‘Playing at the Pyramids is huge for us Egyptians’
By SEAN REUTHE – Squash Mad Correspondent
World Junior Champion Nouran Gohar is eagerly anticipating the upcoming Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA, where the world’s leading players will compete in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, for the first time in a decade between September 19-23.
The tournament, which features an equal $100,000 prize purse in both the Men’s and Women’s events, is held in Cairo, Egypt and makes its return to the PSA World Tour after a 15-year hiatus.
Gohar, 18, followed up a breakthrough 2015/16 season with victory at the first World Series tournament of the new campaign, the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, and says that she is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Egyptian former World No.2 Ahmed Barada, who lifted the title on home soil back in 1998.
“I’m so excited, I can’t wait to play in front of the Pyramids,” said World No.4 Gohar.
“There’s so much motivation to play there for all Egyptian players. It’s so huge for us, Ahmed Barada was like a superhero in Egypt and he was so well known because of this tournament. So for us now to have that chance to play there is huge.
“I know it will be a great event and hopefully I can do well in it in front of my home crowd.”
The qualification rounds for the Al Ahram Squash Open NEWGIZA begin on Saturday September 17th, while the main draw gets under way two days later and sees Gohar pitted against World No.12 Nour El Tayeb in round one.
The likes of World No.1 Nour El Sherbini, eight-time World Champion Nicol David and former World No.5 Raneem El Welily also feature in a world-class Women’s draw, with Men’s World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, World Championship runner-up Omar Mosaad and World No.5 Ramy Ashour headlining the Men’s event.
Tickets can be purchased from the following website and start from 250 EGP: http://www.ticketsmarche.com/se_1858_al-ahram-international-squash-.html
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Pictures courtesy of PSA