The Study at University City is proud to be an Official Sponsor of the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships for the past three years.
On Friday, October 4, from 5:00-7:00pm The Study is hosting a Meet & Greet with players including World No. 1 ranking Ali Farag, world No. 3 ranking Nour El Tayeb, plus Declan James, Campbell Grayson, and Sabrina Sobhy. This exclusive opportunity to meet the top players in the game is open to both hotel guests and visitors.
For the duration of the U.S. Open, from October 5-12, CO-OP Restaurant & Lounge, located within The Study at University City, is offering a special “Athletic Performance Menu” created in partnership with Drexel University’s Center for Nutrition & Performance, Department of Nutrition Sciences. The dishes feature a balance of macro and micronutrients to support athletic performance and recovery, which are available to athletes, hotel and restaurant guests alike.
Click here for more information on these events during the U.S. Open.
Hotel rooms during the U.S. Open are available starting at $200/night, with limited weekend availability. For bookings, please visit www.thestudyatuniversitycity.com or call 215-387-1400.
The 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships have arrived in Philadelphia. The world’s best squash players will vie for $370,000 of equal prize money split between the men’s and women’s draws, October 5-12, at Drexel University and the Racquet Club of Philadelphia.
Here’s everything squash fans need to know going into the most action-packed week of squash in the U.S.
Tickets
Tickets are still available for all rounds with a price range available for every budget. A number of backwall seats have been released for each day of the event, including the previously sold out finals session. First and second round matches will also take place at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, October 5-6. Tickets to RCOP matches are also available on usopensquash.com/tickets.
Multiple sessions sold out last year, so book your seats today before it’s too late!
Live Coverage Squash fans who can’t be in Philadelphia in person can keep tabs on all U.S. Open matches. All matches on the ASB GlassCourt will broadcast live on SquashTV. The SquashTV feed will also feature live and free on the PSA World Tour Facebook Live feed through the quarterfinals, October 5-10.
All matches on Drexel’s Kline & Specter Court 1 and both courts at Racquet Club of Philadelphia will also stream and score live on usopensquash.com/live.
SquashTV Subscribers can enjoy all rounds including the semifinals and finals on SquashTV.
View the full field of professionals and each match time and location on usopensquash.com/draws.
Special Events
The U.S. Open will stage a full schedule of special events celebrating the squash community in addition to the on-court matches. It’s not too late to sign up for these unique experiences that celebrate the squash community and those that make it so special.
Auxiliary Tournaments While the world’s best players will be in the spotlight at Drexel, the celebration of squash extends to three other major squash tournaments in the greater Philadelphia area.
The nation’s best juniors will compete in the Arlen Specter Philadelphia JCT, October 4-6, at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. Follow live streaming form six courts and live scores on ussquash.com/live.
118 players are set to compete in the U.S. Skill Level Championships during U.S. Open finals weekend, October 12-13, at Drexel’s Kline & Specter courts.
The 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships draws have been released as Egypt’s world No. 1’s Ali Farag and Raneem El Welily lead the field as top seeds, October 5-12, at Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia.
The U.S. Open is the first of eight PSA Platinum events of the 2019-2020 PSA World Tour season. After becoming the first major event to offer prize money parity in 2013, the U.S. Open will offer equal prize money for a seventh straight year with a record $371,000 split evenly between the forty-eight-player men’s and women’s draws.
Reigning champions Mohamed ElShorbagy and Raneem El Welily will return to defend their crowns, while men’s world No. 1 Ali Farag and women’s world No .5 Nour El Tayeb will also star in Philadelphia –two years after their U.S. Open triumphs saw them become the first married couple in sporting history ever to win the same major sports title on the same day.
Farag, a Harvard graduate, leads the men’s draw and receives a bye into the second round where he will face either compatriot Karim Ali Fathi or England’s Daryl Selby. The 2017 champion is seeded on the same side of the draw as world No. 7 Mohamed Abouelghar, Peru’s world No.8 Diego Elias and former world No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad, who he is seeded to face in the semifinals.
Mohamed ElShorbagy weighs in as the two seed on the opposite side of the draw. The world No.2 will take on either Spain’s Borja Golan or Mexico’s Arturo Salazar in round two.
The elder ElShorbagy brother is bidding to join Peter Nicol as the only men’s four-time U.S. Open champions, and is seeded on the same side of the draw as Germany’s 2018 finalist Simon Rösner, who along with New Zealand’s Paul Coll and Egypt’s world No. 3 Tarek Momen, who he could meet in the semifinals.
