23-Jan, Semi-Finals:  

[2] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [5] Camille Serme (Fra)
                  11/5, 3/11, 11/6, 11/9 (62m)
[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 [4] Alison Waters (Eng)
                  11/8, 11/8, 12/10 (46m)

[7] Amr Shabana (Egy) 3-1 [4] James Willstrop (Eng)
              11/5, 5/11, `11/5, 11/5
[1] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-1 [3] Mohamed Elshorbagy
             5/11, 11/6, 11/8, 14/12

Shabana and Gaultier to contest ToC Final
PSA media report

Four-time World Squash Champion Amr Shabana and French star Gregory Gaultier will contest the final of the 2014 J.P Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York’s Grand Central Terminal on Friday.

The duo booked their final berths with impressive victories over James Willstrop and Mohamed Elshorbagy, respectively, and will contest a final in which there is more than a title at stake.

Victory against Elshorbagy saw Gaultier draw level with England’s Nick Matthew atop the world rankings but victory in the final would see him surpass the Sheffield-player to become Squash World No.1 outright.

“Becoming World No.1 again by winning this match was a big goal for me,” said Gaultier.

“Being World No.1 is a big thing for every player and I’m happy I got through today. Everybody was talking about it and I just tried to focus on the match and my tactics - but it gives you a bit of tension and I started the game flat and he came out on fire.

“Today was my turn – one day it will be his – but I keep pushing to try and beat these young players. One day he’ll be up there instead of me so I’m going to enjoy it for a bit but I have another match to play tomorrow.

“Shabana has been unbelievable this week - when he playing like this he is probably the best player.

“To me he his the most inspiring guy and technically I think he is the best. When I’ve watched him this week he has inspired me – but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to beat him – I want to win tomorrow.”

Shabana, who impressed in a 3-1 win over Willstrop in an enthralling contest, will also be hoping to end what has been a tough period of time for him with injury and illness having interrupted his past few seasons and win his first PSA World Series ranking event since 2011.

“I’m really over the moon,” said Shabana after his 11-5, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5 win.

“Any time you get a win over a player the calibre of James Willstrop you have to be playing your best.

“I’ve made it to the final and I’m happy but I’m just trying to take it day by and day and do my best. Playing in a final at Grand Central is an amazing experience.

“The crowd really get behind the players and we love it so win or lose you just try and enjoy the experience.”

Top seeds David and Massaro
into women's final
Beth Rasin reports

There may have been subzero temperatures on the sidewalks of New York City but inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City the heat was on…in the glass squash court in Vanderbilt Hall. Four of the five top-ranking women players were on court to fight for the right to compete for the championship title.

First match on was world #2 Laura Massaro of England against fifth seed Camille Serme. Going into the match, Massaro said she actually felt like the underdog; despite being ranker higher than her opponent, Massaro had lost to Serme three of the last four times they had played. After her quarterfinal victory over Madeline Perry, Serme said she was indeed feeling confident going into the semis.

Massaro came out of the starting gates on fire, winning the first game 11-5. Consistently hitting tight rails and good depth, Massaro was able to control the T and attack every opening that came her way.

“A video of that game should be watched by anyone who wants to understand how to construct a winning point,” said former British national coach David Pearson after the match. “That was the single best game I have ever seen Laura play.” The game was closer than the score would indicate as each player retrieved and attacked and was loathe to give even an inch to her opponent.

Serme was on fire in the second game, jumping out to 6-0 lead, winning the game 11-3. This time it was Serme who maintained her position in the front court, using short front corner attacking shots and high lobs to force Massaro to scramble and retrieve.

The third game was an early seesaw battle with the lead exchanging hands several times until Massaro broke it open at 8-6, winning the game 11-6. The fourth game was up for grabs. Serme took the early lead at 4-0, and maintained it through to 7-5. Massaro reasserted herself by finding the length on the rails and her position at the front of the T. At nine all, Serme hit a tin and then Massaro hit a serve that nicked out at the back of the court.

“I just really wanted to be able to enjoy being on court. My goal was to be relaxed and use the whole court,” said Massaro of her match mindset. “I am excited to be in the finals; finals day is always a big occasion, but especially here in NYC where the crowds are so great.”

In the evening’s second match, world #1 Nicol David defeated fourth seed Alison Waters in three hard fought and closely contested games.

“It was pretty close all the way,” said David after the match.

“I had to put the pressure on with good depth. I really found the front corners of the court today as well. After two rounds of play on the glass court, I always see the ball better.”

 

22-Jan, Quarters Part Two:  

[2] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [6] Joelle King (Nzl)  9/11, 13/11, 11/3, 11/7 (52m)
[5] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-1 Madeline Perry (Irl)   11/8, 11/4, 11/13, 11/8 (52m)

[4] Alison Waters (Eng) 3-0 [Q] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng)11/5, 11/6, 11/2 (28m)
[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 [6] Low Wee Wern (Mas)       11/5, 11/3, 11/9 (32m)

[3] Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-1 [8] Daryl Selby (Eng)
             8/11, 11/7, 11/5, 11/8 (60m)
[1] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 Simon Rosner (Ger)
             12/10, 11/6, 11/7 (57m)

Serme Subdues Perry;
Massaro, David and Waters also into Semis
Beth Rasin reports

Camille Serme overcame a frozen ear and a mid-match case of nerves to thwart Madeline Perry’s effort to unseat for the second time a higher seeded player at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Terminal. Serme, who since August 2013 has lost only to world #1 Nicol David, admitted to being concerned going into the match because Perry held a 6-1 career record against her.

Walking the three blocks from the Westin Grand Central Hotel to the glass court in Grand Central Terminal in 15 degree weather without a hat, Serme said her ears had literally frozen by the time she arrived at the tournament venue.

By match time, the ear had thawed and the Frenchwoman was sufficiently warmed up to take an early 5-1 lead in the first game, managing to maintain her edge to win the opener 11-8. The second game was all Serme, who took a 2-0 lead in the match by winning the game 11-4.

In the third, the world #5 had three match balls at 10-7, and celebrated a premature victory on one of those when she gave a jubilant fist pump thinking she had hit a winner. But Perry ran the ball down and won the point.

