The Yorkshireman will now face Laurens Jan Anjema from the Netherlands in the second round after beating the Finnish qualifier 11-8, 11-7, 11-3 in 31 minutes.

Mustonen came out fighting in the early games, forcing the defending champion to make a series of basic errors.

But the omnipresent Brit began to own the court as the match progressed and by the third game had begun a clinical assault on his valiant Finnish challenger.

Matthew first triumphed at the historic tournament in 2006 and went on to reclaim the title in 2009. Last year he took top prize for a third time in an action-packed final against current world number one Ramy Ashour at the London 02 Arena, at the inaugural staging of the Allam British Open.

“He came out to win, full credit to him for that,” said Matthew, who acknowledged that it was “amazing” to be playing in his home county. “I’m so pleased to be here and hopefully have a lot of local support.”

Elsewhere fellow Englishman and number seven seed Peter Barker sailed to victory over Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Redain a match lasting 47 minutes.

Reda reached game ball first, but Barker saw him off 12-10, 11-9, 11-4 with some tight and accurate hitting that allowed the Brit to dominate the latter stages of the match.

The delighted Londoner said afterwards: “I felt that I started a little slowly but improved as the match went on.”

Anjema started at high tempo against Ryan Cuskelly - which seemed to catch the Australian by surprise as the Dutchman raced into a two-game lead. Cuskelly slowed down the pace effectively in the third to pull one back but Anjema steadied himself and regained the momentum to take the match 3/1.

Anjema was also complimentary about the event: “It’s beautiful venue, really cool to be playing in a football stadium.”

India’s Saurav Ghosal proved too strong for English qualifier Jonathan Kemp in the opening match at the KC Stadium.

The game was played at a frantic pace with 32-year-old Kemp going for some spectacular shots but finding it difficult to outmanoeuvre his quick opponent.

Commenting after the match, the Yorkshire-based Indian number one said: “Happy to win 3/0 after a close match against a very talented and dangerous opponent today – definitely some fast and furious points on there!”

The all-Egyptian affair between Tarek Momen and Marwan Elshorbagy was a typically attacking match with both players exchanging daring shots in the opening stages. The pair went shot for shot with Momen just edging the first two games 11-9 before running away with the third 11-4 in a match that lasted just short of half an hour.

Commenting on the set-up, Momen enthused: “I really like the court in the middle of a football stadium!”

Former British Open champion Gregory Gaultier started his 2013 campaign with an excellent win against Alister Walker.

The Frenchman looked in sharp form as he despatched Walker, from Botswana, in straight games 11-6, 11-9, 11-1. Gaultier attacked throughout and dominated the middle, much to his opponent’s frustration.

Afterwards Gaultier commented: “It was a really tough first few games played at a good pace. I’m happy to get the win and would really like to win the tournament again although it is so tough at the moment with so many quality players.”

England’s Daryl Selby made his way through to the second round in a tough game against Finland’s Olli Tuominen. The two were neck and neck in the first at 5-5 before a surge of attacking play by Selby took him to a 10-5 lead before he closed the game out 11-6.

The second was closer with both players attacking to take the game to eight-all. Selby upped the pace and played a superb back hand drop to reach game-ball before taking the second 11-9.

Tuominen took a quick 5-0 lead in the third before Selby refocused to level at 5-5. The Finn moved on to game-ball, but Selby sneaked a 13-11 win to take the match in three.

In the last game of the day Karim Darwish, who missed last year’s event through injury, looked in good form as he sailed past compatriot and qualifier Andrew Wagih Shoukry in just under half an hour.

RESULTS: PSA World Series Allam British Open, Hull, England

1st round (lower half of draw):
[4] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 11-6, 11-9, 11-1 (47m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (35m)
Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [Q] Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (28m)
[7] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 12-10, 11-9, 11-4 (47m)
[5] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (28m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-7, 11-9, 13-11 (49m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-6 (56m)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-3 (31m)

Official site: www.britishopensquash.net 

Runner-up in the last championship in 2011, the 24-year-old world No13 beat Low, ranked six places higher, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-1.

