.”

Founded in 2016, Rackets Cubed is a UK registered charity that runs integrated squash, tennis, education and nutrition programmes for local inner-city children from high IDACI schools. Click here to find out more.
Nurture a child is charity dedicated to promoting and assisting the development of opportunities for children and young people. Click here to find out more.

WIMBLEDON: ELSHORBAGY DEFEATS PAJARES TO WIN TITLE

Marwan ElShorbagy claimed the 10th PSA World Tour title of his career, as he downed Iker Pajares Bernabeu to win the Wimbledon Club Squash Squared Open.

The Egyptian was the No.1 seed for the tournament, and had made it through to the final after dropping just three games along the way.

However, he came up against a young Spaniard who had knocked out the No.2 seed Omar Mosaad, No.6 seed Daryl Selby and No.3 seed James Willstrop en route to the final.

Claiming the title would be a step too far for Pajares though, as he succumbed to a clinical performance from the World No.21, who won it 13-11, 11-7, 11-6.

The first game was a tight one, as Pajares pushed the ‘Jackal’ all the way, but he clinched it on a tiebreak, before securing both the second and third games in much easier fashion.

ElShorbagy will now turn his focus to the Allam British Open, which starts on May 20, while Pajares’ next tournament will be the Midgal Insurance 11K Tel Aviv at the end of the month.

Result – Final: The Wimbledon Club Squash Squared Open
[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-6 (51m)

THE RAM SCORING SYSTEM

Barely a week ago the world former champion G.O.A.T 2, Ramy Ashour introduced a new scoring system in squash developed by him. He claimed to have adopted this system in his career which have made him achieved so much in the sport.

Will try my best to summarize what this new scoring system is about alongside it technicalities.


A match is still best of 5 games. At the beginning of each game, 3 minutes are put on the clock. The clock runs down only when the ball is in play. At the end of those 3 minutes, the player who is leading must win one additional point to win the game.

For example, at the end of those 3 minutes, the score might be 5-3. If the player with 5 points wins the next point, they win the game 6-3. However, if the trailing player wins the next point, the score becomes 5-4. The trailing player will continue to play catchup until 5-5. I don't think it is win-by-2 so at this point whichever player wins the next point wins the game.

Additional information mentioned:

If a rally is going on when 3 minutes is up, the rally continues until that particular point is over

Time starts counting down anytime the ball is served and stops when the play ends. In other words, the point is won, a let occurs, or a stroke occurs. No time is added back to the clock for a let/stroke as far as I know.

Nicol David cruises into second round of Manchester Open

National squash player Nicol David cruises into the second round of the Manchester Open.

The 35-year-old didn’t look too troubled as she walked past Haley Mendez of United States with an 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 win in the first round in 23 minutes.

Nicol, who is ranked 18th in the world, now faces a stern second round test against England’s world No. 6 Sarah-Jane Perry.

Nicol will be looking to get one back after having lost to Sarah in their last four meetings in 2017.

The Manchester Open is Nicol’s penultimate tournament.

She will play her final event at the prestigious British Open in Hull, England, from May 20 to 26, before calling time on her glittering career that has seen her win a record eight world titles and five British Open titles.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/squash/2019/05/09/nicol-david-cruises-into-second-round-of-manchester-open/#QJFgBhzpHiF7vAzD.99

SQUASH: MANCHESTER OPEN UPDATE

The Manchester Open gets underway today, the first time the PSA World Tour has returned to the city since the 2017 PSA World Championships.

The National Squash Centre plays host to the tournament, with 24 of the world’s best women taking part in the PSA Silver event.

The day’s play begins at 12:00 local time (GMT+1) as England’s Emily Whitlock takes on New Zealand’s Amanda Landers-Murphy.

Also in action on the first day are eight-time World Champion Nicol David, World No.14 Salma Hany, and the tournament’s wildcard, Rachael Chadwick. READMORE

WATCH LIVE ACTION FROM THE MANCHESTER OPEN

World class squash descends on Manchester, England this week when the Manchester Open PSA World Tour Silver tournament takes place from May 9-13 with action LIVE on SQUASHTV (Rest of World) and Eurosport Player (Europe only), as well as broadcasters around the world.

The inaugural Manchester Open will become the first standalone women’s professional squash tournament since the 2016 PSA Women's World Championships to be broadcast on live TV via a world feed when the PSA World Tour Silver tournament takes place this week.

A number of the world’s greatest female players will line up at Manchester’s National Squash Centre, with a $76,000 prize fund up for grabs. Live coverage of the entire tournament will be shown on SQUASHTV (rest of world), the PSA World Tour Facebook page (excluding Europe & Japan) and Eurosport Player (Europe only), while the semi-finals and final will also be shown live on mainstream broadcasters such as BT Sport, Fox Sports Australia, Astro and more.


