May 13, 2011-The
popular Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada is preparing to welcome
many of the world’s top squash players – including five
former world number ones – who will compete in the 2011 Hurghada
International which gets underway on an all-glass showcourt on the
Promenade tomorrow (Saturday) following today’s completion of
qualifying in Cairo.
Egypt’s world No2 Ramy Ashour
is seeded to win the men’s PSA Tour International 70 event for
the fourth year in a row.
The
23-year-old former world No1 from Cairo, competing in his first Tour
event since finishing as runner-up in the North American Open in
February, will open his defence against compatriot Karim Abdel Gawad,
the 19-year-old world No43 who despatched fellow countryman Omar Abdel
Meguid 13-11, 11-7, 11-2 in today’s qualifying finals. Ashour is expected to meet second
seed Karim Darwish in a repeat of last year’s final. Also a
former world No1, Darwish too will line up against a qualifier –
Swiss number one Nicolas Mueller who edged out Italian Stephane Galifi
12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6. But the two Egyptian stars are
expected to face stiff competition from a pair of Frenchmen who have
also topped the world rankings: Gregory Gaultier and Thierry
Lincou are the third and fourth seeds, respectively – with world
No8 Lincou making his tour return after an injury layoff. Australia’s former world
number one Rachael Grinham and Egypt’s Omneya Abdel Kawy have
shared the women’s title for the past seven years – and are
seeded to face each other in the climax of the WISPA World Tour Silver
30 event. Top seed Grinham, winner three times
until 2007, faces Egyptian Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy in the opening round,
while second seed Abdel Kawy, looking for her fourth successive title,
will meet compatriot Salmy Hany, an 18-year-old qualifier who battled
for 75 minutes to overcome fellow Egyptian Merhan Amr Mahmoud 14-16,
11-3, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11 in today’s qualifying finals.
RESULTS: Hurghada International, Hurghada, Egypt
Men's qualifying finals:
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-9, 21-19, 11-3 (74m)
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 12-10, 11-7, 11-2 (38m)