Believe it or not I am in Israel writing this - specifically Tel Aviv. It is early morning at my 'pod' hotel and I am sat looking out over the Mediterranean and Jaffa old city. Amazing really. But anyway l want to finish off the account below before I become too wordy about Israel.
Last weekend I enjoyed my Xmas present from George and Laura. It was a ticket to watch the opening day of The Canary Wharf Squash Classic. This is a top event in the elite world squash calendar. This years field of 24 contains the world's top 10 ranking players. The standard could not have been higher. The venue is renowned and unique. The single glass court is set up in East Gate with 400 seats available in close banking around the Court. The proximity makes it special - we were 5 rows back - 10 ft from the back wall. The view was outstanding.
I just want to say a bit about the game of squash as one way or another it has been a big part of our family life. I owned and lived in a squash club for 8 years. Squash is a great game - described as gladitorial - 2 players battling it out in a confined area - but also a game of chess - as it is a strategic game too.
Sadly - frustratingly the profile of squash remains limited on the world stage - it is in the Commonwealth games but never in the Olympics despite worldwide participation by both men and women. Why is it not bigger on the world stage? Probably because watching a game unless you have some knowledge of the game is not a riveting spectical - it doesn't televise that well although technology has improved. The other issue is there is a limit to the number of people who can realistically get around a court. This is why glass backs were introduced and now big tournaments use the perspex court where viewing is possible from the sides too and to a limited extent through the front wall. You can look in but players cannot look out. This is the type of court being used at the Canary Wharf Classic - its is portable.
One other observation - moan - is I have no doubt the top 10 squash players are just as skilled and athletic as the world's top 10 tennis players but their earning power is world's apart. The total prize money for the premier event we were watching was $110,000 ! The game just does not have the profile.
George is playing in the Hampshire Premier League - an excellent standard but we were both very impressed with what we seen. Shots are so tight - with deception and tremendous movement. The standout for us was Karim Abdul Gawad. Former world champion - past his prime and 10 months out with injury. He made a world top 20 player look very ordinary. His touch - his back hand volley drops and nicks were amazing. Most of all he is a master of deception. He sent the watching gallery the wrong way on several occasions. A master. Different class. The Egyptians are brilliant.
It was a tremendous day and we will go again next year.
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| The Canary Wharf Classic |
Here is the marketing blurb for the tournament :
SQUASH
GillanMarkets Canary Wharf Squash Classic ~ Sunday 12 to 17 March
Stand by for six days of world-class squash in the spectacular surroundings of East Wintergarden as the Canary Wharf Squash Classic returns for 2023. See below for the latest ticket information.
The world’s greatest male squash players are returning to the capital for the Gillen Markets Canary Wharf Classic taking place Sunday 12 to Friday 17 March. The PSA World Tour Gold event celebrates two decades of action on the Wharf and features its strongest draw ever.
The entirety of the world’s top-10 will compete for honours this week. Surprise 2022 winner Fares Dessouky (the world No 9) defends the title he won against Mostafa Asal. Asal, now world No 1, returns as the top seed and looking for revenge.
World No 6 Marwan ElShorbagy is a potential quarter-final opponent fixture for Asal in what would be their first contest since the controversial Houston Open semi-final. Victory secured Asal the No 1 spot after ElShorbagy was forced to retire injured, following a collision with his opponent.
Two-time winner Paul Coll (the world No 4) will be a major threat at one of his favourite events, as will world No 3 Ali Farag. Rejuvenated squash superstar Mohamed ElShorbagy and the mercurial Peruvian Puma Diego Elias (world-ranked No 5 and 2 respectively) are also set to thrill the crowds in pursuit of one of the biggest prizes in the game.
Former world No 1 and four-time Canary Wharf Classic champion James Willstrop is a wildcard for the tournament. The Englishman, who won the first edition of this event back in 2004 and went on to win again in 2007, 2008 and 2013, takes on Frenchman and world No 16 Gregoire Marche in the first round.
Taking place in the heart of Canary Wharf at the fabulous East Wintergarden venue, the 20th edition of the Canary Wharf Squash Classic is once again set to welcome a sell-out crowd, as it has for the last ten years.
London’s favourite squash tournament begins with the popular People’s Sunday programme, featuring eight first rounds matches, and culminates in the traditional final on Friday.
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