20/04/2008
PSA NEWS
Ramy Inspires New PSA Super Series Platinum Event In Egypt
The
meteoric success of young Egyptian squash player Ramy Ashour has inspired
the launch of a new Super Series Platinum event on the
PSA Tour
in his
homeland.
The
SKY
Petrosport Open,
boasting a $130,000 prize-fund, will take place at the luxurious new
SKY Club
in
Cairo,
from 13-20
June. The 2008 championship will be the first of a planned series of three
annual events.
The event has been initiated by Ashour's coach Ahmed Matany, in
conjunction with Petrosport, the first Petroleum company in the sports
marketing business in
Egypt and
the Middle East.
"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.
The
SKY
Petrosport Open
becomes
the eighth
PSA Super
Series event of the year, and the fifth to offer prize money in excess of
$100,000.
Only 20 years old, Ramy Ashour made history in July 2006 when he became the
first person to win the biennial Men's World Junior Championship for a second
time. Within three months, he had reached his first Super Series event final at
the Hong Kong Open - since when he has leapt to number two in the
PSA world
rankings with eight major title wins from 13 final appearances.
Egypt currently boasts four players in the men's world top ten - led by world
champion Amr Shabana at No1 - and 12 in the top 50.
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