“I got nervous,” said Serme after the match. “It came in my mind that I had only beaten her once.” Perry snatched the game, 13-11, to stay alive in the match.

Perry had pulled off an improbable, come-from-behind victory after being down by a similar score in the opening round against third seed Raneem Welily. She thought she could do it again.

The world #5 had other plans. “I knew that I had to stick to my tactical plan,” Serme revealed. The plan, which had worked in the first two games, was to slow down the pace. “I did not want to give her any opportunities to hit the ball hard which she does so well. And I had to play my shots when I had the opportunity.”

The agile and nimble French player executed her plan well and won the fourth game 11-5 to close out the match.

The “happy and relieved” 24-year-old, whose coach and trainer are in NYC for the championships, is thrilled to be in the ToC semifinals, as much because she is as eager to improve as she is to win. “It’s good to keep winning,” Serme said as she cooled down on the stationary bike after the match. “This way my coaches can see what I have to improve on.”

Serme’s semifinal opponent will be second seed Laura Massaro of England.

A few millimeters and two tins by her opponent Joelle King were all that stood between the English #1 and a two game deficit. Kiwi King had played authoritative and confident squash to win the first game 11-9, and had game ball at 11-10 in the second. A drop shot from the #6 seed barely clipped the tin to even the game at 11 points each and Massaro managed to eke out the victory 13-11.

At the break between games, her husband and coach said, “Just relax, enjoy being out there.” Massaro, who acknowledged having a strong self-critical nature, took the advice to heart. “After all, I won’t be able to do this forever, so I should enjoy it while I can.”

The difference when she got back on court was stunning. She won the third game 11-3 and the fourth 11-7.

Alison Waters earned her trip to the ToC semifinals when she ended the run of qualifier Sarah-Jane Perry with an efficient and never-in- doubt victory, 11-5,11-6,11-2 . “The key to the match was making sure that I stayed in front and didn’t allow SJ to play her shots,” said the fourth seed.

Waters should be fresh for semifinal match given that her match time for the two opening rounds combined totaled less than an hour.

The English #2 will probably need as much energy as she can muster as she will be taking on top seed Nicol David who defeated countrywoman Low Wee Wern in three games.

The world #1 had another busy NYC day. She participated in a photo shot with men’s world #1 Nick Matthew for the announcement of their appointment as ambassador Laureus Sport For Good Ambassadors.

She also attended the ToC Inaugural Women’s Leadership Luncheon honoring former WSA player, Natalie Grainger before returning to her hotel to prepare for her evening match. None of these activities distracted the Malasyian superstar from the primary reason for her presence in New York City – to win the ToC trophy.

Super focused and finely tuned, Nicol defeated her younger countrywoman, 11-5, 11-3,11-4 for her 25th Tour match victory in a row since losing last May's British Open final to Laura Massaro.

When asked if she ever gets bored with squash after so many years playing and being #1, David’s answer was an emphatic, ”No. I just get more and more into it, especially these last few years when I feel like I truly understand the game.”

 

 

Gaultier glides to TOC semi-final spot
PSA media report

French World No.2 Gregory Gaultier booked his place in the semi-finals of the 2014 J.P Morgan Tournament of Champions earlier today, dispatching German Simon Rosner 3-0.

The victory, in what was his 34th consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of a PSA World Series event, will now see Gaultier compete in his third consecutive Tournament of Champions semi-final - an event where he finished runner-up in 2013.

“It’s always good to win and Simon has been improving a lot recently,” said Gaultier.

“The past few months especially, since he won in Kuwait, has been a big confidence boost for him and he has had a few big wins this week and it highlights how tough the tour is at the moment, so I’m glad to still be able to win these matches.

“I still want to be the best in the world and I’m happy when I’m still able to beat these young guys.

“I’m going to recover now and take tomorrow as another day. I will go in with a game plan and I will try and stick to it. I have been working a lot on my mental side recently and it seems to be working and I’m quite happy with the way I played so I’m looking forward to the semi-final tomorrow.”

Gaultier came through 12-10, 11-6, 11-7 and he will now take on Egypt’s Mohamed Elshorbagy in the semi-finals who earned his place in the final four with a 3-1 win over Daryl Selby of England.

“I’m very excited to be in my first TOC semi-final,” said Elshorbagy. “The match today was such a tough battle and Daryl played very well.

“It was a very flowing game played in great spirit as well and he put me under a lot of pressure so I’m happy that I came through that match to win.

“I have never played in a semi-final here before but I hope that I can win in the semi-finals because it would mean a lot to me to make it through to the final.

“It will be very special if I could play Amr Shabana in the final because that would be a dream come true for me – to play my idol in the final of a world series event so hopefully we can both win tomorrow.”

21-Jan, Men's Quarters:  

[7] Amr Shabana (Egy) 3-2 [2] Nick Matthew (Eng)  9/11, 12/10, 11/7, 2/11, 11/9
[4] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-1 [6] Peter Barker (Eng)    11/7, 5/11, 12/10, 11/5

Women's Round One:

[8] Low Wee Wern (Mas) 3-0 Latasha Khan (Usa)          11/6, 11/7, 11/5
[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 [Q] Annie Au (Hkg)               11/4, 11/4, 11/6

Sublime Shabana stuns Matthew at TOC

Four time World Champion Amr Shabana pulled off the upset of the tournament so far at the J.P Morgan Tournament of Champions earlier today, defeating World No.1 Nick Matthew in a thrilling 3-2 contest.

Shabana was at his sublime best to get past Matthew, who has been in arguably the best form of his career in recent months since winning the 2013 World Squash Championship in Manchester in November.

In each of their last four meetings it was the English-man who triumphed but Shabana showed his world class calibre to seal the victory 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9.

“That was probably one of the best matches that I have played in a long time,” said Shabana.

“Nick is the World Champion and the World No.1 and he’s beaten me in the last four or five games that we played so I had to play at my very best to beat him.

"I had a game plan and I stuck to it and thankfully it worked.

“Every time you lose you learn something new and even today I felt he was pushing very hard. He’s probably the best guy out there at the moment but we’re all competitors and you can’t always win and thankfully today it was me who snuck the victory today.”

