Egyptians top seeds in both events
By NATHAN CLARKE
Philadelphia’s Drexel University will once again play host to the prestigious 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open – the second tournament on the 2016/17 PSA Road To Dubai – this October (6-15) when 112 of the world’s best squash players will descend on the city for the PSA World Series tournament.
For the fourth consecutive year the U.S. Open will offer equal prize money for men and women, with $150,000 on offer in each draw, and will be headlined by World No.1s Mohamed ElShorbagy – the 2014 winner – and Nour El Sherbini, the 20-year-old Egyptian World Champion.
El Sherbini headlines a stellar Women’s field that will also include USA’s top stars Amanda and Sabrina Sobhy. Fresh from reaching the final of the Hong Kong Open, the first event of the new season, Amanda will be hoping to keep her form going and claim a maiden World Series title while Sabrina, the second year Harvard student, will hope to consolidate her position as a top 100 player as she combines studies with limited professional events.
Also competing in a standout field will be defending champion Laura Massaro, three-time champion Nicol David and former World No.1 Raneem El Welily while the men’s draw will see the former champions returning with ElShorbagy joined by 2007 winner Nick Matthew and 2015 winner Gregory Gaultier, the Frenchman who also holds the World Champion title.
American Chris Gordon occupies the men’s main draw wild card position and will hope to go one better than his first round exit here twelve months ago and will find out his first round opponent on Wednesday September 14, when the full draw is set to be released.
2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open, Drexel University, Philadelphia.
Men’s Entry List:
1) Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)
2) Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
3) Omar Mosaad (EGY)
4) Nick Matthew (ENG)
5) Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
6) Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
7) Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
8) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
9) Ali Farag (EGY)
10) Tarek Momen (EGY)
11) Simon Rösner (GER)
12) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
13) Cameron Pilley (AUS)
14) Fares Dessouky (EGY)
15) Max Lee (HKG)
16) James Willstrop (ENG)
18) Mazen Hesham (EGY)
19) Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
20 Chris Simpson (ENG)
21) Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
22) Leo Au (HKG)
23) Tom Richards (ENG)
WildCard) Christopher Gordon (USA)
Women’s Entry List:
1) Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
2) Laura Massaro (ENG)
3) Nicol David (MAS)
4) Nouran Gohar (EGY)
5) Raneem El Welily (EGY)
6) Camille Serme (FRA)
7) Amanda Sobhy (USA)
8) Alison Waters (ENG)
9) Joshna Chinappa (IND)
10) Joelle King (NZL)
11) Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
12) Annie Au (HKG)
13) Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
14) Emily Whitlock (ENG)
15) Victoria Lust (ENG)
16) Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
17) Delia Arnold (MAS)
18) Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND)
19) Joey Chan (HKG)
20) Donna Urquhart (AUS)
21) Heba El Torky (EGY)
22) Rachael Grinham (AUS)
23) Line Hansen (DEN)
WildCard) Sabrina Sobhy (USA)
Tickets for the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open are now available to buy online by visiting http://www.usopensquash.com/tickets/ with tickets priced from $25to- $250. For further information on the U.S. Open go to http://www.usopensquash.com
Pictures by US Open courtesy of PSA