The men’s championship provided the first Pakistan winner for 15 years when Aamir Atlas Khan beat third-seeded KuwaitiAbdullah Al Muzayen 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 – ending Malaysian dominance of the men’s event since 1998.

The 40th European Team Championships took place in the Netherlands city of Amsterdam, where Englandmaintained their grip on both the men’s and women’s titles despite stiff opposition.

Former world No2 Jenny Duncalf earned her 100th England cap in sensational style on semi-finals day by clinching victory in the deciding match against third seeds France.

The 30-year-old from Yorkshire was then called upon to repeat her heroics 24 hours later in the final decider against second seeds Ireland - Duncalf beating Laura Mylotte 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 to give favourites England their third title in a row, and the 35th since the women’s championships began in 1978.

In their 13th final again France in 14 years, the England men found themselves 2/0 down for the first time after powerful French wins by world No3 Gregory Gaultier and the now retired former world champion Thierry Lincou.

But Essex duo Daryl Selby and Peter Barker - ranked 13 & 7, respectively, in the world – steadied the England ship with straight games wins over Lucas Serme and Gregoire Marche to give the defending champions an 8-6 win on games countback – and England’s narrowest victory since 2002.

RESULTS: FMC Asian Championships, Islamabad, Pakistan

Men’s final:
[6] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [3] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 11-9, 11-3, 11-8

Women’s final:
[2] Annie Au (HKG) bt [1] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-1

European Team Championships, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Men’s final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [2] FRANCE 2/2 (England win 8-6 on games countback)
James Willstrop lost to Thierry Lincou 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11 (67m)
Nick Matthew lost to Gregory Gaultier 11-13, 6-11, 12-14 (82m)
Daryl Selby bt Lucas Serme 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (48m)
Peter Barker bt Gregoire Marche 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (53m)

Women’s final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [2] IRELAND 2/1
Laura Massaro bt Madeline Perry 11-7, 11-5, 11-2 (29m)
Alison Waters lost to Aisling Blake 5-11, 9-11, 6-11 (28m)
Jenny Duncalf bt Laura Mylotte 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 (23m)

Read ISSUE #44

Not only one of the world’s top referees, Peter was a genuinely nice guy, liked and respected by everybody in squash. His passing at the impossibly early age of fifty is difficult to come to terms with.

His families, his own and also his squash family will miss him hugely.

Rest in peace, Peter.

Still only 17, Fallows followed title triumphs in the Nordic, Swiss and French Junior Opens by finishing as runner-up in the European Junior Championships in Switzerland in March.

Temple Murray, from Exeter in Devon, was also victorious in the Swiss Junior Open – but then also clinched the women’s European title in Zurich.

South American interest in the new rankings is powerfully led by Diego Elias, the 16-year-old from Peru who leaps 12 places to reach No2 in the men’s list. Winner of the Pan American Junior U19 Championship in September, Elias then claimed the South American Junior U19 Championship title in February.

And Ivan Dolovcak becomes the first player from Croatia to enter the top ten after winning both the Serbian andCroatian Junior Opens. The 18-year-old leaps 18 places to No3.

India’s Anaka Alankamony holds onto second place in the women’s list, boosted by title successes in both the Indian Junior Open and the Asian Junior Championships.

A nine place rise takes Belgium’s 17-year-old Nele Gilis to third place after title successes in the Nordic and German Opens, and a runner-up finish in the European Championships.

USA’s Sabrina Sobhy and Colombia’s Laura Viviana Tovar Perez - both aged only 16 – are celebrating 6th and 7th places, respectively, in the new women’s rankings.

The WSF World Junior Circuit Rankings - based on the under-19 age grouping and launched in 2011 – are issued quarterly, based on results achieved in national junior opens, regional championships and WSF World Junior Individual Championships.

Men’s top 10:

Women’s top 10:

The Dutch Squash Federation is the second oldest European member of the World Squash Federation (after England Squash) – and will be hosting the historic European Team Championships, the 41st edition of the event, for the tenth time since 1978.