Shabana ToC Action compilation video

Shabana will face England’s James Willstrop in Thursday’s semi-finals after the Pontefract player got past compatriot Peter Barker 3-1.

“It’s not been my best week of squash,” said WIllstrop after his match. “But I improved again a little bit today.

“Pete gave me a lot to think about but I’m through to a semi-final and I’m old enough now to know that you can turn things around and get through the rusty patches.

“I’m not playing badly but I haven’t set the world on fire.

“Every player would say that Shabana is at the top of their list. His ball striking and natural purity is great and I enjoyed watching him play Nick. It was along game but he’s used to it and he’s strong so I don’t think that will have a big impact.

“It excites me to be in the semi and I’m going to enjoy that for 48 hours. I like playing here and I like playing Shabs so I’m looking forward to it.”

Nicol David Delights NY Squash Fans;
Low Wee Wern Wins Opener

It was a stormy, snowy evening in New York City, but that did not deter the New York fans from filling the stands in Grand Central Terminal to see the world’s greatest squash stars.

World #1 Nicol David made her long awaited debut of at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions on the iconic glass court ToC glass court and the avid New York squash crowd was not disappointed as they watched the Malaysian superstar demonstrate her complete mastery of all facets of the game as she defeated Hong Kong’s Annie Au 11-4, 11-4, 11-6.

David has been quite busy since arriving in the Big Apple and her itinerary yesterday included a visit with renowned modern artist Frank Stella, who has also been a squash promoter. “It was fascinating to hear him talk about how he comes up with his ideas,” said the squash star who likes to draw in her free time. Nicol also made time to visit the young women participants in StreetSquash, a Harlem-based youth enrichment program.

As soon as David stepped foot in Vanderbilt Hall to play on the iconic glass court in Grand Central Terminal, her focus was all about squash. When it comes to David, that focus is razor sharp. She hit the ball to good length, and then placed it short.

 “The corners on the court are pretty dead which worked to my advantage,” said David. “Annie can be dangerous when she gets the ball in the middle of the court and I definitely did not want to let her in the match.”

David’s quarterfinal opponent will be her younger countrywoman Low Wee Wern who dispatched American veteran Latasha Khan 11-6,11-7, 11-5. “It was a bit scrappy out there,” said Low, “and It took a little while for me to find my length.”

Low is experiencing the good and the bad of starting the year with a personal best world #6 ranking. “It is good to be ranked #6 in the world, but there is also the pressure to keep my ranking that high,” said Low after the match.

She is looking forward to her quarterfinal contest with David. “I saw NIcol win the World Junior Championship in 2001 in Penang when I was 10-years-old,” said the 23-year old whose hometown is Penang . “To now be able to challenge her on court instead of sitting outside watching her play is a true privilege.”

20-Jan, Men's Round Two:

[3] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Tarek Momen (Egy)
                    9/11, 11/7, 11/8, 12/10 (63m)
[8] Daryl Selby (Eng) 3-1 Chris Simpson (Eng)
                    11/6, 11/9, 7/11, 11/6 (70m)
[1] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 Alister Walker (Bot)
                    11/5, 11/5, 11/7
Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-0 [5] Karim Darwish (Egy) 
                   11/2, 12/10, 11/5

Women's Round One:

[Q] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-2 [7] Jenny Duncalf (Eng)
            11/5, 11/9, 8/11, 9/11, 11/4 (63m)
[5] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-1 Natalie Grinham (Ned)
            11/13, 11/6, 11/4, 11/7 (38m)
[4] Alison Waters (Eng) 3-0 [Q] Amanda Sobhy (Usa)
             11/3, 11/9, 11/6 (25m)
Madeline Perry (Irl)  3-2 [3] Raneem El Weleily (Egy)
             8/11, 4/11, 11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (49m)
[6] Joelle King (NZL) 3-0 Kasey Brown (Aus)
             11/2, 11/7, 11/7 (25m)
[2] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [Q] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
             11/2, 8/11, 11/7, 11/7

Rosner Romps into Second Round
Beth Rasin reports

German star Simon Rosner scored one of the biggest scalps of his career when he defeated world #6 Karim Darwish in straight games in second round play at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in Grand Central Terminal. “It is truly electrifying to play here,” said the world #13, who is into the quarterfinals for the first time in these championships since he made his inaugural appearance in 2006.

Electrifying would also accurately describe Rosner’s play, as the 6’3”, 25-year-old was on the attack from the very first point of the match. Although he had been on court for 90 minutes in his opening victory over Saurav Ghosal, the young man from Paderborn was fully rested after having had a day off between matches and was more than ready to do battle.

Darwish won the opening salvo of the match, but the 32-year-old Egyptian would win only one other point in that first game. The former world #1 looked like he would even up the match when he took a second game lead at 4-3 and held it through 8-7. But Rosner was ready to respond. “I knew he would come back strong in the second game,” said Rosner. “I knew that I needed to continue to attack aggressively and not let him get into any kind of rhythm.”

Executing his game plan in the final stretch of the second game Rosner took a 2-0 match lead when he won the game 12-10.

A dispirited Darwish, who had come back from being 0-2 down in his first round match against Omar Mosaad, was unable to offer any defense against the surging confidence of his lower-ranking challenger. Rosner sealed the victory with an 11-5 third game win to register his second victory in seven PSA matches against Darwish.

The jubilant German was immediately on the cell phone to his father in Germany who had counseled his son to be patient over these past few years when he would get frustrated at his seeming inability to beat the higher ranking players. “In so many conversations, my father told me, ‘your time will come. You have to keep learning from these losses and keep improving your game every day.”

Rosner’s quarterfinal opponent will be top seed Gregory Gaultier, who never let his second round opponent Alister Walker get a toehold in their match. Attacking early and with relentless pace, the 31-year-old Frenchman won the first point of the opening game and never relinquished the lead, winning the match 11-5,11-5,11-7.

Third seed Mohamed Elshorbagy, on the other hand, lagged behind in two games of his duel with compatriot Tarek Momen en route to a 9-11, 11-7, 11-8,12-10 victory. Known on the PSA tour for his competitive drive and fearless style of play, Elshorbagy’s come from behind winning games were inspiring but not surprising.

