Australian number one David Palmer will be bidding for his third world title when squash's biggest tournament gets underway in Kuwait City on Sunday. The Men's World Open brings together the top 64 male professionals in a purpose built venue at Kuwait's Green Island Resort.
Palmer, from Lithgow in New South Wales, will spearhead Australia's challenge and is joined in the field by Canberra's Stewart Boswell, New South Wales pair Cameron Pilley and Scott Arnold and Hobart's Aaron Frankcomb.
The 33-year-old Palmer, now based in Boston, won the title in 2002 and 2006 and, despite being written off as a force many times over the past few years, he still presents a formidable challenge to his more fancied rivals.
Nicknamed The Marine for his phenomenal fitness and resolve, Palmer relishes the challenge of major tournaments and seems to get stronger the longer he remains in contention. He will play French qualifier Julien Balbo in the first round and, if the seedings go as expected, he would face world number three Amr Shabana in the quarter-finals.
Boswell will play Arnold in the first round with the winner expected to face former world number one Thierry Lincou in a tough second round encounter.
Pilley should progress to the second round after he drew young English qualifier Joe Lee, where he would probably play Egyptian wonder kid Mohammed El Shorbagy, the reigning world junior champion.
Frankcomb, who like Arnold had to qualify for the tournament, has been drawn against classy Malaysian Azlan Iskandar.
Frenchman Gregory Gaultier remains favourite for the title after he reached the worlds top ranking earlier this month. However, he has to get past a trio of Egyptian challengers in Karim Darwish, Shabana and Ramy Ashour, and British Open champion Nick Matthew from England. Other threats to the Frenchman come from Palmer, who beat him in five games to win the 2006 title, and resurgent Englishman James Willstrop.
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Friday, October 30, 2009
Ashour & Shabana In Third Final Bid In Kuwait
Leading Egyptians Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana will be hoping to contest their third successive final in Kuwait in next month's Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009, after sharing honours in the 2007 and 2008 Kuwait Open finals.
The pair are seeded three and four, respectively, in the premier event on the PSA World Tour which will be staged at the Salmiya Club and Green Island Resort from 1-7 November.
After winning the World Open title for the first time last year in England, 22-year-old Ramy Ashour will be bidding to become the first player to successfully defend the title since the legendary Jansher Khan in 1996.
Meanwhile Amr Shabana is also seeking to emulate an achievement of the great Pakistani player of the 80s and 90s. World Open champion in 2003, 2005 and 2007, Shabana is hoping to become the first player since Jansher to win the title four times - a feat only otherwise achieved by Australian Geoff Hunt and Pakistani Jahangir Khan.
Currently ranked four in the world, Ashour made history in July 2006 when he became the first man to win the world junior title for a second time. Less than a year later, the formidable youngster had leapt to a career-high No2 in the world rankings.
Ashour faces unseeded Mexican Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira in the first round and is expected to meet Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema in the last sixteen before a predicted clash with England's seventh seed Peter Barker in the quarter-finals.
In the lower half of the draw, the reigning World Champion is expected to line up against the sport's new French World Number One Gregory Gaultier in the semi-finals.
Amr Shabana will be celebrating his tenth successive appearance in the World Open in Kuwait - and has reached at least the quarter-finals in every event since 2003. Despite ending a remarkable 33-month reign as world number one in January, the 30-year-old left-hander from Giza has continued to dazzle on the PSA World Tour - picking up the Malaysian Open and US Open titles in the summer before clinching his fourth successive Hong Kong Open crown earlier this month.
Shabana takes on English qualifier Shaun le Roux in the opening round, before a likely confrontation with Malaysia's 12th seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar in the last sixteen round. The draw predicts a clash with Australian rival David Palmer, a two-time World Open champion, in the quarter-finals before a meeting with top-seeded compatriot Karim Darwish in the semi-finals.
However, should Ashour and Shabana confound the seedings to contest the 2009 World Open final, it will be the pair's 13th PSA Tour meeting. And it is the senior of the two who leads the current head-to-head standings, at 7-5.
The pair are seeded three and four, respectively, in the premier event on the PSA World Tour which will be staged at the Salmiya Club and Green Island Resort from 1-7 November.
After winning the World Open title for the first time last year in England, 22-year-old Ramy Ashour will be bidding to become the first player to successfully defend the title since the legendary Jansher Khan in 1996.
