It wasn’t long ago that Pakistan dominated the men’s professional squash tour, though predominantly with just the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 players in the form of the two JKs. But in case you haven’t been paying attention of late, the Egyptian men have somewhat of a stranglehold on the tour now—not only at the top two spots, but four of the top-10 players call Egypt home.
One byproduct of the Egyptian rise to the top is the birth of new tournaments. And we’re not just talking small stuff. Try Super Series Platinum status with the new SKY Petrosport Open boasting $130,000 in prize money! Being held at the new SKY Club in Cairo, June 13-20, 2008, the Petrosport Open will be the first of a planned series of three annual events.
“This is wonderful news for the ever-growing men’s squash tour and highlights not only the status of squash in Egypt, but also the major impact Egyptian squash is having on the world stage,” said PSA Interim Chief Executive Ted Wallbutton.
Three-and-a-half hours by plane from Cairo is Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The PSA has also landed a Super Series Platinum event there. The $125,000 Abu Dhabi Open will take place December 6-11, 2008.
The two events bring the total number of Super Series events for 2008 to eight, and five of them will offer prize money in excess of $100,000.
