PSA Confirms 48 Direct Entries For Kuwait Men's World Open 2009

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has confirmed the 48 direct entries to compete in the 2009 Kuwait Men's World Open, which will be staged in Kuwait, for the first time, from 1-7 November.

The Kuwait Men's World Open 2009 will boast a prize fund of US$277,500 - the largest ever offered by any World Open or PSA Tour event - and will be the first official sporting World Open Championship to be hosted in Kuwait.

Egypt's world No1 Karim Darwish heads a star-studded list comprising players from twenty countries from around the world:

1. Karim Darwish (Egypt)
2. Gregory Gaultier (France)
3. Ramy Ashour (Egypt)
4. Amr Shabana (Egypt)
5. Nick Matthew (England)
6. David Palmer (Australia)
7. Peter Barker (England)
8. Thierry Lincou (France)
9. Wael El Hindi (Egypt)
10. Adrian Grant (England)
11. Borja Golan (Spain)
12. James Willstrop (England)
13. Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia)
14. Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia)
15. Laurens Jan Anjema (Netherlands)
16. Alister Walker (England)
17. Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egypt)
18. Aamir Atlas Khan (Pakistan)
19. Stewart Boswell (Australia)
20. Olli Tuominen (Finland)
21. Cameron Pilley (Australia)
22. Hisham Mohd Ashour (Egypt)
23. Daryl Selby (England)
24. Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Colombia)
25. Omar Mosaad (Egypt)
26. Tarek Momen (Egypt)
27. Joey Barrington (England)
28. Davide Bianchetti (Italy)
29. Jonathan Kemp (England)
30. Saurav Ghosal (India)
31. Shahier Razik (Canada)
32. Tom Richards (England)
33. Julian Illingworth (USA)
34. Chris Ryder (England)
35. Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (Egypt)
36. Renan Lavigne (France)
37. Arturo Salazar (Mexico)
38. Kashif Shuja (New Zealand)
39. Chris Simpson (England)
40. Aaron Frankcomb (Australia)
41. Mansoor Zaman (Pakistan)
42. Omar Abdel Aziz (Egypt)
43. Simon Rosner (Germany)
44. Amr Swelim (Italy)
45. Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (Mexico)
46. Mark Krajcsak (Hungary)
47. Stephane Galifi (France)
48. Abdullah Almezayen (Kuwait) Wildcard

Qualification for the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009 will be held in England on 24 August, at St George's Hill Lawn Tennis & Squash Club in London. Thirty-two players will compete for the remaining sixteen main draw places. The thirty-two entrants will comprise twenty-four PSA players and eight World Squash Federation (WSF) nominations.

Wildcard Abdullah Almezayen, the Kuwaiti number one, will have the honour of playing the first match of the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009 following the Opening Ceremony on 1st November.

Event Director Paul Walters said from Kuwait: "We are delighted that at least twenty different countries will be represented at the forthcoming championship, which is a just reward to Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah who has been the event's driving force and inspiration in her role as President of the Higher Management Committee. Having the best players in the world competing in the championship will inspire Kuwait's local players and will leave a lasting legacy.

"The Kuwait Men's World Open 2009 promises to be the biggest and best championships in the sport's history and will be a fitting climax to the long-term contribution of Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah, whose vision and generosity has provided a massive opportunity to the world of squash," added Walters.

For further information, visit the Kuwait Men's World Open 2009 Official Website, www.kuwaitworldopen2009.com