Pan American Games double gold medalist and Wayne, Pennsylvania-native Todd Harrity will play Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly in round one on the ASB GlassCourt Saturday, October 5, at 6:30pm. Harrity’s Pan Am Games gold-medal-winning teammate and Penn junior, Andrew Douglas, slots in as one of two men’s wild cards and will face England’s Declan James on the glass court Saturday, October 5, at 4:45pm. Yale’s Spencer Lovejoy will make his U.S. Open wild card debut on the glass court against Egypt’s Mazen Hesham Saturday at 2:30pm.
In the women’s draw, world No.1 El Welily will begin her title defense either against compatriot Nadine Shahin or wild card Laila Sedky, a top-ranked U.S. junior.
The Egyptian is seeded to come up against France’s world No. 3 Camille Serme, who won the tournament back in 2016, in the semifinals and also has England’s No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry and New Zealand’s world No. 6 Joelle King on her side of the draw.
Reigning World Champion El Sherbini enters the draw at the opposite end and faces either Team USA’s Pan Am Games double gold medalist Sabrina Sobhy or Egypt’s Mayar Hany in round two. The two-time runner-up will be looking to get her hands on the coveted trophy for the first time in her career, but has the likes of 2019 British Open winner Nouran Gohar, world No. 5 Nour El Tayeb and home favorite Amanda Sobhy standing in her way on her side of the draw.
Sobhy, Team USA’s Pan Am Games triple gold medalist this summer, will open up her tournament either against U.S. teammate Olivia Fiechter or England’s Emily Whitlock on the glass court Sunday, October 6, at 5:45pm. Sobhy is seeded to face El Sherbini in the quarterfinals.
U.S. Champion Olivia Blatchford Clyne will take on England’s Lucy Turmel in round one on the glass court Saturday at 5:45pm, which could set up a second round encounter with New Zealand’s world No. 6 Joelle King.
Glass court action from the U.S. Open will be staged in Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Center, while matches on the traditional side courts will be held on the Kline & Specter Court 1 and the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. Purchase tickets for all rounds and venues here.
Matches from the glass court will be streamed live on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only), the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour (excluding Europe and Japan) and various broadcast partners.
For a detailed U.S. Open schedule including all match play and events, visit usopensquash.com/schedule.
Nick LePore will receive the Philadelphia Squash Racquets Association (PSRA) Service Award at the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships during an on-court ceremony following the 5:45pm match on Saturday, October 5th.
As the immediate past president of the PSRA, Lepore and has been a local stalwart and fixture on the area squash scene for the last thirty years. He serves on the board of SquashSmarts, the local urban squash and education program that is the official community partner of the U.S. Open and the Arlen Specter US Squash Center. Lepore is currently working with US Squash on the development of the Specter Center as it moves towards opening in Fall 2020, and he has Philadelphia on the US Squash District Association Committee.
Lepore has twice been a captain of the U.S. at the Copa Wadsworth, an annual team event between the U.S. and Mexico, for which Nick was instrumental in Philadelphia’s selection as the host city in 2017. He’s served his home club, Germantown Cricket Club, as the squash chair several times and played on many of the clubs league teams, and is a two-time GCC club doubles champion.
Jovial in both victory and defeat, Nick is a wonderful representation of Philadelphia Squash. “The PSRA is proud to recognize and honor Nick LePore as the recipient of the 2019 PSRA Service Award,” said Tim Dearnley, president of the PSRA. “He has done so much for our sport both locally and nationally. I’m thrilled that he is being recognized for everything he means to squash in our city.”
The world’s oldest squash organization, the Philadelphia SRA—originally called the Philadelphia Association—was founded in 1903. Previous winners of the annual PSRA Service Award include Molly Pierce (2013), Ken Jaffe (2014), Frank Reidy (2015), Bill Lane (2016), Andy Nehrbas (2017), and the Hand/McIntosh Family (2018).
Carol Jacobs will receive the SquashSmarts Distinguished Youth Service Award at the 2019 FS Investments US Open Squash Championships on Monday, October 7th. The ceremony will take place on the ASB Glass Court following the 6:15 PM match.
For the past two decades, Carol Jacobs has made improving children lives through education her top priority. As the Director of College Guidance for Barrack Hebrew Academy, Carol spent 17 years skillfully orchestrating each aspect of the college application and admissions process for her students – including summer programs, course selection and standardized tests.
Now retired, Carol still invests her time volunteering at SquashSmarts and maintaining a small, individualized college counseling practice for high school students and their families. Carol discovered SquashSmarts in May 2015 and instantly became an adored, irreplaceable member of its family. As a weekly academic tutor, volunteer, connector and friend, Carol has devoted hundreds of hours each year to helping students in the program.
