Stars set for battle at Singapore Squash Open in November
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Peru's Diego Elias (left) lost the men's final of the 2022 Singapore Squash Open to Mohamed El Shorbagy (right) and returns for this year's edition.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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SINGAPORE – Four-time world champion Ali Farag is hoping to add the Vitagen Singapore Squash Open to his list of trophies won around the world, with the Egyptian star confirming his participation for the Professional Squash Association World Tour Gold event in November.
He will be joined by Peru’s Diego Elias, one place behind Farag at world No. 2, for the Nov 14-19 tournament at the OCBC Arena. They are among the 24 top male and female players featuring at the US$225,000 (S$310,000) event.
Farag said: “I’m super excited to be coming to Singapore this year. I was bummed to miss out last year due to injury, and I can’t wait.”
It will be his first visit here and he said he is looking forward to playing in front of a “great Asian crowd”. He added: “I have heard great things from my wife (women’s world No. 8 Nour El Tayeb) and all the players who participated last year.”
Women’s world No. 4 Joelle King will return to defend her title after her win against El Tayeb. Elias was a losing finalist in 2022, falling to Mohamed El Shorbagy.
The Republic will have two wild-card entries in Marcus Phua and Au Yeong Wai Yhann, while Singapore Squash Rackets Association president Patrick Thio hopes the event will inspire budding squash players here.
He said: “Watching our local talent compete against top-ranked players is a boost to the local squash community.”
The association also announced its Asian Games squad on Saturday, with the men’s team entering as ninth seed. Phua is joined by 2017 SEA Games jumbo doubles champion Samuel Kang, two-time SEA Games medallist Aaron Liang and debutant Jerome Aw.
Thio said: “Although we are the underdogs, we hope our resilience and grit can see us through and an upset is always on the cards.”
At the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta, Singapore’s men’s team finished fifth, ahead of the likes of Qatar, Indonesia and Thailand.
In Hangzhou, they are in Pool A alongside top seeds India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar and Nepal. The pool phase is from Sept 26 to 28, with the final on Sept 30.
Phua and Liang are also involved in the individual events that begin on Oct 1.
Singapore Squash Open tickets are available at www.sistic.com.sg/ events/squash1123
