Further WSA Prize-Fund Boost Brings Parity For ToC by Howard Harding 13 December 2014
- Promoters of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions have confirmed
that the total prize-fund for the Women's Squash Association
championship in 2015 will nearly double in size to $118,000 to ensure
prize money parity for participants at the world's largest spectator
squash event which will be held in New York in January.
The 2015 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions will take place for the
18th year at New York's iconic Grand Central Terminal, from 16-23
January.
"Thanks to JP Morgan and their commitment to make the Tournament of
Champions a worldwide leader in squash, we are thrilled to make this
added commitment to the women's division for 2015 and to plan for prize
money parity and draw size equality in 2016 and beyond," confirmed
Tournament Chairman John Nimick, President of Event Engine, Inc.
The 2015 men's purse will pay $150,000 to 32 main draw players, while
the newly-increased women's purse will pay out to 20 players, ensuring
parity on a round-by-round basis.
WSA CEO Tommy Berden is delighted with the breakthrough news: "We are
very thankful to John Nimick and JP Morgan for their support and their
gigantic efforts to almost triple last year's prize money for the
women's draw.
"These are exciting times for women's squash and we are looking forward
to working even more extensively with John and JP Morgan in the future."
The Tournament of Champions has been a staple on the Professional
Squash Association (PSA) circuit since 1993 and is regularly watched by
more than 200,000 spectators during its week-long occupancy of Grand
Central's stunning Vanderbilt Hall. With entries confirmed, in both the
32 player men's and 16 player women's main draws, spectators can look
forward to an action-packed week of competition as the 2015
championships include virtually all of the top ranking players in the
world.
The 2015 WSA championship has already attracted 18 of the world's top
20 women, led by defending champion Nicol David, the world number one
from Malaysia, and including world No.2 Laura Massaro (ENG), No.3
Raneem El Welily (EGY), 4 Nour El Sherbini (EGY), 5 Alison Waters
(ENG), 6 Camille Serme (FRA), 7 Low Wee Wern (MAS), 8 Nour El Tayeb
(EGY), 9 Annie Au (HKG) and world No.10 Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY).