Carol’s interaction with SquashSmarts began with a simple idea: drive students from Barrack Hebrew Academy to SquashSmarts each Monday with the goal of instilling in them the meaning of service and a broader sense of community. For the next three years, with Carol in the driver’s seat, students from Barrack and SquashSmarts met, learned and worked with each other as peers.
Upon retirement, Carol grew in to an even more consistent, respected and dedicated SquashSmarts presence as a weekly academic volunteer focusing her time and talents on 11th and 12th graders’ college process. Beyond the classroom, Carol has been a truly wonderful advocate, mentor and friend to the entire SquashSmarts community. Thanks to Carol Jacobs, the girls and boys of SquashSmarts – and students from across Philadelphia – have brighter futures and broader horizons.
Previous honorees of the Distinguished Youth Service Award include: PYSC co-chairs Wendy Palmer and Nancy Peter (2013); SquashSmarts alumni coaches Sakora Miller, Kareem Price, Devonte Harris & Mithun Das (2014); founder and president Andrew Nehrbas (2015); volunteers Karen & George Gowen and Judy & John Wisniewski (2016); executive assistant and officer manager Jeanie Shanahan (2017); PYSC leaders Beth Devine, Ann Marie & Terry Horner (2018).
Alongside matches at the primary venue at Drexel University, a portion of first and second round matches of the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships will be played at the historic Racquet Club of Philadelphia in the heart of Center City. Fans can enjoy an intimate match atmosphere as the club hosts some of the world’s best squash players on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6. Refreshments will be available for purchase on site.
Limited seating is available, so secure your tickets today at www.usopensquash.com/tickets by clicking on “RCOP” on the seating chart. Doors open at 11am both days. RCOP general admission tickets will also provide entry on that day to the matches at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Courts E & F – 2nd Floor
Racquet Club of Philadelphia
215 S 16th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Andrew Douglas and Sabrina Sobhy at the 2019 Pan Am Games (images: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Andrew Douglas and Sabrina Sobhy at the 2019 Pan Am Games (images: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Four current and graduating U.S. college stars have been named wild cards for the FS Investments U.S. Open–Harvard’s Sabrina Sobhy, Yale’s Spencer Lovejoy, Penn’s Andrew Douglas and Washington’s Laila Sedky.
In the women’s draw, Sobhy is set for her first U.S. Open appearance as a full-time touring professional after graduating this spring. Sobhy, world. No. 68, returns to the ASB GlassCourt for the fourth time as a U.S. Open Wild Card, and her first appearance in Philadelphia since the 2016 U.S. Open. Sobhy enjoyed a successful summer representing Team USA at the Pan American Games where she earned gold medals in the team and doubles competitions. Sobhy will take on Egypt’s world No. 28 Mayar Hany Saturday, October 5, at 4pm on the Kline & Specter court 1.
Sedky, who attends the University of Washington, will make her U.S. Open debut under unfortunate circumstances, filling in for her sister who sustained an injury in recent weeks. The World Juniors veteran will embrace the opportunity against Egypt’s world No. 23 Nadine Shahin in the first match of the tournament on the glass court Saturday at 12pm noon.
Douglas, a rising junior at Penn, joins Sobhy in bringing back hardware from this summer’s Pan American Games–a team gold and mixed doubles bronze. Douglas will be in search of his first career U.S. Open victory in his fourth appearance–and second consecutive as a wild card. Douglas will follow Sobhy on the glass court Saturday at 4:45pm against France’s world No. 35 Lucas Serme.
Lovejoy, a rising senior at Yale, is set for his second U.S. Open appearance, and first in the main draw as a wild card. The Connecticut-native will aim to build on winning his first career PSA title this June with his first win at a PSA Platinum tournament. Lovejoy will take on Egypt’s world No 25 Mazen Hesham on the glass court Saturday at 2:30pm.
The 2019 U.S. Intercollegiate Squash Doubles Championships will be held alongside the FS Investments U.S. Open for the ninth year in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, October 4-6.
There is no entry fee, and all participants receive free General Admission tickets to the U.S. Open, October 5-6. Players must compete with a partner from the same school. Intercollegiate doubles champions receive automatic free entry into the 2020 National Doubles in Twin Cities, Minnesota, March 5-8, 2020.
The fortieth edition of the tournament, the world’s only annual collegiate doubles event, was first played in 1942. The tournament will be again presented by the U.S. Jesters Club.
