Wadi Degla Clubs has finalised its preparations for the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Squash Championship and Wadi Degla International Women’s Squash Championship as it is hosting and organising both events, which will take place at Wadi Degla El-Nakhil, New Cairo, from 25 October to 4 November.
Karim Darwish, sports director at Wadi Degla Clubs, commented that the events of both championships will be launched at the same time. The first stages of men’s and women’s championships will start on 25 October, while the semi-finals and final matches will take place on 3 and 4 November.
Darwish, a former squash player who was previously ranked first internationally, said the two championships’ matches will be scheduled so they do not clash, giving the audience the chance to enjoy the squash matches at these two prestigious international squash championships.
At the men’s championship, 128 internationally ranked players representing 40 countries will play, including top Egyptian squash player Mohamed El-Shorbagy, who is ranked first internationally.
Other top-ranked players in the Professional Squash Association’s (PSA) international ranking, who are participating in the tournament, include: French Grégory Gaultier ranked second; Egyptian Omar Mosaad ranked third; English Nicholas Matthew ranked fifth; Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad ranked fourth; Marwan El-Shorbagy ranked seventh; and Ramy Ashour ranked eight.
Other internationally ranked male squash players will be playing at this prestigious championship, including sportsmen from the following countries: Egypt, Colombia, Germany, Australia, Spain, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, Mexico, Malaysia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Scotland, Peru, Pakistan, and Finland.
As for the women’s championship, 64 internationally ranked players will compete, with Malaysian Nicol David being the highest ranked at third by the PSA, including: Wadi Degla Clubs player Egyptian Nouran Gohar ranked fourth, as well as Egyptian and Wadi Degla Clubs champion Raneem El-Welily ranked fifth.
This is in addition to Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy ranked eighth; Egyptian Nour El-Tayb ranked 10th; Malaysian Delia Arnold ranked 15th; and Indian Dipika Pallikal Karthik ranked 19th; Australian Donna Urquhart ranked 21st; Egyptian Heba el-Torky ranked 23rd; Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling ranked 28th; and Egyptian Amina Yousry ranked 41st.
Wadi Degla Clubs president Hassan El-Mestikawy said: “We are working on presenting two international championships, organised in the best way, especially as it is the first time for the PSA to give a club the honour of organising the Men’s World Squash Championship, rather than an association or a federation of a specific country.”
El-Mestikawy also commented that Wadi Degla Clubs prepared seven courts for training, in addition to the principal glass court which will host the two championships and which was constructed according to the highest international standards. “Wadi Degla Clubs is preparing more than 1,300 seats for the audience who will include the clubs’ members and non-members, to enjoy the championships’ events,” he added.
Wadi Degla El-Nakhil owns many sports establishments that were constructed according to the highest standards, including 14 squash courts, out of 60 squash courts located across the five Wadi Degla Clubs in Cairo.
