Gawad Determined to Fulfil Great Pyramid of Giza Dream at Al Ahram Open by Sean Reuthe
photo PSA
September 16, 2016-
Egyptian World No.6 Karim Abdel Gawad has admitted that the prospect of
playing in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza - one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World - at next week’s Al Ahram Squash Open
NEWGIZA will be like a dream come true.
The Al Ahram Open is featured on the PSA World Tour calendar for the
first time since 2001 and gets under way on Monday September 19 as
squash returns to the iconic setting of the Great Pyramid of Giza for
the first time in a decade.
Gawad, who last month reached a maiden World Series final at the Cathay
Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, will begin his
tournament against a qualifier away from the showpiece glass court, and
the Alexandria-born 25-year-old says that will give him extra
motivation as he looks to achieve a quarter-final berth, which will
secure him a place on the glass court.
"I'm very, very excited, I have been dreaming of playing there for 14 years," said Gawad.
"I remember being 10 years old, being in the crowd watching and just
wanting to hit at least one shot on that court more than anything else.
"The first round for me isn't on that court, so that's a big pressure
and a big incentive. I really want to win that first match so I can
make it to the glass court. I will do everything I can to make it to
that venue because it is such a motivation.
"I remember watching [four-time World Champion Amr] Shabana and
[Current World Champion Gregory] Gaultier playing there in 2006, and
the whole crowd was behind Shabana. He lost and I remember being crazy
about him at that time and I was so disappointed that he lost that I
didn’t watch any more of the tournament."
Qualifying for the Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA begins on Saturday
September 17, with the main draw starting two days later and lasting
until Friday September 23.
The world’s greatest players, such as Men’s World No.1 Mohamed
ElShorbagy, World Championship runner-up Omar Mosaad and World No.5
Ramy Ashour headline a top-class Men’s draw.
A Women’s tournament, with a $100,000 prize purse equal to that on
offer in the Men’s event, is also included and sees the likes of World
No.1 Nour El Sherbini, eight-time World Champion Nicol David and former
World No.5 Raneem El Welily all battle it out for honours in Cairo.
