‘I feel privileged to be among these guys and I know I need to start well’
By SEAN REUTHE
Germany’s Simon Rösner is relishing a return to Dubai as the World No.6 heads to the emirate for the season-ending ATCO PSA Dubai World Series Finals between June 5-9, which will be contested by the world’s top eight male and female players at Emirates Golf Club.
Courtesy of a stunning title victory at January’s J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York, which saw him become the first German player in history to win a World Series title, Rösner came fourth on the men’s PSA World Series Standings, which makes him the highest non-Egyptian seed in the men’s event.
The 30-year-old will make his third appearance in Dubai after he reached the semi-finals of last year’s tournament at Dubai Opera and bowed out of the group stage two years ago at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, and he is excited to compete at a new venue.
“Dubai has always done a great job in hosting us and this year its going to be the golf club, which will be interesting,” said Rösner.
“It’s a good idea to put it there, it’s going to be a different venue to the last two years and I’m looking forward to that. It’s a cool tournament, it’s very enjoyable and it’s a tournament where you don’t have too much pressure on yourself because you are already in the top eight.
“You are just trying to enjoy every minute of it. That’s what I did last year and that’s why I played well, and I’m trying to repeat that this time and hopefully get even further.”
The World Series Finals is a unique tournament given the fact that the world’s top eight players are up against each other right from day one, while players will do battle in a round-robin best-of-three games group stage as they aim to qualify for the knockout semi-finals and beyond.
Rösner has been drawn in Group B and is the only non-Egyptian competitor in that group as he gets set to pit his wits against World No.2 Ali Farag, World No.5 Tarek Momen and former World No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad.
Paderborn-based Rösner is eyeing up a strong start to the tournament, saying: “It’s a big occasion for us and I feel privileged to be amongst those players. It’s a tournament you go straight in and play maybe No.2 or No.1 or No.3 in the world in the first match.
“All the players are up there and it’s a tournament where you have to start right from the first point and then with the best of three format that adds to that as well.
“Being in the top eight players in the world is a big thing, you’re not thinking about it too much while you are playing tournaments but it’s still in the back of your mind that you want to make Dubai and be battling it out with the big guns.
“It’s a really enjoyable tournament and I’m looking forward to it.”
Rösner begins his tournament against Gawad at 15:45 on the opening day, with group stage matches taking place at 15:00, 15:45, 16:30 and 17:15 (Group B) and 20:00, 20:45, 21:30 and 22:15 (Group A) between June 5-7. All times are local GMT+4.
The semi-finals are due to take place from 20:00 on June 8, while the finals will commence at 20:00 on June 9.
Every fixture will be shown live on SQUASHTV (Rest of World) and Eurosport Player (Europe only), while the semi-finals and finals will be broadcast live on mainstream channels across the globe, including BT Sport, beIN Sports, Fox Sports Australia and Astro.
Tickets for the World Series Finals can be purchased via Platinumlist
Tournament website: www.worldseriesfinals.com
Article by SEAN REUTHE (PSA PR and Media Manager). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Pictures by PATRICK LAUSON and PSA