El Gouna International Squash Open 2021 Kicks Off Today

The ninth edition of El Gouna International Squash Open kicks off today, May 20th, with Egyptian talents dominating the top seeds once more.

With the absence of World No. 1 and men’s defending champion Ali Farag, as well as women’s defending champion Raneem El Welily (who retired from the game in 2020 as World No. 1), 96 squash stars will battle it out for a place in history and a grand prize of USD 181,500.

Five of the top eight seeds for men are Egyptians, a list which is spearheaded by Mohamed ElShorbagy as the top draw, followed by Tarek Momen, Marwan ElShorbagy, Karim Abdel Gawad, and Fares Dessouky.

Among women, four Egyptians are represented in the top eight seeds. Leading the way is four-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini, followed by Nouran Gohar, Hania El Hammamy, and Salma Hany.

After the 2020 edition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s tournament will run from May 20th to May 28th at the Gouna Conference and Culture Center, making it the first sporting event to grace Gouna’s latest landmark.

Strict health protocols and social distancing guidelines will be enforced throughout the tournament. For a more socially distanced experience, you can cheer on your faves through livestreams on PSA World Tour’s Facebook page and the PSA SQUASHTV YouTube channel.