For the sixth time in a row professional squash players from around the world came together at Sportpark Kriens, Switzerland in order to capture the SEKISUI Open crown.
Flexibility, speed and stamina – three main skills needed for the racquet sport of squash. They were offered in intense matches at the SEKISUI Open from 16 to 21 May 2017. Five top-100 female players as well as eight top-100 male players participated in the professional tournament which attracted players from 22 different nations in total this year. The players competed for prize money of a total USD 15,000.
Alexandra Fuller from South Africa was able to defend her SEKISUI Open title and beat Julianne Courtice from England with 3:2 in a thrilling battle of squash. After losing the second and third set with 7:11, Courtice came back and secured the fourth set with 11:9. In the fifth and final set Courtice had to admit defeat after a tie-break with 10:12 against Fuller.
The grand final of the men took place straight afterwards. Raphael Kandra from Germany got on the court against Mazen Gamal from Egypt. Worlds’s No. 47 Kandra was dominating the game and won clearly with 11:7, 11:5 and 11:3.
It was the second time, that the PSA 5 (Professional Squash Association) women’s tournament took place on the same weekend as the PSA 10 men’s tournament. Next to the professionals, young squash talents as well as other players without a license had the chance to show their qualities in a recreational tournament for amateurs, which was held during the tournament week too.
SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. committed itself to a sponsoring programme for the SEKISUI Open from 2012 to 2020. As part of the CSR Management, SEKISUI encourages social contribution activities in local communities in which it operates. In this case by supporting young squash talents. Thereby SEKISUI makes a contribution to the promotion of squash in Europe, a sport which the business magazine Forbes, after comprehensive scientific studies conducted in collaboration with universities, has declared the healthiest of all sports.
We are looking forward to another episode of the SEKISUI Open in 2018!
Photocredits: izioPhotography/Fabrizio Vignali
