Pyramids Prepare For Elite Squash Invasion

The world's leading squash players converge on Cairo this week when the sport's premier competition returns to its most celebrated setting by Egypt's famous pyramids at Giza.

The 2006 Al-Ahram Men's World Open has attracted a powerful field which features all of the top twenty men in the world - led by the host country's hero Amr Shabana, Egypt's first ever world champion who will be hoping to defend his title in front of thousands of fans surrounding the open air all-glass court at the Giza Plateaux Cairo.

The World Open returns to the site alongside Egypt's internationally-renowned pyramids for the first time since September 1999, when Britain's Peter Nicol beat local hero Ahmed Barada in a final watched by an audience of more than 5,000 and shown live on national TV!

Nicol, who has since become one of the most successful squash players of all-time, has chosen to mark his retirement at the Al-Ahram World Open - with the aim of not only winning the sport's most prestigious title for the second time, but also of marking the 50th PSA Tour title of his illustrious career.

"I can't think of a more appropriate place to play my last event, by the pyramids where I won three Al-Ahram International titles and my one World Open trophy," said the 33-year-old when he announced details of his retirement at a press conference in London last month.

Two days of qualifying will get underway in Cairo tomorrow (30 August), with first round action beginning on Friday (1 September) with play split between the all-glass court in Giza and the National Stadium in Nasr City, Cairo. All matches from the quarter-finals on Sunday (3 Sept) onwards will be staged on the all-glass court at Giza, leading to the final on Wednesday (6 Sept).

Shabana will be the top seed in the draw which will be made on the site at Giza following the completion of qualifying on Thursday. The world No1 from Cairo is expected to face Australia's second seed David Palmer, the world No2 and a former world champion, in the final.

Victory in the richest event of the year, which boasts a $152,500 prize fund, would make Shabana the first player to successfully defend a World Open title since Pakistan's legendary Jansher Khan won his record eighth crown ten years ago in 1996.

Peter Nicol is the sixth seed and will be joined in the draw by a fourth former World Open champion, Thierry Lincou. Frenchman Lincou, the 2004 champion who won the Mamut English Open title earlier this month in Sheffield, is the No3 seed.

The top 16 seeds are: [1] Amr Shabana (Egypt); [2] David Palmer (Australia); [3] Thierry Lincou (France); [4] James Willstrop (England); [5] Anthony Ricketts (Australia); [6] Peter Nicol (England); [7] Nick Matthew (England); [8] Gregory Gaultier (France); [9] Karim Darwish (Egypt); [10] Lee Beachill (England); [11] John White (Scotland); [12] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia); [13] Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia); [14] Olli Tuominen (Finland); [15] Stewart Boswell (Australia); and [16] Adrian Grant (England).

"The World Open is the biggest and most prestigious event in the professional calendar - this is the tournament all the players want to win. In particular, the world number one and current title holder, Amr Shabana, will be as motivated as possible to re-lift his title in front of the home crowd," said Gawain Briars, Chief Executive of the Professional Squash Association (PSA)