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Squash 2020 website:
www.squash2020.com
Agassi, Clijsters & Edberg Join Tennis Elite In Support Of Squash
Olympic Bid
Andre Agassi,
Kim Clijsters and Stefan Edberg have followed fellow
tennis legend Roger Federer in backing Squash to be added
to the Olympic Games programme in 2020.
"Squash is absolutely one of the best/toughest sports," said Agassi, the
eight-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medallist in 1996. "The
Games would be proud!"
Federer was one of the first leading tennis players to pledge support
for his fellow racket sport: "I think it's a wonderful sport. It's
unfortunate some sports don't get the opportunity to be in the Olympics
- I think squash would deserve it."
Since
then, fellow stars Agassi, Clijsters and Edberg have also given Squash
their backing.
"I
think Squash would be a great addition to the Olympic Games," said
Clijsters, one of the greatest ever players in the women's game who won
41 WTA singles titles including four Grand Slams. "It's a great
competitive game and different from the other racket sports in not
having a net dividing the players.
"It
shows great intensity. With the modernisation of the game I think it
deserves a place in the Olympic Games."
Edberg
first started playing squash when he was on the ATP Tour and used to
play in the top Swedish league: "Squash has all the credentials to be an
Olympic sport - it would complement the other racket sports that are
already part of the programme and it would be great to see it included
in the Games," said the former world number one and Olympic gold
medallist.
World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran
is delighted by the growing list of world top athletes who are backing
the sport's bid for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games programme.
"It is
heart-warming to have tennis idols like Agassi, Federer, Edberg and
Clijsters supporting Squash's campaign - and equally gratifying to see
top athletes from sports like rugby, cricket, football, cycling,
badminton, weightlifting, diving and shooting rallying to our cause."
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