Meanwhile Amr Shabana is also seeking to emulate an achievement of the great Pakistani player of the 80s and 90s. World Open champion in 2003, 2005 and 2007, Shabana is hoping to become the first player since Jansher to win the title four times - a feat only otherwise achieved by Australian Geoff Hunt and Pakistani Jahangir Khan.
Currently ranked four in the world, Ashour made history in July 2006 when he became the first man to win the world junior title for a second time. Less than a year later, the formidable youngster had leapt to a career-high No2 in the world rankings.
Ashour faces unseeded Mexican Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira in the first round and is expected to meet Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema in the last sixteen before a predicted clash with England's seventh seed Peter Barker in the quarter-finals.
In the lower half of the draw, the reigning World Champion is expected to line up against the sport's new French World Number One Gregory Gaultier in the semi-finals.
Amr Shabana will be celebrating his tenth successive appearance in the World Open in Kuwait - and has reached at least the quarter-finals in every event since 2003. Despite ending a remarkable 33-month reign as world number one in January, the 30-year-old left-hander from Giza has continued to dazzle on the PSA World Tour - picking up the Malaysian Open and US Open titles in the summer before clinching his fourth successive Hong Kong Open crown earlier this month.
Shabana takes on English qualifier Shaun le Roux in the opening round, before a likely confrontation with Malaysia's 12th seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar in the last sixteen round. The draw predicts a clash with Australian rival David Palmer, a two-time World Open champion, in the quarter-finals before a meeting with top-seeded compatriot Karim Darwish in the semi-finals.
However, should Ashour and Shabana confound the seedings to contest the 2009 World Open final, it will be the pair's 13th PSA Tour meeting. And it is the senior of the two who leads the current head-to-head standings, at 7-5.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Darwish Bids For Double Revenge
Egypt's world number one Karim Darwish will be after revenge next month in Kuwait where he is seeded to win the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009, the premier event on the PSA World Tour which will be staged at the Salmiya Club and Green Island Resort from 1-7 November.
Darwish, who has topped the PSA world rankings since January, is expected to face second seed Gregory Gaultier in the World Open final on Saturday (7th November). The anticipated meeting will give the 28-year-old from Cairo the chance for double revenge against the Frenchman, who is expected to replace Darwish at the top of the November PSA world rankings which will be announced on the eve of the championship.
But Darwish will also want to avenge the outcome of his last Kuwait clash with Gaultier - in the quarter-finals of the 2008 Kuwait Open, which the Frenchman won in straight games.
However, the Cairo King celebrated a notable victory over his European rival in their last meeting on the international circuit, in the final of the Sky Open in his home town in September - when Darwish won 11-6, 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3 to record the 16th PSA World Tour title of his career and his third Super Series crown.
"This is the first big tournament I've won in Egypt," said Darwish afterwards. "I had full confidence in myself in the final and really wanted to win.
"I think Greg and I played a good game, but the difference came probably from my motivation to win," added the charismatic Egyptian star. "And winning a tournament is such a great feeling!"
Darwish's incentive to win the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 - which boasts a prize-fund of US$277,500, the largest ever offered by any World Tour event - is further boosted by his runners-up finish in the 2008 World Open in England. The favourite begins his campaign against experienced Pakistani Mansoor Zaman, the former world No11 from Peshawar.
A tough last 16 encounter with 11th seed James Willstrop, the former world number two from England, should be followed by a quarter-final encounter with eighth-seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 World Champion.
And - according to the draw - awaiting the favourite in the semi-finals will be third seed Amr Shabana, Darwish's Egyptian team-mate who is bidding to become only the fourth player in history to win the title for a fourth time.
Darwish, who has topped the PSA world rankings since January, is expected to face second seed Gregory Gaultier in the World Open final on Saturday (7th November). The anticipated meeting will give the 28-year-old from Cairo the chance for double revenge against the Frenchman, who is expected to replace Darwish at the top of the November PSA world rankings which will be announced on the eve of the championship.
But Darwish will also want to avenge the outcome of his last Kuwait clash with Gaultier - in the quarter-finals of the 2008 Kuwait Open, which the Frenchman won in straight games.
However, the Cairo King celebrated a notable victory over his European rival in their last meeting on the international circuit, in the final of the Sky Open in his home town in September - when Darwish won 11-6, 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3 to record the 16th PSA World Tour title of his career and his third Super Series crown.
"This is the first big tournament I've won in Egypt," said Darwish afterwards. "I had full confidence in myself in the final and really wanted to win.
