After a 10-year absence, the Al-Ahram international squash tournament, also known as Al-Ahram Squash World Open, will once again be hosted at the Pyramids of Giza.
The decision was made following an agreement between the Professional Squash Association and the Egyptian Squash Association, presided by Assem Khalifa and promoter, Amr Mansi, managing director of I Events.
The tournament’s prize money this year will be $100,000, and the tournament will take place from 17-23 September.
Mansi said that celebrating these important squash events at tourist sites, such as this event at the Giza Pyramids or the El-Gouna International Squash Open is a useful method of promoting tourism in Egypt.
Khalifa expressed his happiness over Egypt resuming hosting one of the most distinguished squash events in the world. He considers this event one of the main reasons Egyptians excel in the sport.
Omar Mosaad, an Egyptian international squash champion, previously told Daily News Egypt: “I think [the Al-Ahram squash tournament] did not only inspire me, but it inspired the majority of Egyptian squash players from my generation, including Ramy Ashour, Mohamed El-Shorbagy, Raneem El-Welily, and Omneya Abdel Kawy.”
Mosaad added, “The Al-Ahram Squash World Open was among the most important international and annual squash championships.”
Champions of this tournament in previous years include Egyptian player Ahmed Barada, Pakistani player Jansher Khan, and Scottish player Peter Nicol.
Nicol played for Scotland until March 2001, after which he played for England.
At the first Al-Ahram tournament held in 1996, Barada finished second, losing to Khan who became the 1996 tournament’s champion. Scores of the final match were 15-4, 15-11, 15-8, and the final score was 3-0.
The tournament’s champion in 1997 was Nicol after defeating runner up Khan. Khan lost the final to Nicol with the scores of 12-15, 15-14, 15-12, 15-11, and the final score of 3-1.
In 1998, Barada surprised the world when he won the tournament, with Martin Heath coming in as the runner-up.
Nicol once again took the championship in 200 after defeating Barada in the finals, with the scores of 15-14, 9-15, 15-3, 15-12, and the final score of 3-1.
For the second consecutive year, Nicol won the 2001 Al-Ahram tournament, defeating Canadian Jonathon Tyler Power in the finals, with scores of 15-8, 17-15, 15-12, and the final score of 3-0.
Australian female players dominated the squash women competitions, as Australian player Sarah Fitz-Gerald was the champion in 1997 and 2001, defeating her compatriot Michelle Susan Martin in the 1997 final with scores of 9-3, 9-3, 9-0, and the final score of 3-0. In the 2001 final Fitz-Gerald beat England’s Cassie Campion, 9-3, 9-1, 9-1, and the final score of 3-0.
In 1998’s final, Australian Michelle Martin won against England’s Cassie Jackman, with scores of 9-5, 9-3, 9-2, and the final score of 3-0.
The 2000 Al-Ahram victory went for New Zealand’s Leilani Joyce, who defeated Carol Owens in the final, with scores of 8-10, 9-7, 9-5, 3-9, 9-5, and the final score of 3-2.
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