WORLD SQUASH NEWS

Emerging Squash Nations Given World Open Opportunity

Five players ranked outside the world top 100 will compete in next month's Men's World Open Squash Championship in Pakistan as the result of a co-operation between the World Squash Federation (WSF) and event owners the Professional Squash Association (PSA).

The players from Hungary, Yugoslavia, Italy, Germany and South Africa have been accepted into the event's qualification tournament, from which eight qualifiers will gain entry into the main event in Lahore from 14-21 December.

The PSA provides up to eight places for nominations from WSF Members, who usually provide their number one ranked player, but lower if they already qualify in terms of PSA ranking.  Priority is given to nations not already represented in the draw, in which category both Hungary and Yugoslavia apply.

"The WSF and PSA work closely together to ensure that all WSF Member Nations have the opportunity to showcase their top player in the premier men's individual championship of the year," said WSF Chief Executive Ted Wallbutton.  "We appreciate this cooperation and believe that it will help to generate new destinations on the PSA World Tour in the emerging Squash nations."

The players who will benefit from this scheme next month are:  Mark Krajcsak (Hungary, ranked 254); Andrea Capella (Italy, 155); Stefan Leifels (Germany, 110); Ivan Djordjevic (Yugoslavia, 274); and Adrian Hansen (South Africa, unranked)