WORLD SQUASH NEWS

Women's World Open In Jeopardy

The Women's World Open Squash Championship is in danger of not being staged this year, for the first time since its launch in 1979, unless a "saviour" can be found.

The World Squash Federation (WSF), which owns the title of the event that it runs in close cooperation with the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), learned today (Thursday) that plans to stage the event for the second successive year in Hong Kong have had to be shelved, due to the lack of an available outdoor location to place the portable court.

"Last year's event was a spectacular success, staged on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, outside the Kowloon Cultural Centre and overlooking the harbour - a venue which is not available this year due to renovation work," said WSF Chief Executive Ted Wallbutton. 

"Hong Kong Squash had planned to hold the World Open for four consecutive years, but this bad news has disrupted their plans.

"Now we are left hoping that a last-minute saviour can be found elsewhere in the world to help maintain our unbroken run of annual Women's World Opens since the inaugural event in England in 1979," added Wallbutton.

From a WISPA perspective, Executive Director Andrew Shelley commented:  "We are now working flat out to ensure that our members have an opportunity to fight for our top World Tour title on the scheduled dates of 5-11 December, and are hopeful that the battle will be won."