World’s best squash players competing in Allam British Open

COMPETITION: The Allam British Open

The world’s leading squash players are in action at the University of Hull this week, as they battle it out for the Allam British Open title.

The Allam British Open - taking place at the university’s Allam Sports Centre - is one of the most prestigious trophies on the PSA World Tour calendar.

Taking place between August 16-22, the British Open is the longest-running tournament in professional squash and has seen some of the greatest players of all time lift the famous trophy.

The university has hosted the British Open since 2019, with Hull’s KC Stadium and Airco Arena serving as venues prior to that.

Steve Curtis, Head of Sport at the University of Hull, said: “We are incredibly proud to be hosting the Allam British Open for a second successive championships.

“It is a chance for people to see the world’s best squash players in action, and experience the sport being played at the very highest level.

“The university has in recent years invested over £16m into its sports facilities, providing students and the wider community with high-quality sporting provisions.

WINNERS: Mohamed ElShorbagy and Nouran Gohar with Dr Assem Allam and the 2019 British Open trophies

“It’s brilliant to continue to welcome people back onto our campus, and we hope the British Open provides a real buzz ahead of the start of the new academic year in September.”

Since first beginning in 1929, the Allam British Open has been established as the most prestigious squash tournament outside of the PSA World Championships.

Between 2014-2018, the tournament was staged at the Airco Arena, before moving to the state-of-the art Allam Sport Centre in 2019, where Egyptian stars Mohamed ElShorbagy and Nouran Gohar lifted the coveted trophies.

This year’s Allam British Open returns to the calendar after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and 96 players - comprising 48 men and 48 women - will battle it out for a total prize purse of $350,000, which is split evenly across both the men’s and women’s events.

World Champions Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag headline the draws this year as they make their first PSA appearances since winning the World Championship titles in July.

Two-time Allam British Open champion El Sherbini is the favourite after beating Gohar to win her fifth World Championship title, and the pair are seeded to meet in the women’s final.

Action from the Allam Sport Centre will be shown live on SQUASHTV.