Canary Wharf Classic 2014: Darwish Leads Egyptian Charge by Alan Thatcher February 7, 2014 - Egyptian legend Karim Darwish makes his debut appearance in next month’s star-studded Canary Wharf Squash Classic.
Darwish, the
32-year-old current world No.8, is one of the most stylish players in
the game. He is one of five top-ten players in the draw for this PSA
World Tour International 50 event which takes place at the East
Wintergarden from March 24-28.
Former world number
one Darwish, from Cairo, will be aiming to become the first Egyptian
winner of London’s favourite squash tournament. Tickets sold out last
week and organisers are predicting one of the most entertaining
competitions in the event’s 11-year history.
Darwish is joined in
the draw by two other Egyptian aces, Omar Mosaad and Karim Abdel Gawad.
Mosaad is placed 13 in the PSA world rankings with Gawad four spots
below him.
Mosaad, one of the
tallest players on the PSA World Tour, has a phenomenal reach and
possesses a powerful, attacking style. Gawad has a more slender
physique but is no less ruthless and this week celebrated his seventh
PSA title by beating former England international Alister Walker, now
representing Namibia, in the final of the Pittsburgh Open.
The Canary Wharf
Classic follows a run of major events in America, with England’s top
two seeds Nick Matthew and reigning champion James Willstrop keen to
hit peak form for the event.
Tournament Director
Tim Garner said: “We are delighted to welcome back Nick and James, and
local favourites Peter Barker and Daryl Selby make it four Englishmen
from the world top ten.
“James won his fourth
Canary Wharf title last year, and although Nick was disappointed to
lose in the semi-finals he used that as a springboard for a great run
of form later in the year that took him to his third world title in
Manchester.
“The quality of the
draw this year is outstanding with three players who have been world
number one and six who are or have been their national number one.”
Adding international
flavour to the event are German No.1 Simon Rosner, Colombia’s
incredibly athletic Miguel Angel Rodriguez, and India’s Saurav Ghosal.
Londoner Adrian Grant
makes it five Englishmen in the main draw, with the wild card being
awarded to Alan Clyne as a major boost ahead of the Commonwealth Games
in Glasgow.
TICKETS:
With all tickets sold
out, a waiting list is being set up should any tickets be returned.To
add your name to this list, please email cw@eventis-sports.com
CORPORATE HOSPITALITY:
The fabulous East
Wintergarden offers superb opportunities for corporate hospitality, and
with the gallery restaurant offering “the best view of squash anywhere
in the world” according to former world champion Peter Nicol. Superb packages are
available, enabling spectators to wine, dine and watch all the gripping
squash action from the Gallery restaurant within the East Wintergarden.
Full details from Tim Garner at Eventis Sports Marketing Telephone: 07973 817468. Email: tgarner@eventis-sports.com
QUALIFYING COMPETITION:
The qualifying
competition takes place at Wimbledon Racquets and Fitness Club over the
weekend of March 22-23 with four winners joining the top 12 seeds in
the main draw.
Event website: www.canarywharfsquash.com
Host Sponsor: Canary Wharf Group plc
The Canary Wharf Squash Classic at the East Wintergarden is jointly promoted by Eventis Sports Marketing and SquashUK.
Tournament Dates: March 24-28, 2014
Venue: East Wintergarden, Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14
Media information from Alan Thatcher
Text or telephone: 07971 639829. Email: alan@squashuk.com
About Canary Wharf Group plc (CWG)
Canary Wharf Group plc
(CWG) has achieved one of the greatest feats of civic transformation –
an iconic urban regeneration, designing and constructing over 16
million square feet of office and retail space across its 97-acre East
London Estate. Canary Wharf’s
world-class Arts & Events programme includes over 100 events each
year and more than 60 art works by 45 artists and designers are found
throughout the Estate. Temporary art exhibitions run throughout the
year, with recent exhibitors including Peter Randall-Page, Phillip King
and Phyllida Barlow.
CWG won the Christie’s
Award for Best Corporate Art Collection and Programme at the
International Art and Work Awards in November 2010, beating entries
from around the world.
There are more than
280 shops, bars and restaurants at Canary Wharf. Recent openings
include Bobbi Brown, Kiehl’s, bridal store Les Trois Soeurs and Oliver
Bonas. A further 25 shops have been added to Jubilee Place including
Michael Kors, Banana Republic, Asics, Godiva, Cos, Pretty Ballerinas
and Orlebar Brown. Ten new bars and restaurants opened in the past
three years to critical acclaim, creating hundreds of jobs.
20% of the Estate is
landscaped parks, plazas and walkways with over 1,000 trees, 88 floral
species and each year 70,000 seasonal plants are planted.
Canary Wharf also has
one of Britain’s highest concentrations of ‘green’ roofs, reducing
energy use and encouraging biodiversity.
More than 100,000 people work at Canary Wharf, with the population projected to double by 2025.
Canary Wharf Group plc (CWG) is an integrated property development, investment and management group of companies.
