PST: Philly Open kicks off 2013

December 29, 2012 - 6:21pm
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Adrian Leanza in action

From GEORGETTA MORQUE
Philadelphia, PA –
 December 28, 2012 — Pro Squash Tour returns to Philadelphia Squash Club from January 4 – 6, 2013, for the annual Philadelphia Open. The tournament promises to bring top caliber play for area fans and will feature an impressive mix of longtime squash rivals, as well as international and local talent.

Headlining the event is reigning Philadelphia Open Champion Adrian Leanza, teaching pro at the Fairmount Athletic Club in King of Prussia and former No. 1 player at Brown University.  Leanza will look forward again to another potentially tough battle against Shahid Khan of England, a teaching pro in Rye Brook, NY, who won PST’s Siena Open Championship earlier this season. Both players have faced each other often in thrilling tournament finals, and they will be seeded to do so again at this season’s Philadelphia Open. Khan will be in familiar territory at Philadelphia Squash Club where he was once a teaching pro.

A local player making his PST debut is Zach Schweitzer of HuntingdonValley, a Chestnut Hill Academy graduate who played junior squash at Philadelphia Squash Club and is currently  the No.1 squash player at Tufts University. Also joining Pro Squash Tour for the first time are Mahmoud Adel and Mohamed Arafa of Egypt. The Egyptian style of squash has been a dominant force in the sport in recent years.  Fans will also see Bradbury Thompson, last season’s No. 1 player at Brown University and Siena Open finalist, and Kyle Jens, teaching pro in Long Island, NY and Siena Open semifinalist.

Players from across the globe compete on the Pro Squash Tour for points and prize money from September through May. PST’s top eight players are invited to an end-of-season tournament to compete for the PST World Championship in Detroit in May. More than 150 years old, squash is played by an estimated 20 million people in 185 countries. Forbesrated squash the best sport for fitness because of its cardiovascular benefits.
The Philadelphia Open begins with a qualifying round on Friday, Jan. 4 at 4 p.m. followed by the quarterfinals on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 11 a.m. and semifinals at 6 p.m. The championship finals are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. following a 3rd place match at 1 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit www.ProSquashTour.net

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