PSA Confirms second half of 2011 World Series Line-Up
It looks like another busy end to the year for the world’s leading players with the Professional Squash Association confirming the remaining events that will complete the top-tier PSA World Series calendar for 2011.
In addition to this will be the PSA’s premier annual championship, the World Open – the 33rd edition of which will take place in Dutch city of Rotterdam from 30 October to 6 November.
The PSA World Series, launched this year, features events which have prize-funds upwards of $115,000. These championships represent the pinnacle of the men’s game and are the main focus of the PSA’s global TV coverage provided by the online squash channel www.psasquashtv.com
The events form a series throughout the year that will produce eight players who will compete in the PSA World Series Finals.
Following the first two PSA World Series events of 2011 in the USA – the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York in January, won by Ramy Ashour, and the North American Open in Virginia in February, won by Nick Matthew, the Australian Open will celebrate its second year as a World Series event in Canberra, from 8-14 August.
The US Open, one of the oldest events in the world squash calendar, becomes a World Series event for the first time from 30 September to 6 October in Philadelphia. The championship returns to the largest city in Pennsylvania for the first time since 1993.
The Qatar capital Doha becomes the focus of World Series activity from 16-21 October with the tenth staging of the Qatar Classic – which is followed by the 25th edition of the Hong Kong Open from 15-20 November.
The Kuwait Open, from 24-29 November, leads to the final World Series event of the year, the Punj Lloyd PSA Mastersin India, from 12-18 December.
“We are delighted to have secured another great World Series line up for 2011,” said PSA CEO Alex Gough of the year’s elite programme of PSA events which boast a total prize-fund of $1,225,000. “The prize money is ever increasing and the standard of the events is improving all the time.
“Our event organisers have to be congratulated as we are looking at more and more commitment from them as we push the game forward in many areas. This year’s TV output and distribution will be the best yet and we are all looking forward to the players battling it out for this year’s PSA World Series title.”
Full 2011 PSA World Series calendar:
21-27 January JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, New York, USA
20-26 February North American Open, Richmond, Virginia, USA
08-14 August Australian Open, Canberra, Australia
19-25 September ROWE British Grand Prix, Manchester, England
30 Sept – 06 October US Open, Philadelphia, USA
16-21 October Qatar Classic, Doha, Qatar
15-20 November Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong
24-29 November Kuwait Open, Kuwait
12-18 December Punj Lloyd PSA Masters, India