"I think Greg and I played a good game, but the difference came probably from my motivation to win," added the charismatic Egyptian star. "And winning a tournament is such a great feeling!"
Darwish's incentive to win the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 - which boasts a prize-fund of US$277,500, the largest ever offered by any World Tour event - is further boosted by his runners-up finish in the 2008 World Open in England. The favourite begins his campaign against experienced Pakistani Mansoor Zaman, the former world No11 from Peshawar.
A tough last 16 encounter with 11th seed James Willstrop, the former world number two from England, should be followed by a quarter-final encounter with eighth-seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 World Champion.
And - according to the draw - awaiting the favourite in the semi-finals will be third seed Amr Shabana, Darwish's Egyptian team-mate who is bidding to become only the fourth player in history to win the title for a fourth time.
Monday, October 26, 2009
World Open Hails New World No1 Gaultier
Next month's Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009, the premier event on the PSA World Tour which will be staged in Kuwait from 1-7 November, will herald the first appearance of a new world number one in Squash.
According to the Fédération Française de Squash, the achievement of reaching the Hong Kong Open final last week will lead to Gregory Gaultier being named as the new world number one when the PSA issues its next ranking list on the 1st November, which coincides with the opening of the World Open.
Twice a runner-up in the World Open, Gaultier will become the second Frenchman to top the world rankings - after Thierry Lincou. The success also makes France only the fifth country (after Pakistan, Australia, England and Egypt) to boast two world number ones.
"We are delighted that Gregory Gaultier will make his first appearance as world number one at the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009," said Robert Edwards, Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 Technical Director and Presenter.
"The championship already features the very best players in the world - and we will now have five players who have been world number one!"
Second seed Gaultier will meet Scot Alan Clyne in the first round and is expected to face Egypt's defending champion Ramy Ashour in the semi-finals. The 26-year-old from Aix-en-Provence is scheduled to line up against current world number one Karim Darwish, who is also from Egypt, in the final on Saturday 7 November.
According to the Fédération Française de Squash, the achievement of reaching the Hong Kong Open final last week will lead to Gregory Gaultier being named as the new world number one when the PSA issues its next ranking list on the 1st November, which coincides with the opening of the World Open.
Twice a runner-up in the World Open, Gaultier will become the second Frenchman to top the world rankings - after Thierry Lincou. The success also makes France only the fifth country (after Pakistan, Australia, England and Egypt) to boast two world number ones.
"We are delighted that Gregory Gaultier will make his first appearance as world number one at the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009," said Robert Edwards, Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 Technical Director and Presenter.
"The championship already features the very best players in the world - and we will now have five players who have been world number one!"
Second seed Gaultier will meet Scot Alan Clyne in the first round and is expected to face Egypt's defending champion Ramy Ashour in the semi-finals. The 26-year-old from Aix-en-Provence is scheduled to line up against current world number one Karim Darwish, who is also from Egypt, in the final on Saturday 7 November.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Matthew plans Kuwait Comeback
Recently crowned British Open Champion Nick Matthew is capitalising on his enforced layoff from the PSA World Tour by focussing on next month's Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009, which will be staged at the Salmiya Club and Green Island Resort in Kuwait from the 1st to 7th November.
It was an ankle injury sustained in this month's Men's World Team Championship in Denmark that has forced the World No.5 to pull out of this week’s Hong Kong Open. The 29-year-old had been enjoying the best form of his career, winning the Gold Medal in the World Games in July and then winning the prestigious British Open crown for the second time in September.
Since twisting his ankle midway through an England qualifying tie against Germany which resulted in him being unable to take any further part in his country’s title defence, the English No.1 and British National Champion has been focussing on fitness work in the gym and will be back on court next week.
"It was a disappointment to pull out of Hong Kong – but I have been using the time to my advantage. In many ways, it's been a blessing," said the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 fifth seed.
Matthew is looking forward to his eighth appearance in the World Open since making his debut in the 2002 championship in Belgium. It was two years ago that he celebrated his best run in the event in Bermuda, where he reached the semi-finals.
"I'm looking forward to competing in the Kuwait World Open – I'm as confident as I can be," concluded the Englishman.
It was an ankle injury sustained in this month's Men's World Team Championship in Denmark that has forced the World No.5 to pull out of this week’s Hong Kong Open. The 29-year-old had been enjoying the best form of his career, winning the Gold Medal in the World Games in July and then winning the prestigious British Open crown for the second time in September.