“I was nervous for this match,” said the voluble Egyptian who achieved his career high world #4 ranking this month, “because it is my first tournament as a top four player and I was playing my countryman.”

Momen won the first game 11-9 and had a 7-4 lead in the second. “When I was down 4-7, we had a really long rally and when I won the point, it removed the nervousness and I felt like I had more power and energy.”

The release of the early tension was explosive; Elshorbagy ran off seven straight points to win the game 11-7. After winning the third game, Elshorbagy saved three game balls from 7-10 in the fourth, and closed out the match by winning the tiebreak 12-10.

When asked how he came by his impressive competitive drive, Elshorbagy said, “I have a very, very tough mother and she has taught me about being tough and never, ever giving up.”

Elshorbagy’s quarterfinal opponent will be England’s Daryl Selby, who defeated his younger countryman Chris Simpson 11-6, 11-9,7-11,11-6. Selby’s father Paul, who is attending the tournament, offered this post-match analysis of his son’s play –“He played well in bits.”

Daryl’s own assessment was that he felt in control for most of the match, even after losing the third game. ”I definitely did not want to go to five, so I just came out firing in the fourth,” he said, ”and managed to keep the lead all the way though the game.”

The 31-year-old is looking forward to his match with Elshorbagy. “He certainly represents the next generation of PSA players, so it will be nice to play him while I am still in good shape.”

Perrys Power Their Way into Quarterfinals
Beth Rasin reports

Qualifier Sarah Jane Perry of England and unseeded Madeline Perry of Ireland advanced to the quarterfinals of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Terminal in New York City after scoring major upsets in the first round of play in the WSA Gold event.

Madeline Perry fell behind 0-2 in games in her afternoon match against third seed Raneem Welily, who seemed to be in complete control as she won the first two games 11-8, 11-4. From the very start of the third, Perry was a different player. She pushed up several feet and started playing attacking shots much as her Egyptian opponent had done in the first two games.

“She’s really a better player than me in terms of skills,” said the 36-year-old Irishwoman after the match. “So I realized that I just had to stay positive, enjoy myself and do something different than my usual conservative game. “

The change in Perry’s strategy worked exceptionally well as she took a 10-3 lead in the third game, winning it 11-6. The fourth was more of the same and Perry won the game by the identical score. Welily, reasserting herself at the start of the fifth, took an 8-5 lead. But the veteran was not about to give up against her 25-year-old opponent and scrambled to move ahead, 9-8. After Welily tied the score at 9-9, both players dug in their heels and played the point of the day as each covered all four corners of the court and Welily retrieved several seemingly ungettable balls. After the young Egyptian hit a cross court from the deep forehand corner, Perry flew forward to hit an attacking backhand dead nick volley. She won the match on another attacking backhand volley.

“I still can’t believe it,” said Madeline Perry in her post-match interview. “I just hope that one of the photographers got the picture of that backhand volley at 9 all.”

Fifth-seed Camille Serme will be Madeline Perry’s quarterfinal opponent as she advanced with a 3-1 victory over two-time defending champion Natalie Grinham. Grinham won the first game 13-11 by hitting an extensive variety of shots and using the lob exceptionally well. Serme, who has lost only to world #1 Nicol David since August 2103, admitted to being surprised by her 35-year-old opponent’s first game strategy.

The Frenchwoman adjusted in the second by playing more length. “I just tried to be more patient, which wasn’t so easy,” she said. It may not have been easy, but the adjustment worked and after taking an 8-3 lead, Serme won the second 11-6. A number of uncharacteristic errors from Grinham, who confessed to getting nervous, and excellent court coverage by Serme, gave her the third game, 11-4. The five-time French champion sealed the victory as she won the fourth game 11-7.

As a wistful Grinham stood by the stands watching the next match, she said, “I really wanted to have another chance to play on this court.”

Qualifier Sarah Jane Perry, looking remarkably relaxed and confident, earned her trip to the quarterfinals with a seesaw five-game victory over seventh seed Jenny Duncalf. Perry controlled the first game with good length and accuracy. In the second, the lead exchanged hands several times until Perry closed out the game 11-9. Duncalf, who has been ranked as high as #2 in the world, cut down on her errors in the third and fourth to even the match at two all. Deliberately slowing the pace in the fifth, Perry was the beneficiary of more unforced Duncalf errors, winning the game 11-4.

“It is easier to be relaxed when you are the underdog,” said Perry, who is just returning to the WSA tour after a three month injury hiatus. ”I certainly wasn’t expected to win.” As for the confidence factor, Perry said,” I know I am playing well and you have got think you can win; otherwise, what’s the point of playing?”

Perry will face countrywoman Alison Waters in the quarterfinals. The fourth seed played in front of the most vocal crowd of the day – the Harvard University women’s squash team who had turned out in force to support their #1 player Amanda Sobhy, ranked #18 on the WSA tour. Waters, who defeated Sobhy 11-3, 11-9, 11-6, was unfazed by the partisan fans. “I quite enjoyed the loud crowds – it is much more fun to play for them.”

Waters completely contained the American star, who had survived a tough five game qualifying match the night before. “Amanda is very strong and can be a dangerous player if you let her have the ball in the middle of the court,” said the three-time British national champion, “so my strategy was to keep her in the back of the court and out of the middle.” It was a strategy that worked. “Ali was hitting her targets really well,” said Sobhy, “and I was scrambling most of the time.”

In the day’s other matches, sixth-seed Joelle King of New Zealand dominated her match against Australian Kasey Brown, the newly elected Women’s Squash Association president. King’s quarterfinal opponent will be world #2 Laura Massaro of England who defeated Australian Rachael Grinham in four games.

