Sports return to Tap Seac with Macau Squash Open 2019

Liu Kwai-chi (right) and Manuel Chan Gassmann

The Macau Squash Open is returning from April 10 to 14 with a strong line-up of athletes from 17 countries and regions competing for the USD50,000 prize and title.

This year’s tournament is the 8th edition and the matches will be part of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Bronze, which is one of the top-ranking tournaments on the circuit.

According to William Kuan Vai-lam, chairman of the organizing committee, the tournament will bring together 48 players from 17 countries and regions, including Egypt, Peru, India, Japan, and Hong Kong.

The line-up includes title defenders and some of the world’s best players. There is Diego Elias, ranked ninth in the world from Peru; Saurav Ghosal, ranked 12 from India; Omar Mosaad, third seed of the tournament; and Yip Tsz-fung, defending champion from Hong Kong.

Also competing for the championship are local athletes Liu Kwai-chi and Manuel Chan Gassmann, invited to the tournament by wild card. The former will face Japanese Satomi Watanabe and the latter Malaysian Ivan Yeun.

The tournament will be staged in two phases: games of the round of 32, 16, and the quarter-finals make the first phase; and the semi-finals and final in the second phase.

The first phase will take place from April 10 to 12 at the Macau Bowling Center in Cotai with free seating, while the semi-finals and final on April 13 and 14 respectively at Tap Seac Square in a tailor made all-glass court.

A carnival will also be held on April 14, which is the date for the final, at Tap Seac Square for the general public. There will be booth games and squash experience. Staff reporter