30th Jan
Women's ToC goes Gold
One
week before its closing dates for pro entries, the Harrisdirect Tournament
of Champions has announced that the Arader & O'Rourke Women's Open division
of the prestigious annual Super Series squash tournament has reached Gold
status with the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA),
the sanctioning body for the women's pro tour.
WISPA Director Andrew Shelley comments: "For the Arader & O'Rourke Women's
Open to rise to Gold level places it firmly in the top ten of our World Tour
events. The Tournament of Champions already holds a position of prime
importance in men's and women's pro squash and this elevation reinforces
that. At no event is it so easy for a player to leave town when they lose,
but nobody wants to depart from the wonderfully staged TOC."
The increase brings total women's compensation to $35,000 and makes the
event the sixth largest on the 2003 WISPA Tour. Combined with the $75,000
purse previously announced for the fifth ranking men's Professional Squash
Association (PSA) division, the Harrisdirect Tournament of Champions now
boasts $110,000 in total player compensation and the honour of being the
richest combined event in the world for 2003 so far.
The Harrisdirect Tournament of Champions will be played from 22-27 February
in Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