Since twisting his ankle midway through an England qualifying tie against Germany which resulted in him being unable to take any further part in his country’s title defence, the English No.1 and British National Champion has been focussing on fitness work in the gym and will be back on court next week.
"It was a disappointment to pull out of Hong Kong – but I have been using the time to my advantage. In many ways, it's been a blessing," said the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 fifth seed.
Matthew is looking forward to his eighth appearance in the World Open since making his debut in the 2002 championship in Belgium. It was two years ago that he celebrated his best run in the event in Bermuda, where he reached the semi-finals.
"I'm looking forward to competing in the Kuwait World Open – I'm as confident as I can be," concluded the Englishman.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Darwish seeded to win maiden World Open title
Egypt's world number one Karim Darwish is seeded to win his maiden World Open squash title, according to the draw for the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009.
The $277k championship - the richest in the history of the men's professional game - features players from 24 nations, and will take place in Kuwait from 1-7 November.
Darwish, who has held the world's top ranking throughout 2009, is drawn to face Pakistan left-hander Mansoor Zaman, the world number 49 from Peshawar, in the first round.
The 28-year-old from Cairo, who was runner-up last year, will be boosted by his home town title triumph last week in the Sky Open, the first PSA Super Series Platinum event of the year.
The likely last sixteen clash which awaits the favourite is against England's former world number two James Willstrop, the 12th seed from Leeds who opens his 2009 campaign against fellow countryman Robbie Temple.
Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 champion who is the No8 seed, is Darwish's predicted quarter-final opponent - before the Cairo king takes on fellow countryman Amr Shabana in a possible semi-final. Shabana is a three-time win of the title - in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The 30-year-old left-hander from Giza will no doubt be hoping to maintain his 'odd-year' success in the championship in 2009.
France's Gregory Gaultier, runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is the event's second seed [although by the time of the event he will have become world number one] and the candidate expected to face Darwish in the final. The 26-year-old world number two from Aix-en-Provence, who stretched Darwish to five games in last week's Sky Open final, opens his Kuwait campaign against Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne - and is expected to line up against Englishman Nick Matthew, the British Open champion who is ranked five in the world, in the quarter-finals.
The other semi-final predicted by the draw would see Gaultier take on Egypt's world No4 Ramy Ashour, the defending champion from Cairo. The pair staged a mighty last four clash last week in Cairo, with the Frenchman ultimately emerging successful in five games, after 70 minutes.
Australia's David Palmer is another former champion who represents a formidable threat. Winner of the title in 2002 and 2006, the US-based world No6 is in Shabana's quarter of the draw - and faces French qualifier Julien Balbo in the opening round.
Wildcard Abdullah Almezayen, the Kuwaiti number one, has been drawn to face Omar Mosaad of Egypt, the 25th seed.Darwish seeded to win maiden
World Open title in Kuwait ...
Egypt's world number one Karim Darwish is seeded to win his maiden World Open squash title, according to the draw for the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009.
The $277k championship - the richest in the history of the men's professional game - features players from 24 nations, and will take place in Kuwait from 1-7 November.
Darwish, who has held the world's top ranking throughout 2009, is drawn to face Pakistan left-hander Mansoor Zaman, the world number 49 from Peshawar, in the first round.
The 28-year-old from Cairo, who was runner-up last year, will be boosted by his home town title triumph last week in the Sky Open, the first PSA Super Series Platinum event of the year.
The likely last sixteen clash which awaits the favourite is against England's former world number two James Willstrop, the 12th seed from Leeds who opens his 2009 campaign against fellow countryman Robbie Temple.
Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 champion who is the No8 seed, is Darwish's predicted quarter-final opponent - before the Cairo king takes on fellow countryman Amr Shabana in a possible semi-final. Shabana is a three-time win of the title - in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The 30-year-old left-hander from Giza will no doubt be hoping to maintain his 'odd-year' success in the championship in 2009.
France's Gregory Gaultier, runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is the event's second seed [although by the time of the event he will have become world number one] and the candidate expected to face Darwish in the final. The 26-year-old world number two from Aix-en-Provence, who stretched Darwish to five games in last week's Sky Open final, opens his Kuwait campaign against Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne - and is expected to line up against Englishman Nick Matthew, the British Open champion who is ranked five in the world, in the quarter-finals.
The other semi-final predicted by the draw would see Gaultier take on Egypt's world No4 Ramy Ashour, the defending champion from Cairo. The pair staged a mighty last four clash last week in Cairo, with the Frenchman ultimately emerging successful in five games, after 70 minutes.