More than 50 teams are competing in all three men’s and women’s divisions of the European Championships – including men’s championship debutants Estoniaand first-timers in the women’s event Latvia and Slovenia.

The championships will take place at the 21-court Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam from 1-4 May.

“The Dutch federation is one of the most active WSF member nations in Europe as well as being a world leader and we congratulate them on this magnificent three-quarters-of-a-century milestone,” said WSF President N Ramachandran, who will be attending the championships.

“Furthermore, our European Squash Federation is celebrating its 40th anniversary at a time when they are going from strength to strength,” added Ramachandran.

“The fact that the celebrations will also include the staging of the biggest international team event in the world – bringing together nations such as Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia with successful countries such as France, England and hosts Netherlands, joined by smaller ones such as Luxembourg and debuting Estonia – will make this week in Amsterdam an extremely special one for our sport.”

The tournament saw home heroes Amanda Sobhy and Natalie Grainger take out the World Doubles women’s championship, Aussie all-star team Damian Mudge and Ben Gould added another trophy to their impressive collection in the men’s division, and another Australian victory by Paul Price and Narelle Krizek in the mixed division.

In the women’s draw semifinals, top seeded US team Grainger and Sobhy defeated England’s Tina Rix and Carrie Hastings, while Australians Narelle Krizek and Natarsha McElhinny were defeated by Canada’s Seanna Keating and Stephanie Hewitt, to make the 2013 World Doubles women’s championship final an all-North American affair.

The American partnership, who just weeks ago played against each other for the individual title of National Champion in the 2013 U.S. National Championships women’s final, were this time competing as a doubles team together against the Canadian pair, who were defending champions of the 2012 World Doubles women’s title.

In the finals match, held at Brooklyn Heights Casino, Grainger/Sobhy comfortably defeated the number two seeds and defending champions Keating and Hewitt in three games, 15-7, 15-11, 15-7, to take out the title of Turner Women’s Open World Doubles Champions.

In the men’s division top seeds and defending champions Damien Mudge and Ben Gould cruised through two three-nil wins to make their way towards another championship final, beating US team Christopher Callis and Alex Domenick in the first round followed by South Africans Regardt Schonborn and Jacques Swanepoel in the round of 16.

They next won two four game matches in the quarterfinals and semifinals, against eighth seeds Imran Khan and Baset A. Chaudhry of Pakistan and USA’s Preston B. Quick and Gregory O. Park, to make their way comfortably into the championship final.

An upset in the semifinals saw second seeded men’s team Matt Jenson and Paul Price of Australia stopped in their tracks on the way to the final.  Things were looking sweet for the pair after they cruised through solid three-nil wins in all of their first three matches against South Africans Michael Koep and Brett A. Erasmus in the first round, Swedish team Gustav Detter and Anders Wahlstedt in the round of 16, and Canadians Freddie Reid and Viktor Berg in the quarterfinals.

However the strong partnership of Jonny P. Smith and Clive I. Leach of England was too much to tackle, as they defeated Aussies Ryan Cuskelly and Dan Jenson, Canadians Carl J. Baglio and Ian T. Power and Aussies Raj Nanda and Mark Price to set up the crushing semifinal match against Jenson/Price.

In the championship final, all-star team Mudge and Gould, who have dominated the pro doubles scene since they teamed up in 2010, defeated Smith and Leach in three breathtaking games to take out the Kellner Men’s Open division of the World Doubles tournament 15-8, 15-9, 15-9 and add another trophy to their impressive collection

The mixed finals played out between Australian team Paul Price and Narelle Krizek and US team Preston Quick and Natalie Grainger, with the Aussies crowned the Richmond Mixed Open World Doubles champions.

The match saw last year’s defending champions compete against one another in the final, as last year the championship was won by Quick and Krizek together.

The intense four-game match fell smoothly in favor of the Aussies in the first two games, 15-7, 15-6, but Quick and Grainger climbed back in the third from 10-6 down to take the game 15-10. However the Americans narrowly missed out on evening up the stakes in the forth, going down 15-13 in a nail biting finish to the match.

| Full results and more lots photos |

“Squash is absolutely one of the best/toughest sports,” said Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medallist in 1996. “The Games would be proud!”