Egypt’s World No.3 and this season’s PSA World Championship runner-up Nour El Tayeb headlines the draw ahead of New Zealand’s World No.5 and 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Joelle King, England’s No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry and fellow Egyptian Nouran Gohar. READ MORE

ENGLAND’S PERRY HAILS MANCHESTER OPEN AS ‘BIG STEP FORWARD’ FOR WOMEN’S SQUASH

English No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry has said next week’s inaugural Manchester Open is a big step forward for women’s squash.

The PSA World Tour Silver tournament – a women’s-only event – takes place between May 9-13 and will see a world-class draw compete for a $76,000 prize fund at Manchester’s National Squash Centre.

The Manchester Open is supported by Manchester City Council and follows the successful staging of the award-winning AJ Bell PSA World Championships in the city in December 2017. Equal prize money was on offer across both the men’s and women’s events for the first time in the tournament’s history, and Perry believes the Manchester Open will provide another big milestone for the women’s tour.

“Women’s squash has really come on in the last few years and the standard has improved massively,” said 28-year-old Perry.

“Equal prize money at Platinum level events has been really important and I think this is a real big step forward that there are tournaments for the players to choose from and you can see from the level of the draw that a few players have chosen this one.
READ MORE

National squash player Nafiizwan Adnan retires

National squash player Nafiizwan Adnan (pic) has called time on his career after bowing out in the quarter-finals of the Asian Individual Championships.

The 33-year-old from Kuala Terengganu fell 4-11, 4-11, 3-11 to top seed and world No. 10 Saurav Ghosal of India at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil on Friday (May 3).

“This is my last tournament for the squash season and also my last one representing Malaysia. I’m going to retire now,” said Nafiizwan after the match.

“I have to thank my wife, my parents, family, my brother, my best friends and also the National Sports Council and National Sports Institute for supporting me throughout my career.



Nicknamed the Komodo Dragon, the highlight of Nafiizwan’s career was when he became the first Malaysian to win a medal in the men’s individual event at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April last year. He clinched a bronze.

He later went on to win the men’s individual bronze medal and men’s team gold medal at the Asian Games in Indonesia in September.

In 2011, he also won the Asian Squash Individual Championship.

He reached a career high of world No. 26 in the Professional Squash Association rankings in 2017.

Squash in Jamaica on the rise — Binnie

THE performances in the Jamaican squash world have been improving as a new generation of players makes their mark on the regional and global scene, says Chris Binnie, the country's top-ranked player.

The highest Professional Squash Association-ranked player in the Caribbean, Binnie spearheaded the Jamaican team at the 2018 Pan American Championships in the Cayman Islands. Winning a silver medal in the men's event and playing on a team which placed in the top eight of the qualifying countries, he signed a sponsorship agreement with JN Fund Managers in April 2019.
“We are receiving medals in games for which we never qualified before,” Binnie said at a signing ceremony held at the company's head office in New Kingston. “This makes Jamaica the leading squash power in the Caribbean.”

Much of Jamaica's success is due to Binnie himself, who is ranked in the top 100 players by the World Squash Federation. He says he has a target of breaking into the top 50 players in the world in 2019.

“The country is moving in the right direction however, we have to keep up the momentum,” he said. “There is more than enough talent here to make substantial improvement.”

Binnie, who received his second Sportsman of the Year nomination in 2018, is playing a leading role in developing this talent.

“I participate in training camps, working directly with our players,” he said. “And, I get to share the experience I gained from my international exposure.”

He pointed out that after returning to the United States of America for a series of tournaments, he will go to Australia to train with his personal coach Rodney Martin, formerly ranked number two in the world. His training will involve 10 weeks of intensive preparation for the 2019 Pan American Squash Championships in July, for which Jamaica has pre-qualified.

Binnie also noted that along with Jamaica, Bermuda and Guyana have also qualified for the Pan American Squash Championships.

“Right across the Caribbean we are rising in the squash world, with every major country having at least one professional player,” he said. “I think a part of that improvement is due to the fact that many players, like myself, went to the United States of America and got exposed to one of the most dynamic squash environments in the world.

“The United States is the fastest-rising power in squash,” he said. “The funding for squash there has given them the facilities and a wealth of knowledge from coaches who are attracted to the country.”

Binnie said that his exposure to the United States environment was what enabled him to get top-ranked international players for the 'Yankees vs Yardies' tournament, held at Liguanea Club in St Andrew last year. He added that a bigger tournament with a much wider scope is being planned for next year.

