Squash China Open an education for domestic players
The 2024 Squash China Open at SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center concluded on Sunday, with top seed Mohamed Elshorbagy from England winning the men's title and Malaysia's sixth-seeded Rachel Arnold the women's.
The five-day event brought together 48 players from 13 countries and regions. Four Chinese players were given wildcard entries to compete against some of the world's best.
Spectators watch a game at the 2024 Squash China Open.
Elshorbagy overcame Egyptian opponent Mohamed Abouelghar 3-1 for his third China Open trophy after 2016 and 2019. It was also the 33-year-old's 50th PSA World Tour title.
"I will never forget this game, as I have been waiting for this win for a while," said the former World No.1. He dedicated the victory to his late grandmother.
"I also congratulate my opponent who came back from injury and played at such a high competitive level. I want to be back here next year," he added.
Mohamed Elshorbagy (right) and Rachel Arnold, the men's and women's champions.
Both Elshorbagy and Abouelghar are originally from Egypt, a traditional powerhouse in the sport of squash. Currently, half of the world's top 10 ranked male and female squash players are from Egypt.
"We have always had good players," Abouelghar told Shanghai Daily. "So generation after generation, there is always someone to look up to and set the bar."
Egypt has been producing world-class squash players since the 1930s. Its former president Hosni Mubarak used to be a player, and increased government support for the development of squash during his term.
Mohamed Elshorbagy (front) and Mohamed Abouelghar in action during the men's final on Sunday.
Egypt has a unique system to benefit the youngsters – all players signed by clubs must spend time to accompany young players in practice and give them the benefit of their international competition experience.
"The exposure in terms of training with the top players since a young age is our secret," said Abouelghar. "Also, we have numerous squash clubs and junior programs for players to climb up the ladder. There are around 20 to 25 tournaments a year , and many are of a very high competitive level."
Squash was once nicknamed the "No. 1 sport on Wall Street" and "one of the three major gentlemen's sports in Europe." It was also considered by many people as a high-end and elite sport.
Rachel Arnold takes on Farida Mohamed from Egypt (front) in the women's final on Sunday.
Today, squash has been better promoted around the world, and has been announced as an official event of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, it is still a young and niche sport in China.
China established its national squash association in 1999. The men's and women's national squash teams were set up in 2006.
But a lack of participation and relevant support make it difficult for China to produce top squash talent.
The four Chinese players given wildcard entries were taking part in an international competition for the first time.
The squash China Open returns to Shanghai after five years.
Though they were all eliminated in the first round, they considered it a precious opportunity to learn from their international counterparts.
Li Haizhen, 22, used to play badminton but shifted to squash in 2016 at the age of 14. He is now a member of the Chinese national squash team.
Li lost to the newly crowned Junior World Championships champion Mohamad Zakaria in the first round.
After the defeat, he stayed back near the court to watch other matches till late at night.
Li Haizhen (right) takes on Mohamad Zakaria in their first-round clash.
"If you ask me to choose again, I would still pick squash," said Li. "There is a big gap between us and international players, but it also means there is big room for improvement. I like this challenge."
Like Li, a number of Chinese national team players shifted to squash from other sports, badminton in particular.
The two sports have features in common such as the fast attack and defense rhythm, requiring not only skill, but also brainpower.
In addition to the technical aspects, squash also requires learning from the cultural and conceptual aspects.
The China Open was a good opportunity for more people to learn about the sport.
Since two players directly confront each other in a closed court, there can be physical contact and therefore controversy during a game.
These often focus on whether there is intentional blocking of an opponent, which requires the referee's quick and accurate judgment.
A high-level international event like the China Open serves as a good opportunity for more people to learn about squash.