Federer was one of the first leading tennis players to pledge support for his fellow racket sport: “I think it’s a wonderful sport. It’s unfortunate some sports don’t get the opportunity to be in the Olympics – I think squash would deserve it.”

Since then, fellow stars Agassi, Clijsters and Edberg have also given Squash their backing.

“I think Squash would be a great addition to the Olympic Games,” said Clijsters, one of the greatest ever players in the women’s game who won 41 WTA singles titles including four Grand Slams. “It’s a great competitive game and different from the other racket sports in not having a net dividing the players.

“It shows great intensity. With the modernisation of the game I think it deserves a place in the Olympic Games.”

Edberg first started playing squash when he was on the ATP Tour and used to play in the top Swedish league: “Squash has all the credentials to be an Olympic sport – it would complement the other racket sports that are already part of the programme and it would be great to see it included in the Games,” said the former world number one and Olympic gold medallist.

World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran is delighted by the growing list of world top athletes who are backing the sport’s bid for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games programme.

“It is heart-warming to have tennis idols like Agassi, Federer, Edberg and Clijsters supporting Squash’s campaign – and equally gratifying to see top athletes from sports like rugby, cricket, football, cycling, badminton, weightlifting, diving and shooting rallying to our cause.”

The impressive new facility features both singles courts and a moveable-walled ASB international doubles court.

President Franco was joined at the opening ceremony by Paraguay’s Sports Minister Marcelo Bedoya, the National Olympic Committee President Camilo Perez, and South American Squash Federation President Claudio Fontanazzi.

Distinguished squash player David Palmer, the two-time world champion and four-time British Open champion from Australia, gave clinics to juniors and adults, along with exhibition matches with local players including the Paraguay championEsteban Casarino.

“To have a public National Centre of Squash in Paraguay, with three single courts and one double with a moveable wall, is a huge achievement,” said Marcos Vaisenbrut, President of the Paraguayan Squash Association.

“This was made possible thanks to the international success in the Latin American championships, which brought us gold, silver and bronze medals, and also to our good relations with local authorities.

“The inauguration of the Squash National Centre is a milestone in the history of Paraguayan Squash and we are very proud of it,” added Vaisenbrut. “Along with a strong group of juniors, we can therefore ensure the success and continuity of squash in our country.”

Pictured (L to R) are: Sports Minister Marcelo Bedoya; Paraguay President Federico Franco; Paraguayan Olympic Committee President Camilo Perez; and Paraguay Squash Association President Marcos Vasenbrut.

Peter Nicol MBE and fellow former professional Tim Garner launched the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge in Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands on the edge of Antarctica just over a week ago – then traversed the globe via Santiago in Chile; Sydney in Australia; Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Cairo in Egypt; and London in England before reaching the climax of their bid to contest 7 Squash Matches in 7 Days on 7 Continents to raise the profile of Squash’s campaign to join the programme of the 2020 Olympic Games in Connecticut in the USA on Saturday.

“DONE!” tweeted Garner after the intrepid pair rounded off their mission at the new 12-court Chelsea Piers Club inStamford, where Nicol edged to a 4/3 series victory in the squash challenge – after seven matches, 32 games and more than six hours of playing time!

“70 hours on airplanes, 40,000 miles of travelling and seven matches completed. It’s been an incredible week!”

President Ramachandran is full of admiration of the pair’s efforts: “Both Peter and Tim have already made significant contributions to the sport – Peter as a former world champion and world number one and Tim as director of major events like the British Open, World Series Finals and Canary Wharf Classic.

“But this went beyond the call of duty – it was an extraordinary pioneering mission of epic proportions which has caught the imagination of sports enthusiasts the world over and has done much to boost our Olympic bid.”

Garner, a former world No26, later commented: “We set out on Xodus 7 Continent Challenge to help highlight the profile of the 2020 bid and raise some money for two worthy causes. I think it did just that – and more, as each and every venue had pushed the boat to make their event special and in doing so did much for squash in their community.