19-Jan, Round Two, top:

[6] Peter Barker (Eng) 3-1 Mathieu Castagnet (Fra)   11/9, 11/8, 3/11, 13/11
[2] Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-0 Steve Coppinger (Rsa)              11/7, 11/2, 11/4
[7] Amr Shabana (Egy) 3-0 Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned)         11/8, 11/3, 11/5
[4] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-0 Cameron Pilley (Aus)          12/10, 11/1, 13/11

Women's Qualifying Finals at Princeton Club:

Annie Au (Hkg) 3-0 Dipika Pallikal (Ind)                                  11/8, 11/9, 11/5
Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-2 Nour El Sherbini (Egy)  6/11, 10/12, 11/8, 11/6, 11/5
Rachael Grinham (Aus) 3-0 Line Hansen (Den)                      12/10, 11/7, 11/2
Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-2 Omneya A/Kawy (Egy) 12/10,2/11,12/10,9/11,11/7

Shabana Shines, Matthew is Masterful, Willstrop Wins and Barker Beats a path to the Quarterfinals ...
Beth Rasin reports


The vaunted Egyptian squash player Amr Shabana shone as brightly as the stars in the Grand Central constellation ceiling in his second round 11-7,11-3,11-5 victory over seven-time Dutch national champion Laurens Jan Anjema.

“You always feel the pressure when you play him,” said Anjema after the match. “It is not just about making mistakes against him. If you don’t hit the ball super well, you get punished right away.” With his basic game falling short, the world #17 felt the full fusillade of the Egyptian maestro’s shotmaking excellence.

The 34-year-old former world #1 from Cairo was pleased with his afternoon outing on the glass court in Grand Central. “To win matches, you have to enjoy your time on court,” said Shabana, now ranked #7 in the PSA rankings.

The capacity crowd in Grand Central also enjoyed his time on court – both for the match with Anjema and for Shabana’s five point games with two youngsters whose names were pulled in a raffle as part of Kids and Family Day at ToC. The Egyptian dazzled the crowd – and his young opponents- with a dizzying array of two and three wall shots hit in every conceivable configuration of angles.

Shabana’s next opponent is world #1 Nick Matthew, who dispatched South African Stephen Coppinger with relative ease - 11-7, 11-2, 11-4 -in just 39 minutes.

“Nick was just too good today,” said Coppinger. Matthew, the reigning World Champion, savored his masterful victory only briefly. “I am wary of feeling like I am playing well,” he said. “You don’t want to get complacent.”

Matthew is looking forward to being on court with the Egyptian “Maestro”. “That is what you want as a player,” Matthew said, “to get on court with one of the greatest players ever.”

Fourth seed James Willstrop took a little longer to secure his quarterfinal appearance as Australian Cameron Pilley took a 10-6 lead in the first game. Willstrop, the 2011 Tournament of Champions titleholder, saved three match balls before winning the game 13-11.

The second game was all Willstrop – literally – as he won the game allowing his opponent to score just one point. Pilley came back strong in the third to force the tiebreak, which Willstrop won, 13-11.

“I felt sharper today than in my first round,” said Willstrop, “but there were still some tense moments. Cameron made it tough, but I felt like I was putting together some good patches of play.”

The 31-year-old Englishman’s quarterfinal opponent will be his longtime colleague and competitor Peter Barker. The two men have shared many squash courts, and now they share the perils and pride of parenthood, as both became fathers in the last year.

Barker, who had been off the court for three months at the end of the year after tearing his calf muscle in two places, had a tough four game match against Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet.

Barker won the first two games, 11-9 and 11-8. Castagnet got himself into the match by winning the third game 11-3. Barker notched the victory by holding fast to win the fourth game 13-11.

“Both of us were looking to take our space on the court, so it became a little contentious. But I kind of needed a bit of a battle to get me going,” said Barker, who credited the victory to his experience and ability to play a few crucial pints better than his opponent.

Sobhy Succeeds in Gaining Main Draw Berth

Amanda Sobhy came back from the precipice of defeat in the final round of qualifying at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions at the Princeton Club to defeat Egypt’s Nour El Shebini in five games and advance to the main draw being played on the ToC glass court in Grand Central Terminal. Sobhy, a junior at Harvard University where she is #1 on the women’s team, had lost the first two games and was down 0-5 in the third.

“I thought of all my friends whom I had promised could see me play on the glass court in Grand Central and how I would be letting them down if I didn’t win this match,” Sobhy said. “So I just focused on one point at a time.”

With her Harvard teammates cheering loudly, Sobhy, the 2010 World Junior Champion, started turning the tables on Sherbini, a three-time world junior titleholder. Having felt stiff and tight in the first two games, Sobhy figured out how to relax a bit on the court and gained a foothold in the match by winning the third game 11-8. The American, who is playing college squash and professional squash along with balancing the rigorous Harvard academics, was buoyed by her teammates’ support and took further command of the match, winning the last two games – 11-6,11-5.

Sobhy, who is undefeated in college play, will face fourth seed Alison Waters on the Grand Central glass court in the first afternoon session of play.

Hong Kong’s Annie Au and Australia’s Rachael Grinham also earned trips to the Grand Central glass court with 3-0 victories over India’s Dipika Pallikal and Denmark’s Line Hansen, respectively. Au drew top seed Nicol David whom she will play Tuesday evening at 7:15. Grinham, a former world #1 who joins sister Natalie in the main draw, will take on world #2 Laura Massaro at 6:45 on Monday evening.,

The longest qualifying match was played by Sarah-Jane Perry of England and Egypt’s Omneya Abdel Kawy who engaged in a seesaw battle for the last qualifying spot. “It was a hard match and a little contentious,” said Perry, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first game but had to fend off a game ball before winning the game 12-10. “We both really like to hold our position in the middle of the court.” The second game was all Kawy who found her rhythm and sprinted to an 11-2 game win.

Perry, who is playing her first tournament since October after being sidelined with a fractured vertebrate, eked out another 12-10 tiebreak in the third. Kawy promptly turned around to win the fourth and even the match. In the fifth, Perry took a 9-5 lead and won the game 11-7.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman’s first round opponent is countrywoman Jenny Duncalf, the seventh seed. Perry, who defeated Duncalf in a league match two weeks ago was delighted with the draw.

