The Wimbledon Club
The Wimbledon Club • Church Road, Wimbledon • SW19 5AG
Tel: 020 8971 8090
Dear [[firstname]],
There are only a few days to go before this year’s Optasia Championship begin and the excitement is building for what promises to be our most intriguing event yet.
We know plenty about the cast of characters who comprise this year’s incredibly strong draw.
Mostapha Asal the wonder kid is world number 1 at the age of 21 and a “ marmite” character who divides opinion.
Mostafa is an amazing player. Let’s hope it’s his squash that does the talking and that some of his lesser regarded on-court antics to not take centre stage. He is a hugely talented player and to have him competing here is an enthralling prospect.
There are three pretenders literally breathing fire down Mostafa’s neck and hoping to make Wimbledon history of their own.
Last year’s champion, the likeable and eloquent Egyptian Ali Farag is back from injury. Ali is also no stranger to (a softer type of) controversy. He drew global attention with his “support for Palestine” victory speech at last year’s presentation which went viral . Ali’s supreme movement and court craft make him a delight to watch and he carries his World Champion status fittingly as one of squash’s finest ambassadors.
Diego Elias, the best player to come out of South America, has shifted his play up a level and is in a rich vein of form having, with Mohamed El Shorbagy, participated in a free flowing squash extravaganza at the recent Black Ball Championships. Diego inches ever closer to the summit of the world squash rankings. Had he lifted the winner’s trophy and at the Black Ball Open and not the runner’s up plate he would have claimed world number one status.
Mohamed may have thought that his star was waning but wisely sought the counsel of another recent world champion, Greg Gaultier. The partnership has proved to be invigorating for Mohamed who has regained both his passion for matches and his winning formula.
Brother Marwan El Shorbagy has the squash intelligence and pedigree to hijack the ambitions of those even more loftily perched. He’s in fine form too but whether he has the physicality to win four brutal matches in successive days maybe questionable. Like his brother, he too is forging a strong pupil / coach allegiance with an ex world champion, exquisite shot maker and Khan conqueror Rodney Martin.
Harvard graduate Victor Crouin has stealthily edged up the rankings to a career high of number 7. He won a couple of weeks ago in Washington and is another man “en forme “ and who will see Optasia as an opportunity to climb higher.
Mazen Hesham has been a major highlight of previous Optasia (formerly Channel VAS) tournaments. His flamboyant shot making captures the hearts of audiences worldwide. He has the necessary grit too to take him to a potentially breakthrough title win.
Karim Abdul Gawad is one of three World Champions and four former World number 1’s in the draw. Back from an injury, which kept him out of squash for eight months and threatened to end his career, fans will be able to delight once again at his majestic skills. If he can get past Raphael Kandra, a Wednesday encounter with Mostafa really whets the appetite for a battle royale.
1st ROUNDS – TUESDAY 21ST MARCH
Tuesday’s first rounds run from 1pm until closing time and provide the best value ticket in town at £20 for eight matches.
1pm - Top Scot Greg Lobhan and Youssef Soliman, another Egyptian patiently waiting for a top ten spot, start the day’s proceedings.
2pm- We welcome back popular veteran of many epic Optasia matches Saurav Ghosal who plays August Dussourd.
3pm- Last year’s surprise semi-finalist Nicolas Mueller is challenged by fellow countryman Dimitri Steinmann, a player who has hurtled up the rankings this season.
4pm- Youssef Ibrahim, an incredible shot maker who stands on the threshold of the world's top ten takes on charismatic Frenchman Sebastien Bonmalais.
5.30pm - England’s Patrick Rooney who flies the home flag with Charlie and Mohamed, clashes with former World Junior Champion Eain Yow Ng. Two players that attempt to play everything should greatly entertain.
6.30pm- The aforementioned Gawad v Kandra clash.
7.30 pm - Locals will flock to watch the late blossoming talent of Surrey’s Charlie Lee pitching his skills against Qatar’s entertaining Abdulla Al-Tamimi.
8.30pm- The evening session will be concluded by French rivals Gregoire Marche world number 15 and Baptiste Masotti who will be looking to upset his higher ranked compatriot.
EXTRA MATCHES
We have some extra treats in store when the mercurial talents of ex world number 45 Robbie Temple are challenged by TWC’s pro Jordan Warne on Saturday 25th March at 3pm prior to the semi-finals.
On Sunday 26th March at 3pm a Pro Squash Challenge featuring world number 10 Gina Kennedy and World number 20 Jasmine Hutton precedes the final at 4.15pm.This is no exhibition! Gina will be keen to keep the title which helped her spring to prominence in 2021 with wins over Jasmine, Tesni Evans and Sarah Jane Perry.
TICKETS & HOSPITALITY
With an enlarged arena built to cope with increasing demand, tickets and seats in hospitality are still available to BUY HERE:
https://www.optasiachampionshiptickets.com/
For wonderful hospitality packages contact Stacey Ross at The Wimbledon Club:director@twcsquash.co.uk.
Regards,
Stacey Ross
Squash Director
Danny Lee
Tournament Promoter
13/03/2023
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