“It has been a tough challenge, but I am pleased that we both managed to come through it relatively unscathed, though it may take a few days to recover as the muscles and bones are feeling a little weary!

“It was great to spend a week with one of my best friends – who, fittingly, I met through squash – though it was annoying to lose to him in the decider!”

On the journey back to London, Nicol added: “As we set off on this incredible journey, I was apprehensive for several reasons but also hugely excited. From landing in the Falklands all the way through to Stamford, CT, we were wonderfully surprised with the reaction from local squash players, the media and, to be perfectly honest, by our bodies to playing. We both expected to find the squash the hardest aspect of the tour but were delighted to find out that we were still capable of playing to a decent standard over the course of seven days.

“Tim and I both feel squash deserves a chance to be in the Olympics and if our Challenge helps in any way, then it’s been very worthwhile. We are also proud to have raised significant funds for both our official charities and for each of the local venue charities as well.

“Personally I would like to thank Tim for conceptualising, planning and executing the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge. He has served squash tremendously well now for 20 years in all different capacities and deserves great credit for what he does for the sport, most of which goes unnoticed. I also really enjoyed spending time with one of my best friends on an unforgettable journey. To win the deciding match was rather pleasing as well!!”

As well as profiling the Olympic Bid, the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge has raised monies for two squash causes: The first theLV= SOS Kit Aid Scheme, and the second Natasha’s Steps, a trust set up help young squash player Natasha Drake who is recovering from an idiopathic bleed on her brain.

Follow Squash’s 2020 Olympic campaign on Twitter at @Vote4Squash and Like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BackTheBid2020

Read Garner’s daily Xodus 7 Continent Challenge blogs on http://squash2020.com/

Nicol and Garner have covered thousands of miles this week and spent more than 60 hours in the air as part of their quest to play seven matches in seven days on seven continents to promote squash’s bid for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games. After six punishing days of travel and competition in the Falkland Islands, Santiago, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur and Cairo, they were made to feel right at home as friends, family and supporters gathered at the historic Royal Automobile Club in London to cheer them on.

The pair can’t afford to rest just yet, though, for they will spend barely 24 hours in London before heading across the Atlantic to New York for the Challenge finale in Stamford, Connecticut.

“It’s been great to be here and to see so many friends and family but the work isn’t done yet,” said Garner, who levelled the match series at 3-3 with a 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11) win ensuring that there’s all to play for heading into Saturday’s match at the Chelsea Piers Club. “We’re both feeling incredibly tired but we know we’re close to the end now. I think we’re really going to finish on a high.”

As well as highlighting squash’s 2020 Olympic Bid, the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge is fundraising for two causes: The LV= SOS Kit Aid Scheme and Natasha’s Steps, a trust set up help young squash player Natasha Drake who is recovering from an idiopathic bleed on her brain.

The research will also look at new options that will help raise officiating standards generally.

The two-phase project, which is due to be completed by August this year, will involve a combination of information-gathering and interviews by the Swiss Lausanne-based Institute before recommendations are made at the second stage.

Welcoming the partnership, WSF President N Ramachandran commented: “Squash is blessed with some excellent referees from across the globe, but we do need to enlarge the pool and ensure that they have the best possible resources to enable them to improve – from local right through to international level. This study by the esteemed AISTS team will provide new perspectives for us as part of that process.”

AISTS Executive Director Dr Claude Stricker is pleased to confirm that the project is already underway: “The AISTS looks at innovative solutions to develop qualified referees in the sport of squash and follows a multidisciplinary approach in this process. The AISTS integrates knowledge from different disciplines such as management, psychology, economics, technology, and incorporates the knowledge from the best case studies found in other sports.”

By Saturday, the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge will have seen the intrepid English pair travel more than 40,000 miles and spend over 70 hours on planes over the course of a week that will have been a test of endurance both mentally and physically.

After beginning their initiative in Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands near ‘Antarctica’ on Saturday, the ‘squashbuckling’ heroes moved onto the Chile capital Santiago in South America on Sunday, then crossed the international date line to be in Sydney in Australia on Tuesday, before arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in Asia today.

