Top squash stars to line up in Dubai World Series
dubai — The 2016-17 PSA Dubai World Series Finals — taking place at Dubai Opera on June 6-10 — looks certain to deliver a blockbuster climax to the squash season after a quartet of former World number ones in the guise of Gregory Gaultier, Ramy Ashour, Mohamed ElShorbagy and James Willstrop were drawn together in a mouthwatering group stage.
The lucrative tournament, which has $160,000 on offer in both the Men’s and Women’s draws, will see the players face off against each other in a roundrobin best-of-three series from June 6-8 for a place in the knockout semi-finals and beyond - with only two players progressing from each group. Current World No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad, the man who topped the PSA Road To Dubai Standings, finds himself going up against another former No.1, Nick Matthew, in-form Marwan ElShorbagy and Germany’s hard-hitting Simon Rosner in the second group — with both Gawad and El Shorbagy making their debut appearance at the prestigious tournament.
The five day event brings together the cream of squash talent and the Women’s Group Draw has pitted three World Championship winners — Egypt’s two-time winner Nour El Sherbini, Malaysia’s eight-time winner Nicol David and 2013 World Champion, and defending World Series Finals Champion, Laura Massaro - alongside debutante Sarah-Jane Perry.
The second group will see Camille Serme, who topped the Women’s Road to Dubai standings, Raneem El Welily, Nouran Gohar and Alison Waters clash for a place in the coveted knock-out stages.
When the Group stages gets underway on June 6, Gaultier, Ashour, El Shorbagy and Willstrop will take to court during the day’s second session of play — beginning 9:30pm — alongside El Sherbini, Massaro, David and Perry.
Both Group As will be in action from 3:00pm.