Jermaine Deans, deputy general manager, JN Fund Managers, told the player, “It is a worthwhile investment for us to give our support to you in the service of the development of squash. Our own team members, whom you have coached, tell me that the sport is growing in popularity because it is easy to learn, time-efficient, and they have a really good time playing.

“Chris, your own personal achievement, and your commitment to help develop squash through coaching and advocacy are an inspiration to all Jamaicans,” Deans said. “We wish you, and the Jamaican team, all the best.”
CREDIT: JAMAICA OBSERVER

SOBHY BREAKS BACK INTO TOP 10 IN PSA WOMEN’S WORLD RANKINGS

United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy has risen four places to sit at World No.8 after the PSA Women’s World Rankings for May were released.

Sobhy, the 25-year-old Harvard-graduate from Boston, last week reached her first PSA World Tour Platinum semi-final since rupturing her achilles in March 2017, with a run to the last four of the El Gouna International Squash Open.

Sobhy, who beat World No.3 Nour El Tayeb and World No.10 Laura Massaro en route to the semis, has returned to the top 10 after a two-month absence.

Meanwhile, El Gouna International champion Raneem El Welily remains at World No.1 for a sixth successive month ahead of World No.2 Nour El Sherbini. El Tayeb stays at No.3 ahead of France’s Camille Serme, who has cut the gap on the Egyptian to just 20 points. New Zealand’s Joelle King rounds off the top five.

England’s Sarah-Jane Perry stays at No.6 ahead of El Gouna runner-up Nouran Gohar. Wales’ Tesni Evans drops to No.9, while England’s Massaro drops two spots to No.10, her lowest ranking since May 2008.

Hong Kong’s Annie Au drops a spot to No.11, while Alison Waters falls two places to No.12. England’s Victoria Lust stays at No.13, with Egypt’s Salma Hany (No.14) and India’s Joshna Chinappa completing the top 15.

Yathreb Adel rises two places to a career-high No.16 ranking to sit ahead of fellow Egyptian Hania El Hammamy.

Malaysia’s former World No.1 Nicol David moves up a place to No.18. David, 35, spent an unprecedented nine years atop the World Rankings between 2006-2015 and will make her final appearance in the rankings this month as she brings a trophy-laden career to a close at the Allam British Open between May 20-26.

Hong Kong’s Joey Chan drops two places to No.19, while America’s Olivia Blatchford Clyne completes the top 20.

PSA Women's World Rankings Top 10 – May 2019

DESSOUKY RETURNS TO TOP 20 IN PSA MEN’S WORLD RANKINGS

A semi-final finish at last week’s El Gouna International Squash Open has seen Egypt’s Fares Dessouky rise 24 places to World No.18 after the PSA Men’s World Rankings for May were released.

Dessouky, a former World No.8, had been ranked outside of the top 20 for 12 months as he recovered from a torn ACL sustained in November 2017.

The 24-year-old was in fine form in El Gouna as he beat the likes of World No.2 Mohamed ElShorbagy and World No.7 Miguel Rodriguez en route to the semi-finals as he reached the last four of a PSA Platinum tournament for the first time in two years.

Eventual El Gouna International winner Ali Farag tops the men’s rankings for a third successive month ahead of ElShorbagy, while Tarek Momen ensures that it’s an all-Egyptian top three for a fourth month in a row.

El Gouna finalist Karim Abdel Gawad moves up two places to No.4, while Germany’s Simon Rösner completes the top five.

New Zealand’s Paul Coll drops a place to No.6, with Colombia’s Rodriguez staying at No.7. Peru’s Diego Elias rises to a career-high No.8 ranking after winning the Macau Open in April. He swaps places with Egypt’s Mohamed Abouelghar, while India’s Saurav Ghosal stays at No.10.

Egypt’s Omar Mosaad rises a place to No.11, with Welshman Joel Makin rising three spots to a career-high No.12 ranking. Germany’s Raphael Kandra also reaches a career-high ranking, moving up one place to No.13, to sit ahead of Egyptian Zahed Salem and England’s Declan James, the latter of whom moves up to a career-high No.15 ranking.

Frenchman Gregoire Marche is the fifth player in the top 20 to reach a career-high ranking this month as he moves up two spots to No.16. Former World No.1 James Willstrop, Dessouky, Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly and England’s Daryl Selby complete the top 20.

Meanwhile, former World Champion Gregory Gaultier has dropped out of the top 20 for the first time since April 2003. The Frenchman hasn’t played on the PSA Tour since October 2018 due to surgery on a knee injury and has fallen 13 places to No.26.

Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy also drops out of the top 20, and is at his lowest ranking since April 2014 after falling 10 places to No.21.

PSA Men's World Rankings Top 20 – May 2019