Last year, with only a men’s division in action, the U.S. Naval Academy maintained their doubles dominance with Senen Ubina and Michael Kacergis claiming a fifth title in six years for Navy after overcoming fellow Midshipman Jonathan Lentz and James Kjorlien in the final. The championship was Ubina’s third of his career and his second with a partner named Kacergis. Younger brother Michael earned his first intercollegiate doubles title, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Billy.
2018 FS Investments U.S. Open champions Mohamed ElShorbagy and Raneem El Welily return to defend their titles.
2018 FS Investments U.S. Open champions Mohamed ElShorbagy and Raneem El Welily return to defend their titles.
The world’s top squash players–including all top fifteen-ranked men and all top twenty-five-ranked women–will vie for the prestigious 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open titles, October 5-12, at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
The U.S. Open is the first of eight PSA Platinum events of the 2019-2020 PSA World Tour season. After becoming the first major event to offer prize money parity in 2013, the U.S. Open will offer equal prize money for a seventh straight year with a record $371,000 split evenly between the forty-eight-player men’s and women’s draws.
Egypt’s Mohamed ElShorbagy, world No. 2, and Raneem El Welily, world No. 1, both return to defend their U.S. Open titles. After making history in 2017 by becoming the first married couple in sporting history to win a major sports title in the same day, Ali Farag, world No. 1, and Nour El Tayeb, world No. 5, both return as they aim to repeat their historic feat two years ago.
2018 men’s runner up Simon Rösner will hope to go one better in 2019 in what would be his second career PSA Platinum title. PSA World Tour Finals champion Karim Abdel Gawad, 2018 semifinalist Paul Coll, Peru’s Pan American Games gold medalist Diego Elias and World Championship finalist Tarek Momen will all be aiming to reach their first final in Philadelphia.
Pan American Games double gold medalist Todd Harrity, world No. 47, enters the men’s draw as one of three American representatives. Two U.S. collegiate players, Penn’s Andrew Douglas and Yale’s Spencer Lovejoy, are set to test themselves against the world’s top professionals as the tournament’s wild cards.
After capturing her first U.S. Open title in her fourth final appearance, El Welily will be hoping to keep her title defense and world No. 1 ranking in tact. The U.S. Open title is one of the only major titles eluding world No. 2 Nour El Sherbini, who will target her first triumph in Philadelphia having fallen short in the 2018 final against El Welily–and the world No. 1 ranking implications that come with it. France’s Camille Serme enters the U.S. Open with her highest world ranking, No. 3, since capturing the 2016 U.S. Open title.
Team USA’s Pan American Games triple gold medalist and world No. 8, Amanda Sobhy, leads a delegation of six American women. Sobhy, will hope to improve on her U.S. Open-best semifinal appearance in 2016 having reaching the quarterfinals last year. Fellow Pan Am Games gold medalist Olivia Blatchford Clyne enters the draw ranked world No. 19. After making her U.S. Open debut as a 2018 wild card, Philadelphia-native Olivia Fiechter returns to the tournament with a career high ranking of world No. 39 following a successful debut season on the PSA World Tour. Harvard graduate and world No. 43 Haley Mendez will aim for her first career U.S. Open victory.
As the first PSA Platinum event of the season, the U.S. Open serves as the first qualifying event for the 2020 World Tour Finals. The reigning PSA World Champions and all Platinum event winners automatically qualify for the World Tour Finals. The remaining places are allocated to the highest ranked players on the Road to Egypt Standings, and points for the standings will be on offer at all PSA World Tour events this season.
For a detailed U.S. Open schedule including all match play and events, visit usopensquash.com/schedule.
One month from today, the world’s top squash professionals will contest the first round of the FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships at Drexel University’s Daskalaskis Athletic Center and Racquet Club of Philadelphia.
The PSA World Tour’s first Platinum event of the season, the U.S. Open spans eight days of match play, October 5-12, as forty-eight men and women vie for one of the sport’s most coveted titles. Tickets for all rounds are still available on usopensquash.com/tickets, book your place today to watch world class squash on the all-glass ASB GlassCourt. Organize a group from your club or school to receive a discounted group ticket rate. For more information on Group Packages, email [email protected] or download the Group Sales form: 2019 U.S. Open Group Ticket Form.
As one of the most iconic and important sporting events held in the city of Philadelphia, the U.S. Open brings together all elements of the squash community through numerous special events celebrating the core values of the sport, including Women in Sports Day, Character in Sports Day, and the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon. Three amateur competitions are held concurrently with the U.S. Open: the Arlen Specter Pennsylvania Junior Championships, the U.S. Squash Skill Level Championships and the Intercollegiate Doubles Championships.
For a detailed U.S. Open schedule including all match play and events, visit usopensquash.com/schedule.
