Sobhy To Star In 2016 Windy City Open by Nathan Clarke photo squashpics.com
January 20, 2016
- American squash star Amanda Sobhy will be hoping that home advantage
will allow her to make it second time lucky when she competes for the
2016 Windy City Open presented by Guggenheim Partners and EquiTrust
Life Insurance Company as part of a World Class field heading to the
University Club of Chicago from February 25—March 2 for the PSA World
Series tournament – now in its 35th year.
Sobhy, a
2015 Harvard graduate, produced an inspired performance during the
opening World Series tournament of 2016, the J.P. Morgan Tournament of
Champions in New York, as she stormed to a maiden World Series
tournament final but couldn’t make it over the final hurdle, falling to
Egyptian challenger Nour El Sherbini. The 22-year-old will be hoping to
make amends for that defeat when US Squash fans will be behind her once
again when the second major event of the year - and the second
consecutive World Series tournament to offer equal prize money for men
and women - gets underway on February 25.
Sobhy will
face stiff competition from a field that is headlined by the
experienced triumvirate of Laura Massaro, Raneem El Welily and Nicol
David - the trio who have dominated the PSA World Series over the past
few years and are currently embroiled in a fascinating three-way battle
to hold the World No.1 ranking spot currently occupied by Massaro.
In
the men’s draw top seed Mohamed Elshorbagy will be hot favourite to
continue his recent streak of dominance and collect a fourth
consecutive World Series tournament and his first Windy City Open crown.
The
Egyptian powerhouse successfully defending his Qatar Classic, Hong Kong
Open and Tournament of Champion titles inside the past three months and
will come into Chicago hoping to avenge his defeat to Nick Matthew in
the final 12 months ago, but with the likes of Cameron Pilley, Ryan
Cuskelly and Mazen Hesham upsetting the traditional names to reach
World Series semi-finals and finals at the back end of 2015,
25-year-old Elshorbagy won’t be able to take anything for granted.
“The
strength of the draws across both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments is
testament to just how competitive the PSA World Tour is at present and
we are looking forward to what promises to be another exciting
instalment of world class squash competition in Chicago,” said
Tournament Director John Flanigan.
“Our stunningly
unique venue in Cathedral Hall at the University Club of Chicago has
produced some thrilling and memorable matches over the past few years
and with the depth of talent on show and the plethora of upsets
currently abounding on tour, squash fans are certain to be treated to
more of the same this February.
“Guggenheim Partners
support for the third consecutive year, along with EquiTrust Life
Insurance Company, and all our other sponsors and patrons makes it
possible for us to host this world class professional event and we’re
delighted to be working with both partners again in 2016”
Draw - 2016 Women’s Guggenheim Partners Windy City Open, PSA World Series [1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v Line Hansen (DEN) Heba El Torky (EGY) v [9] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [16] Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [Qualifier] [WC] Olivia Blatchford (USA) v [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) [5] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [Qualifier] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [15] Delia Arnold (MAS) [12] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v [Qualifier] [Qualifier] v [3] Nicol David (MAS) [4] Camille Serme (FRA) v [Qualifier] Joey Chan (HKG) v [13] Low Wee Wern (MAS) [11] Joelle King (NZL) v Donna Urquhart (AUS) Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) v [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) [8] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Qualifier] Victoria Lust (ENG) v [14] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) [10] Annie Au (HKG) v [Qualifier] [Qualifier] v [2] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Draw - 2016 Men’s Guggenheim Partners Windy City Open, PSA World Series [1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [Qualifier] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Max Lee (HKG) [Qualifier] v [7] Simon Rösner (GER) [5] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v [Qualifier] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v [Qualifier] Tom Richards (ENG) v [Qualifier] Chris Simpson (ENG) v [3] Nick Matthew (ENG) [4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v James Willstrop (ENG) Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Qualifier] Daryl Selby (ENG) v Cameron Pilley (AUS) Ali Farag (EGY) v [6] Ramy Ashour (EGY) [8] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Mazen Hesham (EGY) Fares Dessouki (EGY) v [Qualifier] Borja Golan (ESP) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) [WC] Chris Hanson (USA) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
With
places at the season-ending PSA Dubai World Series Finals still also to
play for the Windy City Open promises to deliver another enthralling
instalment of World Series action, all of which will be available to
watch live and exclusive on SQUASHTV and Eurosport Player.
Tickets
for the 2016 Windy City Open presented by Guggenheim Partners and
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company starting at just $20 and can be
purchased at http://www.windycityopen.com