Australia's David Palmer is another former champion who represents a formidable threat. Winner of the title in 2002 and 2006, the US-based world No6 is in Shabana's quarter of the draw - and faces French qualifier Julien Balbo in the opening round.
Wildcard Abdullah Almezayen, the Kuwaiti number one, has been drawn to face Omar Mosaad of Egypt, the 25th seed.
The $277k championship - the richest in the history of the men's professional game - features players from 24 nations, and will take place in Kuwait from 1-7 November.
Darwish, who has held the world's top ranking throughout 2009, is drawn to face Pakistan left-hander Mansoor Zaman, the world number 49 from Peshawar, in the first round.
The 28-year-old from Cairo, who was runner-up last year, will be boosted by his home town title triumph last week in the Sky Open, the first PSA Super Series Platinum event of the year.
The likely last sixteen clash which awaits the favourite is against England's former world number two James Willstrop, the 12th seed from Leeds who opens his 2009 campaign against fellow countryman Robbie Temple.
Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 champion who is the No8 seed, is Darwish's predicted quarter-final opponent - before the Cairo king takes on fellow countryman Amr Shabana in a possible semi-final. Shabana is a three-time win of the title - in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The 30-year-old left-hander from Giza will no doubt be hoping to maintain his 'odd-year' success in the championship in 2009.
France's Gregory Gaultier, runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is the event's second seed [although by the time of the event he will have become world number one] and the candidate expected to face Darwish in the final. The 26-year-old world number two from Aix-en-Provence, who stretched Darwish to five games in last week's Sky Open final, opens his Kuwait campaign against Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne - and is expected to line up against Englishman Nick Matthew, the British Open champion who is ranked five in the world, in the quarter-finals.
The other semi-final predicted by the draw would see Gaultier take on Egypt's world No4 Ramy Ashour, the defending champion from Cairo. The pair staged a mighty last four clash last week in Cairo, with the Frenchman ultimately emerging successful in five games, after 70 minutes.
Australia's David Palmer is another former champion who represents a formidable threat. Winner of the title in 2002 and 2006, the US-based world No6 is in Shabana's quarter of the draw - and faces French qualifier Julien Balbo in the opening round.
Wildcard Abdullah Almezayen, the Kuwaiti number one, has been drawn to face Omar Mosaad of Egypt, the 25th seed.Darwish seeded to win maiden
World Open title in Kuwait ...
Egypt's world number one Karim Darwish is seeded to win his maiden World Open squash title, according to the draw for the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009.
The $277k championship - the richest in the history of the men's professional game - features players from 24 nations, and will take place in Kuwait from 1-7 November.
Darwish, who has held the world's top ranking throughout 2009, is drawn to face Pakistan left-hander Mansoor Zaman, the world number 49 from Peshawar, in the first round.
The 28-year-old from Cairo, who was runner-up last year, will be boosted by his home town title triumph last week in the Sky Open, the first PSA Super Series Platinum event of the year.
The likely last sixteen clash which awaits the favourite is against England's former world number two James Willstrop, the 12th seed from Leeds who opens his 2009 campaign against fellow countryman Robbie Temple.
Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the 2004 champion who is the No8 seed, is Darwish's predicted quarter-final opponent - before the Cairo king takes on fellow countryman Amr Shabana in a possible semi-final. Shabana is a three-time win of the title - in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The 30-year-old left-hander from Giza will no doubt be hoping to maintain his 'odd-year' success in the championship in 2009.
France's Gregory Gaultier, runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is the event's second seed [although by the time of the event he will have become world number one] and the candidate expected to face Darwish in the final. The 26-year-old world number two from Aix-en-Provence, who stretched Darwish to five games in last week's Sky Open final, opens his Kuwait campaign against Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne - and is expected to line up against Englishman Nick Matthew, the British Open champion who is ranked five in the world, in the quarter-finals.
The other semi-final predicted by the draw would see Gaultier take on Egypt's world No4 Ramy Ashour, the defending champion from Cairo. The pair staged a mighty last four clash last week in Cairo, with the Frenchman ultimately emerging successful in five games, after 70 minutes.
Australia's David Palmer is another former champion who represents a formidable threat. Winner of the title in 2002 and 2006, the US-based world No6 is in Shabana's quarter of the draw - and faces French qualifier Julien Balbo in the opening round.
Wildcard Abdullah Almezayen, the Kuwaiti number one, has been drawn to face Omar Mosaad of Egypt, the 25th seed.
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