Kuwait International Preview: Damming Returning After World Juniors Crown

The final event to get underway on the Challenger Tour this week will be the 1st Kuwait International Squash Championship, which will take place from Saturday, September 24 to Wednesday, September 28 in Hawally, Kuwait.

The Challenger 10 level men’s competition wil be held at the Sheikh Salem Sabah Al Salem International Squash Complex in Hawally, and will feature six members of the world’s top 100, including Frenchman Auguste Dussourd, who comes into this tournament off the back of making the semi-finals of the Open de France de Squash last week in Nantes.

Egypt’s Mazen Gamal and Ibrahim Elkabbani, Hungarian No.1 Balazs Farkas, Qatar’s Syed Azlan Amjad and Englishman Tom Walsh will make up the rest of the top 100 members in the draw, while Hong Kong’s Chi Him Wong and Egypt’s Khaled Labib, who made the final of the 4th HCL SRFI Indian Tour – Chennai Leg earlier this week, will also be seeded.

The leading Kuwaiti in the draw will be Ammar Altamimi, with the World No.137 as part of the 9/16 seeding bracket for the competition. India’s Sadeep Ramachandran, Iranian No.1 Alireza Shameli, Nigeria’s Adegoke Onaopemipo and Brazilian Vinicius Leao Rodrigues will all be the lone representatives for their respective nations.

There will also be a trio of juniors in action this week, with Egypt’s Mohamed Nasser, England’s Finnlay Withington and Dutchman Rowan Damming in the field. We spoke to the latter, who claimed the World Junior Championships crown earlier this year, prior to the event. He will be featuring on Tour for the first time in 2022, and he is looking forward to it.

“I think I’m fit at the moment and playing okay so let’s see for this tournament,” Damming said. 

“It felt so amazing to get a title at the World Junior Championships. I can’t describe the feeling.”

“I’m really looking forward for this tournament. It’s also my first tournament out of Europe so [it will be] a whole new experience for me.” 

The event takes place from Saturday, September 24 to Wednesday, September 28 at the Sheikh Salem Sabah Al Salem International Squash Complex in Hawally. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

First Round Draw: 1st Kuwait International Squash Championship
[1] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) – [Bye]
Viniciue Leao Rodrigues (BRA) v [9/16] Tang Ming Hong (HKG)
[9/16] Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) v Manu Paquemar (FRA)
[5] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) – [Bye]
[7] Khaled Labib (EGY) – [Bye]
Rowan Damming (NED) v [9/16] Perry Malik (ENG)
[9/16] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) v [WC] Athbi Hamad (KUW)
[4] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) – [Bye]
[3] Balazs Farkas (HUN) – [Bye]
Adegoke Onaopemipo (NGR) v [9/16] Alireza Shameli (IRI)
[9/16] Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) v Finnlay Withington (ENG)
[6] Tom Walsh (ENG) – [Bye]
[8] Chi Him Wong (HKG) – [Bye]
[WC] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) v [9/16] Abdulrahman Al-Malki (QAT)
[9/16] Mohamed Nasser (EGY) v [WC] Mohammad Almasoud (KUW)
[2] Mazen Gamal (EGY) – [Bye]