In addition to battling with tight airline schedules, the intense and demanding schedule has involved a spread of media interviews and photocalls at all stopovers; clinics and exhibition matches with local enthusiasts; plus the all-important challenge matches.

Nicol, the former world number one and winner of four Commonwealth Games gold medals, took an early lead in Port Stanley, winning the first match 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 12-10 in 65 minutes.

Garner, a former world No26, grabbed revenge in Santiago, winning 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10 in 60 minutes. Despite the arduous ordeal, the pair continued to fight tooth and nail in Sydney – where underdog Garner edged ahead, winning 13-15, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 in 45 minutes.

And it was back to a marathon clash which went the full distance today on the new all-glass showcourt at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in KL where Nicol drew the series level at two-all with an 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8 victory in 49 minutes.

“We have been delighted by the response to the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge, not only at the various stage venues but also globally from the social media messages of support,” said Garner, en-route to KL airport. “There has also been a great deal of interest in what we are trying to achieve, including SKY News in Australia coming to the airport to meet us off the plane from Chile!

“Most of all it has reconfirmed our belief in the sport and the fact that it will really add something to the Olympics should we be added to the programme in 2020.

“In terms of the squash, considering the travel demands I think we have played to a pretty reasonable standard and the crowds all seem to have enjoyed it,” added the 42-year-old from London. “Two-all is a fair reflection to-date with each of us having moments of strength and tiredness, so it’s difficult to predict an eventual winner – but if I have to, I am going to back myself!

“PS – Peter is backing himself!” concluded Garner.

World Squash Federation CEO Andrew Shelley is delighted with the campaign: “This has been a wonderful initiative which has really grabbed general interest and given our 2020 Olympic Games ‘Vote4Squash’ campaign a significant lift. We are indebted to our tireless ambassadors Peter and Tim and to their sponsors Xodus who made it possible.

“The Challenge emphasises the truly global status of our sport and hope it will given even more realisation to the dream of those squash players who hope to be competing in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2020.”

As well as profiling the Olympic Bid, the Xodus 7 Continent Challenge will be raising monies for two squash causes: The first is to support Squash’s inclusion in the LV= SOS Kit Aid Scheme, and the second Natasha’s Steps, a trust set up help young squash player Natasha Drake who is recovering from an idiopathic bleed on her brain.

Nicol and Garner are now flying to the Egyptian capital Cairo for the next leg in Africa, from where they head home toEurope on Friday for the penultimate stopover in London – before bringing the extravaganza to a climax in New York inNorth America on Saturday.

The Ambassador Programme international promotional initiative was launched by the World Squash Federation two years ago. With two of the sport’s leading international players, plus an international coach and referee, the WSF Ambassadors first visited the Baltic country of Latvia - then last year, spearheaded by David and El Shorbagy, the team highlighted the appeal of Squash to the public and media in the African countries of Malawi and Namibia.

The players will integrate with the local squash communities in Panama City and the Venezuelan capital Caracas, providing clinics and exhibition matches. Meanwhile coaching and refereeing workshops will be hosted in Venezuela by Ronny Vlassaks, the highly-experienced European Squash Federation Tutor who is also the Head Coach of the Dutch and Belgian national squash teams; and Scotsman Ian Allanach, a former WSF top referee and now a worldwide refereeing assessor.

Panama City now boasts more than 50 courts since the launch of the Racquet Club of Panama – with three courts – in 1981. Despite not having a player in either the men’s or women’s world rankings yet, the country already participates in the Pan Am Squash Championships and stages four national championship tournaments every year.

“To have these squash superstars coming to Panama will not only bring media interest here, but give our squash community an exciting opportunity to interact with them, and help us bring new players into our wonderful sport,” said the excited two-time Panama national champion Pedro Altamiranda.

Meanwhile, Squash Venezuela President Francisco Paradisi was also enthused: “In Venezuela we have around 100 courts. We are very excited about the visit of the WSF Ambassadors group as this will bring us a unique opportunity to promote squash, especially among the girls. I am sure it will be a great experience for squash and non-squash players.”