World's Top Stars Confirmed For World Team Championship In Canada by Howard Harding 11 November 2014 -
A star-studded line-up representing 20 nations - featuring the entire
world top ten - will compete in next month's SHOP.CA Women's WSF World
Team Squash Championship in Canada, according to the finalised squads
confirmed today by the World Squash Federation.
Defending champions Egypt have revealed a formidable line-up boasting
four players within the world top 11 - and are likely to be named as
favourites to retain the title in the 19th staging of the biennial
championship at White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa in
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, from 1-6 December.
Led by world No3 Raneem El Welily, the Egyptian squad also includes
Nour El Sherbini (world No4), Nour El Tayeb (8) and experienced
campaigner Omneya Abdel Kawy (11)
Nicol David, who this month celebrated an unprecedented 100th
successive month at the top of the world rankings, leads Malaysia for
the seventh successive time since 2002 - hoping to improve on her
country's bronze medal finish for the past four times and win the only
major title which has so far eluded her.
David, unbeaten in the event in 27 matches over the past ten years,
will be supported by world No7 Low Wee Wern, together with Delia Arnold
and Zulhijjah Binti Azan.
Hosts Canada will be led by the country's two-time champion Samantha
Cornett, the world No30 making her third appearance in the
championship. The country will be hoping that home advantage will take
the team into the last eight for the first time since 2000.
Ottawa-based 23-year-old Cornett will be partnered by Nationals
runner-up Danielle Letourneau, Toronto-based Nikki Todd and 20-year-old
Hollie Naughton.
USA will also field a powerful squad, led by Amanda Sobhy, the
21-year-old Harvard University student whose career-high world No10
ranking cements her status as the country's highest-ranked home-grown
player of all-time. Sobhy will be supported by younger sister Sabrina
Sobhy, the in-form 21-year-old Olivia Blatchford and South
Africa-raised former world No1 Natalie Grainger.
2012 runners-up England, the six-time former champions who have only
once in the 35-year history of the championships finished outside the
top two, will be led by world champion Laura Massaro, the world No2.
With world No5 Alison Waters at second string, the squad will also
feature two event debutantes - Sarah-Jane Perry and Emma Beddoes,
ranked 17 & 18, respectively, in the world.
"There is considerable depth at this year's SHOP.CA Women's World Team
Squash Championship with the top 10 players in the world
participating," commented Squash Canada Executive Director and
Championship Director Danny Da Costa. "Egypt, England and Malaysia are
all strong contenders for the title - however we feel our Canadian
girls can challenge for a top eight placing at this year's event.
"Hosting the SHOP.CA Women's World Team Squash Championship gives
Canada an unique opportunity to showcase the best female players in the
world and, by doing so, we feel it presents an opportunity to grow the
game of squash in Canada.
"One of our main focuses of this year's event was to promote women in
sport and women in leadership positions and by hosting this event we
can create an opportunity to have more girls playing, coaching and
officiating squash across all levels of our development pathway."
Guatemala will be making their maiden appearance in the championship,
the full line-up of which also includes Australia, Austria, Canada,
China, Colombia, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong China,
India, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, USA
and Wales.
