04/06/2004
WISPA brings first squash event to China
to China Shanghai will host the first international squash event ever to be held on mainland China in November ...
wispa shanghai announcement
WISPA Brings First Squash Event To China
Shanghai will host the first international squash event ever to be held
in mainland China when the world's top women compete in a WISPA Gold
event in one of the world's biggest cities in November.
Details of the Shanghai WorldStars Women's Squash Championship were
revealed at a press conference at the Shanghai Jinqiao Megafit Sports
Club, held during the Women's International Squash Players' Association
promotional visit to the city which is being led by Australia's world
No2 Rachael Grinham and Malaysia's Asian No1 and world No8 Nicol David.
The $43,500 event will be hosted by the Shanghai Sports Commission in
conjunction with the Chinese Squash Association from 16-21
November. After early rounds at the city's superbly-appointed
five-court Megafit Sports Club, the final rounds will be played on an
all-glass court erected on the stunning Bund waterfront.
"Pictured during
the WISPA Promotional Tour of
China at the famous Shanghai Bund waterfront where the all-glass court
will stage the Shanghai WorldStars Women's Squash Championship in
November are (L to R): Karl Mak, Megafit Sports Club; World No2 Rachael
Grinham; Mr Deng Li, Chinese Squash Association; World No8 Nicol David;
and Andrew Shelley, WISPA Executive Director."
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The Shanghai WorldStars Championship, staged in what is expected to
become one of the sports' most spectacular settings, will be shown on
television across the world as part of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix TV
programming.
"We have been discussing this event for several months, and are
thrilled to be able to partner the authorities in Shanghai with a
double-headed opportunity to kick-start the development of squash here
in China," said WISPA Executive Director Andrew Shelley.
"In a few years, this country will undoubtedly be a major force in our
sport, and we will be able to look back at 2004 as a milestone with the
WISPA Promotional Tour here and in Beijing leading into the Shanghai
WorldStars Championship in this wonderfully vibrant city."
Mr Deng Li, representing the Chinese Squash Association, expressed his
enthusiasm for the new event and the support from WISPA: "We will
make every effort to make the first ever major tournament in China a
most successful Tour event - and we hope that events like this, which
will bring top squash players to our country, will inspire a new
generation of local players to grow with the sport."
Shanghai Sports Commission spokesman Mr Wu Xinmin was equally upbeat
about this pioneering squash initiative in the country which boasts a
population of more than 1.3 billion. "Shanghai is honoured to be
the first city in China to host such a high level event. We hope
that all participants and visitors will enjoy the squash action here as
well as the beautiful scene of the Bund."
Rachael Grinham added at the press conference: "We have been made
incredibly welcome here in Shanghai, and Nicol and I cannot wait to
come back. I am sure that this is the start of something very big
in our sport, and I am looking forward to being part of it."
The Shanghai WorldStars Championship will immediately join an
illustrious group of the world's most prestigious events on the WISPA
Gold Tour, including the World, British and US Opens, the Qatar
Classic, Brunei International, Kuwait Open, Qatar Airways Challenge and
Texas Open.
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