The last time the Netherlands played host to a major women’s professional squash tournament was the 1989 Women’s World Open in Warmond. The Forexx Dutch Open aims to fix that in August when the WISPA tour blows into Amsterdam to play for $43,500. But the men won’t be left out in the cold as $20K will be up for grabs for them too. NEXT events—a joint venture between Topsquash Nederland, SquashLife and Stolwijk & Eichorn—is promoting the event.
Vanessa Atkinson—10-time defending Dutch National champion and former World No. 1—and current men’s Dutch National Champ, World No. 23 Laurens Jan Anjema, are elated with the prospect of winning a title at home. “I am very happy that we have a Dutch Open again,” Anjema said. “It’s good for the promotion of squash in the Netherlands, great for the Dutch players, and it gives me the chance to win in front of an enthusiastic home crowd instead of on the other side of the world!”