18-Jan, Round One, bottom :

[3] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) 3-0 Todd Harrity (Usa)  11/3, 12/10, 11/2
Tarek Momen (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy)       11/5, 11/6, 11/8
Chris Simpson (Eng) 3-1 [Q] Ali Farag (Egy)           9/11, 11/0, 12/10, 11/5
[8] Daryl Selby (Eng) 3-0 [Q] Adrian Waller (Eng)             11/9, 11/7, 11/5

[5] Karim Darwish (Egy) 3-2 Omar Mosaad (Egy)  6/11, 11/13, 11/7, 11/5, 11/9
Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-2 Saurav Ghosal (Ind)      14/12, 14/16, 4/11, 11/9, 11/5
Alister Walker (Bot) 3-0 Miguel Rodriguez (Col)                   13/11, 11/7, 18/16
[1] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 Tom Richards (Eng)                11/4, 11/8, 11/6

Rosner and Darwish survive Grand Central tests
Beth Rasin reports

German star Simon Rosner and world #5 Karim Darwish of Egypt each survived marathon five- game matches to move into the second round of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Terminal where they will play each other.

Fifth seed Darwish found himself facing an early exit from the tournament when his countryman, 25-year-old Omar Mosaad, took a 2-0 lead in their afternoon match on the glass court in Vanderbilt Hall. Mosaad, world - ranked #12, was firing on all cylinders as he used a strong and fast attacking game to put Darwish, a former world #1 , on the defensive. In the third, Darwish reversed the roles by attacking first to stay alive and win the game.

“I knew I had to go out there and start attacking more,” said Darwish,” and it helped that the ball cooled down after the second game so I could put my shots where I wanted.”

The 32-year-old from Cairo capitalized in the fourth on a lapse of focus by Mosaad to win the game and even the match at two all. “The final game was anybody’s to win,” said the eventual victor, who took advantage of his opponent’s waning energy to capture the deciding game 11-9 after 82 minutes of play.

Darwish’s next opponent, Rosner, eked out the opening game of his match in a 14-12 tiebreak against India’s Saurav Ghosal The second game went to Ghosal in another tiebreak, 16-14.

Although the height differential between the two players is 9”, with the 6”3” German towering over the 5’6” Ghosal. they stood toe-to-toe when it came to battling for points. Ghosal took control of the match in the third game, jumping out to a 7-2 lead and winning the game 11-4.

”The first two games were brutal,” said Rosner, ”and after the third, my energy dropped. I don’t quite know how I managed to get back on track.”

But he did get back on track to even the match at 2-2 after winning the fourth 11-9. Going into the deciding game, Rosner gave himself a pep talk.

“I saw that Ghosal was getting tired, so I told myself to stay positive and just get one more shot back than him.” The self-help worked as Rosner secured his spot in the second round by winning the fifth game 11-5 after being on court for 90 minutes.

Earlier in the day, Englishman Chris Simpson achieved his goal of getting into the second round when he defeated Harvard senior and qualifier Ali Farag.

The players were a definite contrast in styles. Simpson is a consistent player who is known for his ability to hit the ball extremely tight and straight. Farag, on the other hand, has a relaxed hitting style and is a counter puncher who likes to move the ball around the court.  “He has a refreshing style of play,” said Squash TV commentator Paul Johnson. “He doesn’t rely on power the way a lot of players do these days.”

The entire capacity crowd was enthralled by the youthful energy of the two players, each of whom knew he had a substantial chance of getting to the second round if he played well. The 22-year-old Egyptian especially delighted the cadre of his Harvard teammates in the crowd when he won the first game 11-9.

Just after the start of the second game, Farag suffered a bloody nose when got a little too close to Simpson’s swing. After being patched up by the medics, Farag got back on court, but not the game which Simpson won 11-0.

In the third, Farag had a 10-6 and three game balls, none of which he was able to convert for the win. In the fourth, Simpson’s strategy of changing pace and not giving his counter punching opponent much power paid big dividends as the 26-year-old from Guernsey closed out the match by winning the fourth game 11-5.

“I am relieved to win that one,” said Simpson after the match.

“A lot of people were thinking that I had a great draw because I was playing an unranked qualifier. But all the players know how good he is- he plays to the level of a top 20 or top 30 ranking player. The match really came down to that third game. Farag can be an up and down player, so when he was up 10-7, I knew that if I stayed strong, I still had a chance of winning.”

Simpson will now face eighth seed Daryl Selby who won a straight forward match in three games against fellow-Englishman, qualifier Adrian Waller.

Third- seed Mohamed Elshorbagy defeated the American wild card Todd Harrity in three games before a highly partisan crowd. Although both players are the same age – 23- the Egyptian has substantially more experience playing on the professional tour.

“This was a great opportunity to experience first- hand what a top player has in his game that I don’t,” said Harrity after the match. “The biggest thing was how incredibly fast the game is at that level.”

Elshorbagy’s next opponent is countryman Tarek Momen who defeated qualifier Omar Abdel Meguid in straight games. “It is difficult mentally for me to play Omar because we are teammates and friends – we have been playing each other since we were eight years old.”

Born and based in Cairo, the two 25-year olds were born on the same day, and are only one point apart -at 11 and 12- in the PSA rankings. On this day, though, it was all Momen as he completely controlled the match from start to finish. “I feel that my game has improved a lot this past year, even though I haven’t had the greatest season. I just need more confidence now.”

The final second round matchup features top seed Gregory Gaultier, who defeated Tom Richards 3-0, and #19 ranked Alister Walker.

“I think that was the longest three-game match I have ever played,” said Walker of his 67-minute victory which featured two tiebreak games.

Keeping the ball straight and tight on the wall, Walker contained the speed and agility that are the trademarks of his opponent Miguel Angel Rodriguez.

“Miguel is so quick that I knew I had to be very patient and could only go for a winner when he was completely out of position.”

Sobhy Leads Home Hopes in Princeton

US number one Amanda Sobhy single-handedly led home hopes through to the qualifying finals of the Women's JP Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York after beating compatriot Cecelia Cortes in the first qualifying round at the Princeton Club.

The 20-year-old from New York, ranked 18 in the world, will now face Egypt's Nour El Sherbini, ranked just two places higher and making her first appearance since May last year after suffering a series of injuries.

India's world No12 Dipika Pallikal, the highest-ranked player in the qualifying draw, beat England's Emily Whitlock will now face Hong Kong's Annie Au for a place in the main draw for the third year in a row

Rachael Grinham made the qualifying finals after recovering from 2/1 down to beat Hong Kong's Joey Chan, the 36-year-old former world No1 from Australia will now take on Dane Line Hansen - who put paid to double Sobhy interest in the next round by beating Amanda's younger sister Sabrina.

