Preview: J.P. Morgan China Squash Open

A number of the world’s best players descend on Shanghai, China between September 5-9 when the J.P. Morgan China Squash Open takes place.

Taking place on top of the spectacular Peninsula Shanghai hotel, overlooking the famous Bund, this season’s tournament will be the first PSA World Tour Gold event to take place under the new PSA Tour structure and will feature a high-quality line-up battling it out for the first honours of the 2018/19 season.

The men’s draw is headed up by Germany’s World No.5 Simon Rösner – who, along with the other top eight seeds will receive a bye into the second round – and he will be joined by the likes of former World No.1 France’s Gregory Gaultier and New Zealand’s World No.10 Paul Coll.

Top seed Rösner will face either Wales’ World No.54 Peter Creed or Malaysia’s World No.40 Nafiizwan Adnan in round two after the two face each other in the opening round.

At the opposite end of the draw is ‘Colombian Cannonball’ Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who made history last season when he became the first South American winner of the prestigious British Open title and he will be looking to continue his strong form from the end of last season.

Rodriguez will open against either Germany’s World No.22 Raphael Kandra or Egypt’s World No.57 Karim El Hammamy as the pair meet in the first round in Shanghai to decide who will take on the Colombian.

The other top eight seeds consist of India’ World No.12 Saurav Ghosal, Egypt’s World No.13 Mohamed Abouelghar, Egypt’s former World No.3 Omar Mosaad and Switzerland’s World No.18 Nicolas Mueller.

Like the men’s draw, the top eight seeds in the women’s draw will also receive a bye into the second round. The women’s tournament – which features the top ten players in the world – is headed up by World No.1 and defending champion Nour El Sherbini who will be aiming to retain her crown.

The Egyptian will line up against either compatriot World No.23 Mariam Metwally or Wales’ World No.12 Tesni Evans in round two.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the draw is reigning World Champion Raneem El Welily, who will face either compatriot World No.86 Omneya Abdel Kawy or tournament wildcard China’s World No.88 Li Dongjin in round two.

The other top eight seeds consist of Egypt’s World No.3 Nour El Tayeb, New Zealand’s World No.4 Joelle King and France’s World No.5 Camille Serme. While Egypt’s World No.6 Nouran Gohar and English duo World No.7 Laura Massaro and World No.8 Sarah-Jane Perry complete the seeds already in the second round.

Men’s Round One
[1] Simon Rösner (GER) [Bye]
Peter Creed (WAL) v [9/16] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[9/16] Joel Makin (WAL) v Eain Yow Ng (MAS)
[7] Omar Mosaad (EGY) [Bye]
[8] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) [Bye]
Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) v [9/16] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[9/16] Alan Clyne (SCO) v Ben Coleman (ENG)
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) [Bye]
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) [Bye]
Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [9/16] Adrian Waller (ENG)
[9/16] Tom Richards (ENG) v [WC] Wang Junjie (CHN)
[6] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) [Bye]
[5] Saurav Ghosal (IND) [Bye]
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v [9/16] Greg Lobban (SCO)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) v Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) [Bye]

Women’s Round One
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) [Bye]
Mariam Metwally (EGY) v [9/16] Tesni Evans (WAL)
[9/16] Salma Hany (EGY) v Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
[6] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [Bye]
[5] Camille Serme (FRA) [Bye]
Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [9/16] Alison Waters (ENG)
[9/16] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v Donna Lobban (AUS)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) [Bye]
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) [Bye]
Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [9/16] Victoria Lust (ENG)
[9/16] Olivia Blatchford (USA) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[8] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) [Bye]
[7] Laura Massaro (ENG) [Bye]
Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) v [9/16] Nicol David (MAS)
[9/16] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [WC] Li Dongjin (CHN)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) [Bye]