British tournaments delayed in latest update to PSA World Tour calendar Sunday, 9 May 2021
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has updated its provisional calendar for the remainder of the 2020-2021 World Tour season, pushing back two competitions in Britain.
One of these is the Manchester Open, which is now scheduled to take place from June 7 to 13, having been initially scheduled for April 19 to 25 before it was postponed.
The Allam British Open in Hull - a Platinum event - was set to take place from June 14 to 20, but has now been pushed back until August 16 to 22.
These events were both delayed to allow the chance for more spectators to attend, if coronavirus restrictions are eased as is planned.
PSA Manchester Open pushed back by two months over contact-tracing concerns Friday, 9 April 2021
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has pushed the Manchester Open back by two months to enable health authorities to find a solution to the England s contact-tracing system, which it claims could severely affect major sporting events.
Manchester’s National Squash Centre was originally scheduled to stage the PSA World Tour Silver tournament from April 19 to 25.
But the event is now set to be staged in one of the first two weeks of June as part of reshuffle to the PSA World Tour s provisional calendar.
The Mauritius Open will make way for the Manchester Open and move to October, partly because Mauritius borders remain closed for international travel until June in response to the coronavirus crisis.
Manchester Open Postponed as Part of PSA World Tour Calendar Update
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The 2021 Manchester Open, originally scheduled for 19-25 April, has been postponed until June as part of an update to the PSA World Tour provisional calendar for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.
The PSA World Tour Silver tournament – which will see 64 of the world’s best male and female players line up at Manchester’s National Squash Centre – will now take place in one of the first two weeks of June, taking the spot of the Necker Mauritius Open 2021 presented by Beachcomber, which will move to October of this year due to the fact that the Mauritius borders will remain closed for international travel until at least June.
Palmer Backs Naughton For Top 10 Charge
David Palmer has backed coaching charge Hollie Naughton to make a top 10 place in the PSA World Rankings her own.
The Canadian No.1 reached a career high ranking of No.20 in November after reaching the last 16 of the final three ranking events of 2020 at the Manchester Open, Egyptian Open and CIB Black Ball Open.
The 26-year-old will open her competitive campaign this year at the 2021 CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open with a first-round draw against Holland’s World No.62 Tessa ter Sluis on Friday and is in the same quarter as No.3 seed Camille Serme.
Khan Tips Asal as Future World Champion
Jansher Khan has tipped Mostafa Asal to become World Champion.
The record eight-time World Champion was an honoured guest at a recent exhibition event held in his native Pakistan where he saw the 19-year-old defeat former World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy in the final.
Now Khan, whose 97-month reign as World No.1 remains unsurpassed, reckons that Asal will one day follow in his footsteps to capture the sport’s most illustrious prize.
The Pakistani squash legend also believes that reigning British Open champion ElShorbagy will once again start among the favourites for the 2021 PSA World Championship presented by The Walter Family when it gets underway in Chicago in July.