Saudi Arabia Hosts World's Richest Event

The world's leading squash players head for Saudi Arabia this weekend where the Saudi International will offer the biggest prize in the sport's history.

The winner of the $250,000 PSA Tour Super Series Platinum event, from 14-19 December in the Saudi city of Al-Khobar, will receive an unprecedented $37,400.

Egypt's world number one Amr Shabana is seeded to secure the title for the third successive year. The 29-year-old from Giza heads a star-studded field which includes three former world number ones, and his two compatriots Karim Darwish and World Open champion Ramy Ashour - who this month combined to establish the first ever all-Egyptian world top three.

The Saudi International also completes the year's Super Series calendar - the leading events on the PSA Tour from which the eight players earning the most points qualify for the ATCO Super Series Finals championship. The PSA's flagship event will take place for the first time at the prestigious Queen's Club in London next March.

Shabana tops the latest Dunlop Super Series Rankings following his victory in last month's Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open, the eighth and penultimate event of the year. Runner-up Gregory Gaultier, the world No4 from France, moves up to equal fourth place - with England's James Willstrop - behind Qatar Classic champion Karim Darwish and World Open winner Ramy Ashour.

The remaining players who will be keen to consolidate their top eight positions in Al-Khobar are Australian David Palmer, the 2002 Super Series Finals champion; Egyptian Wael El Hindi, the world No8; and Frenchman Thierry Lincou, three times a finalist and winner of the title in 2004.

But just outside the elite group are Peter Barker and Adrian Grant - Englishmen who will be seeking Saudi success in order to earn debuts in next year's Finals. But Egyptians seem to stand in the pair's way in Saudi - Barker looking as if he would have to beat Darwish in the quarter-finals in order to help his cause, and Grant heading for a predicted showdown with Ashour to have the chance of a top eight finish.

David Palmer, the 32-year-old British Open champion from New South Wales who marked up his 50th PSA Tour final appearance earlier this year, has now achieved a further remarkable milestone on the eve of the Saudi championship. The former world number one reached No8 in September 2000 - and this month celebrates his 100th successive month in the world's top ten.

"I am proud to have achieved this and it shows how consistent I have been over the years," said Palmer from his US base before departing for Saudi. "Hopefully I can keep up there for another few more years and keep competing at the high level."

Saudi International 1st round draw:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Shahier Razik (CAN)
[15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Borja Golan (ESP)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [Q] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY)
[14] Adrian Grant (ENG) v [Q] Alister Walker (ENG)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [Q] Joey Barrington (ENG)
[8] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
[12] Peter Barker (ENG) v [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA)
[9] Wael El Hindi (EGY) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) v Naif Abureqah (KSA)
[11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) v [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[13] Lee Beachill (ENG) v [Q] Amr Swelim (EGY)
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Mohammed Abbas (EGY)
[16] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Stewart Boswell (AUS)

Dunlop PSA Super Series Rankings (after eight, of nine, events in 2008):

(Prev) Points
1 (3) Amr Shabana (EGY) 8056.25
2 (1) Karim Darwish (EGY) 7462.50
3 (2) Ramy Ashour (EGY) 7256.25
4= (6) Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 5081.25
4= (4) James Willstrop (ENG) 5081.25
6 (5) David Palmer (AUS) 4450.00
7 (7) Wael El Hindi (EGY) 3668.75
8 (8) Thierry Lincou (FRA) 3656.25
9 (9) Peter Barker (ENG) 2381.25
10 (10) Adrian Grant (ENG) 2293.75
11 (11) Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 2118.75
12 (13) Nick Matthew (ENG) 1825.00
13 (12) Olli Tuominen (FIN) 1806.25
14 (15) Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 1687.50
15 (14) Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 1656.25
16 (-) Cameron Pilley (AUS) 1531.25