Stars headed to Sydney for Squash showpiece at Australian Open

9 February 2024

18 players ranked in the world’s top 50 will descend on Sydney next month when the City Tattersalls Group Australian Squash Open takes place between March 20-24.

The tournament’s centrepiece will be the all-glass court built in the middle of Martin Place in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

This year’s event has been elevated to PSA World Tour Bronze status, with a prize pool of over $100,000.

The men’s field is headed by 2022 World Games gold medallist Victor Crouin from France, while the women’s top seed is three-time PSA tournament winner Salma Hany from Egypt. Both players are currently ranked 11 in the world.

Crouin (2019) and Australian Rhys Dowling (2020) will be shooting for their second Australian Open crowns, while there is certain to be a first-time winner in the women’s draw.

Men’s second seed Youssef Soliman (Egypt) made it to his first PSA World Tour Gold final at the 2023 Optasia Championships in London and has a 3-1 head-to-head record over Crouin, however the Frenchman did win their most recent clash in New York last month.

Third seed Saurav Ghosal will be hoping to become the first Indian to win the men’s title, while fourth seed Leonel Cardenas will be striving to be the first Mexican.

Along with Dowling, Dylan Molinaro has received a wildcard into the tournament, while Australian No.1 Joseph White is the third Australian in the men’s draw.

Amina Orfi will be looking for more success on Australian soil and comes into the women’s tournament as the second seed. The 16-year-old Egyptian prodigy won the World Junior Championships in Melbourne last year, defending the title she claimed in 2022.

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Rachel Arnold (Malaysia) is seeded third while Hong Kong No.1 Tomato Ho rounds out the top four seeds in the women’s draw.

There are five Australians in the women’s draw, led by Jess Turnbull, who achieved a career-high ranking of 57 in January. The 28-year-old Queenslander and South Australia’s Alex Haydon each fill a 9/16 seed in the tournament.

Sarah Cardwell is back for another tilt at the Australian Open, while Madison Lyon and Erin Classen have been awarded wildcards.

Australia is assured of at least two women in the last 16, with Turnbull taking on Lyon and Haydon facing Cardwell on the opening day of competition.

The City Tattersalls Group Australian Open runs from Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 March in Sydney.

Limited tickets are still available, but are selling fast. Click here to purchase your seat.

2024 CITY TATTERSALLS GROUP AUSTRALIAN OPEN
20-24 March 2024 | Sydney AUS

Men’s First Round Draw
[1] Victor Crouin (FRA) – Bye
Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v [9/16] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA)
[9/16] Edwin Clain (FRA) v Matthew Lai (HKG)
[7] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) – Bye
[6] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) – Bye
Noor Zaman (PAK) v [9/16] Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG)
[9/16] Abhay Singh (IND) v Joseph White (AUS)
[4] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) – Bye
[3] Saurav Ghosal (IND) – Bye
[WC] Dylan Molinaro (AUS) v [9/16] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[9/16] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) v [WC] Rhys Dowling (AUS)
[5] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) – Bye
[8] David Baillargeon (CAN) – Bye
Yannik Omlor (GER) v [9/16] Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
[9/16] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) v Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (MAS)
[2] Youssef Soliman (EGY) – Bye

Women’s First Round Draw
[1] Salma Hany (EGY) – Bye
Jacqueline Peychär (AUT) v [9/16] Akanksha Salunkhe (IND)
[9/16] Aira Azman (MAS) v Wai Yhann Au Yeong (SGP)
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) – Bye
[5] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) – Bye
[WC] Madison Lyon (AUS) v [9/16] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)
[9/16] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) v Yasshmita Jadish Kumar (MAS)
[3] Rachel Arnold (MAS) – Bye
[4] Tomato Ho (HKG)
Ching Hei Fung (HKG) v [9/16] Nadia Pfister (SUI)
[9/16] Yiwen Chan (MAS) v [WC] Erin Classen (AUS)
[7] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) – Bye
[8] Marie Stephan (FRA) – Bye
Sarah Cardwell (AUS) v [9/16] Alex Haydon (AUS)
[9/16] Haya Ali (EGY) v Riya Navani (USA)
[2] Amina Orfi (EGY) – Bye