Mohamed Elshorbagy targets first New York title, but Ramy Ashour will be after a fourth ToC triumph
By NATHAN CLARKE – Squash Mad PSA Correspondent
Egyptian World No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy will head a star-studded field when the 2015 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, PSA World Series event, gets under way in the iconic location of Grand Central Terminal in New York on Friday, January 16.
The biggest spectator squash event in the world, the Tournament of Champions has been a staple on the PSA circuit since 1993 and is regularly watched by over 200,000 spectators during its week-long occupancy of Grand Central’s stunning Vanderbilt Hall. Fans will be treated to yet more world-class action in 2015 when 32 of the world’s best players will descend on the ‘Big Apple’.
Elshorbagy is joined in the line-up by the man who beat him to the 2014 PSA World Squash Championship title, World No.5 Ramy Ashour, who will be gunning for his fourth ToC title, alongside the likes of four-time World Champion and defending Tournament of Champions title-holder Amr Shabana, three-time World Champion Nick Matthew from England and Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, winner of the 2009 title.
With the top 18 PSA-ranking players, and 23 of the world’s top 25 entered in the main draw, the 2015 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions will see the PSA World Series get off to a blockbuster start in one of the most impressive venues in the world of sports.
“The J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions has always been an extraordinary championship because of the depth of the draw, and 2015 entry list is exceptional. We are looking forward to an exhilarating and intense week of competition here in New York,” said tournament promoter John Nimick, President of Event Engine, Inc.
“Then 34-year-old Amr Shabana showed us just how tight the competition is on the PSA World Tour is when he secured a stunning victory here last year to win his third Tournament of Champions title. With the level set to be even higher in 2015, there is no venue better suited than the spectacular Grand Central Terminal to showcase that competition.”
2015 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions – Entry List and seedings:
(1) Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) – World No.1
(2) Gregory Gaultier (FRA) – World No.2
(3) Nick Matthew (ENG) – World No.3
(4) Amr Shabana (EGY) – World No.4
(5) Ramy Ashour (EGY) – World No.5
(6) Peter Barker (ENG) – World No.6
(7) Borja Golan (ESP) – World No.7
(8) James Willstrop (ENG) – World No.8
(9) Tarek Momen (EGY) – World No.9
(10) Simon Rösner (GER) – World No.10
(11) Omar Mosaad (EGY) – World No.11
(12) Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) – World No.12
(13) Daryl Selby (ENG) – World No.13
(14) Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) – World No.14
(15) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) – World No.15
(16) Max Lee (HKG) – World No.16
(17) Nicolas Mueller (SUI) – World No.17
(18) Cameron Pilley (AUS) – World No.18
(19) Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) – World No.19
(20) Stephen Coppinger (RSA) – World No.21
(21) Chris Simpson (ENG) – World No.22
(22) Saurav Ghosal (IND) – World No.23
(23) Alister Walker (BOT) – World No.25
(24) Wildcard) Todd Harrity (USA) – World No.73
Tickets for the 2015 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions range in price from $8 to $170 and may be purchased at www.tocsquash.com. Patron packages are also available at www.tocsquash.com.
Picture by