Ahead of the start of the PSA Dubai World Series Final, Ahmed Rizvi provides everything you need to know about the elite squash event.
What: The PSA Dubai World Series Final
The World Series Final is the end of season championship of the Professional Squash Association’s World Tour. The top eight players in the men’s and women’s World Series qualify for the event.
Where: The Burj Park, Downtown Dubai
The world’s elite squash players will be competing in Dubai for the first time, playing at the Burj Park with the iconic Burj Khalifa providing the backdrop.
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When: May 25 — May 28
The eight players, in both the men’s and women’s sections, have been divided into two groups of four. They will compete in a round-robin format on the first three days to decide the semi-final spots. There will be eight matches on each of those three days, four in both the men’s and women’s sections. The first match is scheduled for a 2pm start and the last for 9.45pm. The semi-finals will be played on Friday, starting 7pm, while the finals are scheduled for 7pm on Saturday.
Who will be playing?
The men’s Group A is headed by world No 1 Mohamed Elshorbagy of Egypt, who will face Englishman and world No 3 Nick Matthew, world No 5 Miguel Angel Rodriguez of Colombia, and France’s world No 6 Mathieu Castagnet for two semi-final spots. Group B will see world No 2 Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, Egypt’s world No 4 Omar Mosaad, world No 11 Simon Rosner of Germany, and Australian Cameron Pilley, the world No 13, battle for the two qualifying spots.
In the women’s section, Malaysian superstar and former world No 1, Nicol David, now ranked world No 5, has been drawn alongside world No 2 and 2013 world champion Laura Massaro of England, world No 8 Amanda Sobhy and Egypt’s Nouran Gohar, the world No 6 in Group A. In Group B, Egyptian world No 1 Nour El Sherbini, the reigning world champion, will take on compatriots Raneem El Weleily, the world No 3, Omneya Abdel Kawy, the world No 7, and world No 4 Frenchwoman Camille Serme.
Tickets
Tickets are available online www.ticketmasteruae.ae, with general entrance for the first three days priced at Dh25 and Dh75 for the VIP section. The VIP section is sold out for Friday and Saturday, but tickets are available in the general section, priced at Dh50.
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