England's Sarah-Jane Perry, also making her comeback after an injury-break, beat Olivia Blatchford of the USA and will now line up against Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy.

17-Jan, Round One, top half:

[2] Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-0 Adrian Grant (Eng)                          11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Steve Coppinger (Rsa) 3-1 Ong Beng Hee (Mas)               11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5
Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 3-0 [Q] Ali Anwar Reda (Egy)            11-8, 11-4, 11-9
[7] Amr Shabana (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy)               11-3, 11-6, 11-7
[6] Peter Barker (Eng) 3-2 Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy)  5-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-7, 11-3
Mathieu Castagnet (Fra) 3-2 [Q] Grégoire Marche (Fra) 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4
Cameron Pilley (Aus) 3-0 [Q] Nafiizwan Adnan (Mas)                    11-2, 11-6, 11-2
[4] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-1 [Q] Nicolas Mueller (Sui)      7-11, 11-1, 12-10, 11-5

Seeds Succeed on Day One at Grand Central
Beth Rasin reports

Form held as three former titleholders playing their first round matches in the 2014 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions moved into the next round by demonstrating the qualities that have made them the standout players of their generation.

Current world #1 and the 2012 ToC titleholder Nick Matthew dispatched countryman and friend Adrian Grant in three games with relative ease. The reigning World Champion was in classic form , attacking the ball early at every opportunity. The outcome was never in doubt as Matthew opened up early leads in each game to run away with the match.

The two Englishmen have been playing each other since they were 12. “Psychologically it is hard to play someone you know so well,“ said Matthew, one of the strongest players on the PSA Tour, mentally and physically. “So I am especially pleased to have won the match in three games.”

Egypt’s Amr Shabana, the 2006 and 2007 ToC titleholder, eliminated his countryman Omar Abdel Aziz in straight games. The 30-year-old Aziz, who had layed two qualifying matches which went the distance before getting to his glass court main draw match, didn’t have much left in the tank to challenge the player who is called “The Maestro” by his peers.

“It is tough to play 10 games before even getting on court to play one of the greatest players ever in the game,” said Aziz after the match. “Shabs reads the ball and his opponent better than anybody else. So you have to always keep changing your strategy with him.” The qualifier had no answer, though, for the variety and fluidity of his 34-year-old opponent’s game.

After the match, Shabana declared, “I am as strong as I have ever been, so I am just keeping my head down and seeing how far I can go.”

James Willstrop, the third former ToC titleholder in the day’s line up, dropped the first game of his match to Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller, one of the few players who matches his 6”4” stature. “It took me a long time to get going today,” said the Englishman. “But I became more accurate in the second game and that put more pressure on my opponent.”

Using the accuracy and touch that are his trademarks, Willstromp romped through the second game and won it 11-1. He then had to save a game ball at 9-10 in the third game before eking out a 12-10 win. In the fourth, it was all Willstrop as he grabbed an 8-3 lead before closing out the match 11-5. “I was a bit rusty out there today,” said Willstrop, who, like most of the players, had taken a month’s break before the start of the ToC. When asked what the difference between the two players was, Muller said, ”He just knows where to put the balls.”

Willstrop’s next opponent is Australian Cameron Pilley who ended the day’s matches with an especially authoritative 3-0 victory over Malaysia’s Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan. Pilley, who literally led from start to finish the entire match relished his time on the glass court. “I absolutely love playing here,” he said after the match. ”I was really, really looking forward to playing today, and once I got out there, I was hitting really well and not missing much.”

South African Steven Coppinger defeated Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee in four games to set up a second round match with Nick Matthew. Coppinger who had a breakthrough victory at last year’s ToC, said “The court felt quite familiar and it brought back wonderful memories of last year.” But memories don’t win matches, so Coppinger had to focus on the task at hand and got off to a good start, winning the first game 11-7. The second game was controlled entirely by Ong Beng Hee. With the games tied one all, Coppinger received advice from Coach David Palmer, a former world #1 and multiple world Open champion. “Having Dave in my corner was great,” said Coppinger. The advice: “When things aren’t going your way, go back to basics.”

Dutchman L.J. Anjema defeated Ali Anwar Reda of Egypt in straight games to earn a quarterfinal match against Shabana. “it was really great until I got to 2-0, 9-4 and then I got edgy,” he said. Anjema nonetheless secured the victory. “I used to be an up and coming player that others thought could be dangerous,” says the 30-year-old. “Now it feels nice to be one of the veterans. My technique is getting better and I am using age as my advantage.”

Another veteran, sixth seed Peter Barker, needed five games against Karim Abdel Gawad to secure his quarterfinal spot. The Englishman had been off the tour for several months recuperating from a calf muscle that had torn in two places. “Physically I felt good,” said Barker. “I don’t feel that I played that well, but a win is a win.”

Barker’s quarterfinal opponent is Mathieu Castagnet, who was the definition of mental toughness as he battled back from an 0-2 deficit to defeat his French rival and compatriot, Gregoire Marche.

Castagnet fell behind 0-2 as qualifier Marche hit the court with great retrieving and shooting. But Castagnet slowed the temp of the game and disrupted Marche’s rhythm to win the final three games and the match. As they shook hands at the end of the match Castagnet leaned into say something to Gregoire and pointed to his head. “You have to be more solid in the head,” said Castagnet.

16-Jan, Qualifying Finals:
Focused Farag one of Four
Egyptian ToC qualifiers
Beth Rasin reports

Egypt’s Ali Farag played focused and composed squash to defeat Mexico’s Cesar Salazar in three games in the final qualifying round of the J.P. Morgan tournament of Champions and earn his first trip to the iconic Grand Central Terminal glass court. “I cannot even describe this feeling,” said the exhilarated 22-year-old after the match. “I have dreamed of playing on the ToC glass court for ages.”

For Farag, the pressure of the Tournament of Champions qualifying draw is exacerbated by the fact that the Harvard University senior plays only one professional tournament during the year. “Because it is the only PSA Tour event all year that I play, I can become almost too desperate to win,” he said.

Indeed, in last year’s ToC qualifying, Farag had more than one match ball, but couldn’t convert them for the coveted trip to the glass court.

