|
|
| Extras ...
#4, Three Questions For ...
(wind noise on Jenny's, sorry!) |
| Extras ...
#3, meet the team ... |
|
L-R: Ahmed Ihab (Egy),
Jutta Kirci (Ger), Tatiana Bayandina (Rus), Dr Ahmed Said (Egy),
Karina Tsegelnik (Ukr), Julia Filinska (Ukr), Luz Bueno (Col) |
|
 |
Dr Ahmed's 'A' Team ...
Every tournament needs a team that does all the work, generally
behind the scenes and often incognito.
This event is no exception, and Tournament Director Dr Ahmed
Said has assembled an excellent one, fast, efficient,
friendly, and ,frankly, good looking!
Everyone has their role and everything gets done smoothly and
without fuss - one example, Aisling Blake was both surprised and
pleased to have her prize money put into her hand about five
seconds after she'd come off court yesterday.
And we're well looked after in a well-equipped media room just
across the promenade from the court, wireless everywhere, and
smiles all round ...
Who could ask for more ... |
| Extras ...
#2, well fancy that ... |
After paintbrushing the floor red, let's paint on the lines ...
bet you always thought it was tape ... |
Not convinced the referees will be happy about sitting on each
other's laps out here ... |
the things you have to do to
get a bit of privacy... |
| Extras ...
#1, welcome to Soho Square |
|
 |
Welcome to Soho Square
”Have you been to Sharm before?” asked the driver who picked us
[Kylie Lindsay and I] from the airport.
”No,” I replied. But I did come to Hurghada in April. “Oh,” said
the driver. “Hurghada is a nice resort and people live there
too. Sharm is nicer, but just hotels, no-one lives here.”
 So
the scene was set for our arrival into Soho Square, a stunning,
custom-built resort, set just back from a magnificent beach.
It’s about 400 metres long, with the Savoy Hotel on the beach
side at one end, the Sierra Resort on the other side at the
other end, and in between a promenade with shops, cafes,
restaurants … and a squash court.
You can’t miss it. The glass court, the same one used in
Hurghada a few months ago, has been set up halfway along the
promenade, just in front of a fountain that will surely look
fantastic in the evenings.
So there you have it …a pretty unique setting, and the
tournament is going to be the focus of the resort over the next
few days … and it looks great at night too …
more photos in the gallery ...
|
Gallery #1
 |
|
|
Preview:
First time in Sharm
 The WISPA tour moves back to Egypt, with the inaugural Soho
Square Squash Championships set for 26 Oct to 01 Nov in the
Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh.
Offering
a $41k prize fund, the matches will be played out on the Soho
Square Glass Court in from of the Savoy Hotel, giving
squash fans and holiday-makers alike the opportunity to see top
quality squash in a fantastic setting.
Top seed is Rachael Grinham, the Cairo-based Australian
who recently won her fourth British Open title, with Jenny
Duncalf, the reigning British National Champion, seeded to
meet Grinham in the final.
Both
face tough tests to reach the final though, with Grinham lined
up for a semi-final meeting with top Egyptian Omneya Abdel
Kawy, who won the Hurghada
International, just across the Gulf of Suez, in April, and
who reached her first major final last week in Hong Kong,
beating Grinham in the semi-finals.
Duncalf, the world number six, is scheduled to meet Ireland's
world number seven Madeline Perry, who is in a rich vein
of form after reaching the British Open final last month.
Home interested is boosted by Egypt's world championship winning
team members Raneem El Weleily and Engy Kheirallah
in the main draw, while the entire lineup of Egypt's World
Junior champions - Nour El Sherbini, Heba and Nouran El
Torky, Nour El Tayeb, Kanzy Defrawy and Salma Hany - play in
the qualifying competition.
First round of qualifying is at the Laguna Vista club
before action moves to the glass court. |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
