PSA World Series Finals defending champion Gregory Gaultier is on track to retain the year-ending title in Dubai this June after winning the last qualifying event in Al Gouna, Egypt, at the weekend.
Gaultier, known as ‘The General’, beat Karim Abdul Jawad to take his 38th career PSA World Tour title in Al Gouna, and became the first non-Egyptian winner of the tournament.
The 34-year-old is now among a star-studded line-up set for Dubai, when the top eight ranked male and female players in the PSA Road to Dubai rankings will compete in the World Series Finals at Dubai Opera from June 6 to 10.
The women’s line-up was finalised in March and will feature World No.1 Nour Al Sherbini of Egypt who just last week defended her world championship crown, 2016 defending champion Laura Massaro of England, France’s Camille Serme, eight-time World Champion Nicol David of Malaysia, Egypt’s Raneem Al Welily and Nouran Gohar, and England’s Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters.
Gaultier is in blistering form, winning the last three qualification events, and his current unbeaten run of 19 matches is the longest of his glittering 17-year career. Although he will surrender the World No.1 spot next month to Jawad, who finished the qualification race in first place just five points clear of Gaultier, the Frenchman’s recent form sees him come into Dubai as the favourite to defend his title.
Egypt’s impressive dominance of squash continues, claiming four of the eight qualification places. Former World No.1 Mohammad Al Shorbagy finished third with his brother Marwan, 2016’s PSA Men’s Young Player of the Year, in fourth.
Another former World No.1 Ramy Ashour finished in equal seventh despite battling injury.
England’s former World No.1 Nick Matthew also had an injury-ravaged season, but still managed two runner-up finishes and qualified fifth.
His countryman, also a former World No.1, James Willstrop came sixth. Germany’s Simon Rosner made five quarter-finals throughout the season and finished in equal seventh with Ashour.
Tickets for the World Series Finals are available via www.dubaiopera.com or from the Dubai Opera Box Office.
For further information visit www.worldseriesfinals.com