Farag’s game plan was to mitigate Salazar’s foot speed by holding his shots as long as possible. The first game seesawed back and forth until Farag stepped up to take command and win the game 11-9. The second game was all about the Farag attack and too many unforced errors by Salazar. Farag seemed to have the match well in hand at 10-7 in the third, but Salazar managed to tie the game at 10 all.

 “I started thinking about the match balls I had last year,” Farag explained. “But then I composed myself.” Two points later, Farag won the game 12-10 and was on his way to a first round main draw ToC match in Grand Central terminal where he will play England’s Chris Simpson, the lowest ranked player in the main draw other than the qualifiers.

All the other qualifiers had to fight lengthier battles to secure their appearances on the Grand Central glass court. Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller, the top seeded player in the qualifying draw, needed five games and 79 minutes to defeat Leo Au of Hong Kong. The first game was a back and forth battle as both players played solid defense and hit attacking shots when they had an opening. Au drew first blood as he eked out the 13-11 first game win. Muller won a close second game 11-9 and completely dominated the third, winning 11-3. Au clawed his way back with effective attacking shots in the fourth. The fifth game was another seesaw until the very end when Muller, with more life in his legs, closed out the victory 11-8. Muller meets 2011 ToC champion James Willstrop in his opening round in the main draw.

Nafiizwan Adnan of Malaysia took a quick 2-0 game lead against Alan Clyne. The Scotsman then ratcheted up his play with clean, attacking squash to win game three. At 10-9 in the fourth, Adnan hit a volley kill into the nick to earn a main draw first round match against Australian Cameron Pilley. .

Local hopes were dashed when Christopher Gordon of the US could not overcome Egypt’s Omar Abdel Meguid. Although Gordon won the first game 11-7, Meguid claimed the second and third games in overtime and the fourth 11-6. He next plays compatriot Tarek Momen.

Omar Abdel Aziz defied the seedings as he defeated countryman Marwan El Shorbagy in five games. Aziz’s first round opponent is two-time ToC champion Amr Shabana.

The fourth and final Egyptian into the main draw is Ali Anwar Reda who dropped the first game to Hong Kong’s Max Lee but recovered quickly to win in four games. Reda will meet Laurens Jans Anjema of the Netherlands on the glass court.

Adrian Waller will play countryman Daryl Selby in the main draw by virtue of his victory over New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson, who retired in the fourth game due to injury. Frenchman Gregoire Marche, who defeated England’s Charles Sharpes with a 13-11 overtime win in the fourth and deciding game, faces compatriot Mathieu Castagnet next.
 

---

15-Jan, Qualifying Round One:
Big win for Farag as qualifying
gets under way in NY
Beth Rasin reports

Harvard University senior Ali Farag scored the biggest upset in first round qualifying play at the 2014 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions when he defeated Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly in three games at the Princeton Club in NYC.

It was a tense, hard-hitting match from the very start, marked by physical play. As the 26-year-old Australian grew increasingly frustrated, the younger Egyptian capitalized to earn a second round match up with Cesar Salazar. The Mexican’s attacking game proved too much for the less experienced Princeton University senior Samuel Kang.

Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller needed just 20 minutes to overpower American Bradbury Thompson and send him packing. Leo Au of Hong Kong, on the other hand, had his hands full with Canadian veteran Shahier Razik in a 74- minute battle that ended in Au’s favor after four games. Malaysian’s Nafizwan Adnad dispatched his countryman Mud Asyrif Azan to set up a second round match with Alan Clyne of Scotland , who eliminated Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman.

Chris Gordon of the US dominated countryman Mike Lewis in straight games at the Harvard Club and will next play Omar Abdel Meguid of Egypt who eliminated American Adrian Leanza.

Three other Egyptians moved into the second round at the Harvard Club. Marwan Elshorbagy, whose brother Mohamed is the tournament’s #3seed, defeated Joe Chapman of the British Virgin Islands in three quick games, while Omar Abdel Aziz ousted England’s Eddie Charlton. Ali Anwar Reda dismissed Mohamed Abouelghar..

At the New York Athletic Club, the highest ranking American, Julian Illingworth, was forced to retire due to injury after two games, leaving Charles Sharpes with the win and a second round match against France’s Gregoire Marche. New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson and Pakistan’s Yasir Butt were neck and neck until midway through each of their games until the steady and resolute Grayson pulled away to record a 3-0 victory. Grayson next plays England’s Adrian Waller, whose power and experience overwhelmed his younger American opponent Faraz Khan.

"I can improve on 2013," says Matthew
Nick Matthew opens his 2014 PSA Tour campaign at the Tournament of Champions on Friday feeling he could better his astonishing 12 months last year.

Ghosal looking for 2014 progress
Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal, the highest ranked Indian player of all-time, is hoping to build on a successful 2013 by getting his 2014 campaign off to a winning start at the ToC ...

09-Jan:
Shorbagy ready for NY
Rising Egyptian star Mohamed Elshorbagy says he is relishing the prospect of returning to PSA World Series action when the 2014 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions gets underway in New York’s Grand Central Terminal next week.  full story
 
06-Jan: Ashour out
breaking news that Ramy Ashour is out of the Toc:
"The ToC is one of my favourite events but as I am still struggling with my injury the doctors have advised me not to compete."

Back to Grand Central for 2014

The ever-popular Tournament of Champions returns to New York's Grand Central Terminus in January for its 20th edition, as the first PSA World Series event of the year, and this time with a WSA Gold event to boot.

As you would expect, all the top names are in the draws, including men's defending champion Ramy Ashour - hopefully fit again after being forced to pull out last week in Hong Kong - and Nick Matthew, the 2012 ToC champion who will be back at world #1 by the time he steps on court in NY.

Former champions Gregory Gaultier, James Willstrop and Amr Shabana are also in the mix, with Mohamed El Shorbagy, Karim Darwish and Peter Barker filling out the eight seeded spots.

The women's event has been held just six times before, and sees 2012 and 1023 champion Natalie Grinham outside the eight seeds in a draw which features the world's top eleven players.

Nicol David, fresh from a well-earned rest after claiming a ninth Hong Kong title last week, will start favourite to win a first ToC title - in fact unless Grinham can upset the seedings a new champion is guaranteed.
 

Nicol's on her way to NY

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