Squash: Men to join women at Mt Maunganui festival

Kashif Shuja is ranked 41st in the world. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post

First the women, now the men.

The New Zealand Men's Classic squash tournament, to run concurrently with the big-money women's national open, has been confirmed for the Festival of Squash at Mt Maunganui in August.

But while the women's tournament, with prizemoney of about US$55,000 ($84,300), is expected to feature many of the world's top 10 players, the men's event will be a lower key affair.

The classic will be a one star tournament, so it will carry official world ranking points and is part of world governing body the Professional Squash Association's calendar.

"As a ranking tournament we stand to attract some international players to provide not only a spectacle for the fans but also some invaluable experience for our New Zealand players," tournament spokesman Wayne Werder said yesterday. New Zealand's leading three men are expected to enter, led by Pakistan-born Aucklander Kashif Shuja, ranked No 41 in the world. Wellington's Martin Knight is No 59 and Auckland's Campbell Grayson ranks No 60.

The festival will run from August 11-16 with an all-glass court at Bayfair Shopping Centre the centrepiece.

"We would like to think that this is the first step to us being able to rekindle the men's open to sit alongside the women's open," Werder said.

The last men's open was staged in 1993; the women's open is back after a 13-year absence.

Confirmation of the big names for the women's tournament are expected next week, with world No 1 Nicol David of Malaysia a strong chance to head the field. New Zealand should have two women, world No 10 Shelley Kitchen and world No 17 Jaclyn Hawkes in the field of 16.