Daryl Selby (ENG) v Olli Tuominen (FIN) at the Round 1 of the British Open in Hull's KC Stadium. (Photo credit: Squashsite)

By James Crook, republished from Inside The Games.

Despite the controversial decision in February by the International Olympic Committee’s ruling Executive Board to recommend that wrestling be dropped from the list of core sports after Rio 2016, its mammoth campaign to keep the sport at the Games looks to have given them pole position as the race nears its much-awaited conclusion.

However, squash has emerged as a major threat to wrestling’s hopes of clinching the final place on the Olympic sports programme for 2020, and is priced as second favourite at under 2/1.

Behind the two sports most expected to triumph in the bid race are joint-third favourites wushu, karate and sport climbing some way back at 12/1, followed by baseball/softball at 16/1, wakeboarding at 25/1 and roller sports as the rank outsider at 33/1.

Karate’s odds have slipped dramatically since the last time William Hill published a book on the bidding sports, back last June, when they had them at 1/2 to win with squash evens.

But they were published before wrestling had joined the seven other sports.

All eight are due to give a presentation to the IOC Executive Board in St Petersburg on May 29 after which it is widely expected that a shortlist of three will be drawn up for the full Session to vote on in Buenos Aires on September 10.

“Wrestling has only just been booted out of the Olympics and look set to make a swift return, although squash, which has been so successful at the Commonwealth Games will certainly be pushing for inclusion in 2020,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.

The full odds from William Hill are as follows:

8/11 Wrestling
7/4 Squash
12/1 Karate
12/1 Wushu
12/1 Sport Climbing
16/1 Baseball/Softball
25/1 Wake boarding
33/1 Roller Sports

To vote in our poll for which sport you think should be included at the 2020 Olympics, click here.

Iran Women's Premier League champions Tehran

With the squash court count doubling over the past three years and the number of registered players rising five-fold, the Iran Squash Federation is reporting record growth for the sport in Iran - particularly amongst women and girls.

At the elite level, Iran has made a huge progress over recent years in the region. From outside the top 16, the Iran team finished in seventh place in the Asian Junior Championships two months ago in Korea.

Furthermore, Iranian girls will participate for the first time in the forthcoming Asian Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.

“Establishing the squash association with civic authorities and the Education Ministry has sped up the growth of the sport dramatically,” said ISF President Masoud Soleimani. “Today many parks in the capital city Tehran have one-wall squash. Also in schools, one-wall squash is popular, and some classrooms have been modified so squash can be taught.”

Some 400 women coaches have been trained to promote squash amongst young children in kindergartens. To this end, light plastic rackets have been specially designed and produced. The balls are also lighter and bigger – especially designed for the kids – named ‘smile balls’.

Iran Squash Federation budgets are equally divided between initiatives for men and women. As a result of this, women’s squash has become very successful over the past three years.

“Sogol Samoodi, our U17 girl who was placed sixth in Asia in 2011, is the first lady to achieve this from Iran,” explained Soleimani. “Ailee Nayeri, our U13 champion, also reached the Asia top 10.

“Also, for the first time in the history of the game here, Iran had six boys and six girls in the top eight players of different age categories in 19th Asian Junior Individual Championship in Kish Island, Iran,” added the ISF President. “This was the first major championship hosted in Iran, in which Iran was very successful and responded very positively to the trust of Asian Squash Federation.

“This success led Iran to become the host of this championship again in 2014 – another huge achievement for the country at international levels.”

By Piers Newbery, republished from BBC Sport.

The 25-year-old Egyptian is more than just the current squash world number one – his elastic, unorthodox brilliance and charisma could be the key to squash breaking out beyond its four walls and regaining a place on the wider sporting stage.

Roger Federer, who has been among the tennis players lining up to support squash’s Olympic bid,  might just have a case when the “most talented” question is asked, while Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and women’s squash number one Nicol David also have the CVs of all-time greats.

But Ashour’s achievements are impressive and growing, so much so that he is starting to bear comparison to the great Pakistani squash players of the 1980s and 1990s.

After injuries disrupted his progress, he won his second world title and regained the world number one spot last year. He arrives at this week’s British Open unbeaten in 36 matches stretching back to last year’s final.

He leads the world rankings  with the highest points average ever recorded.

And beyond the facts and figures, a quick internet search  for video clips illustrates why Ashour is talked about in the same breath as sporting – and not just squash – greats in terms of sheer talent.

James Willstrop, from whom Ashour reclaimed the world number one ranking last year, has described it as “a terrible injustice” that the Egyptian “goes relatively unannounced globally”.

“He is undoubtedly one of the greatest sportsmen on the planet – certainly the most talented holding a racquet in the modern generation,” said the Englishman in his book Shot and a Ghost. 

Willstrop’s father, Malcolm, one of the sport’s coaching greats, says: “Ramy Ashour is something else – his movement is better than anyone in the game, and allied to his unique racquet skills and vision, he lights up the sport.”

Despite all this, there have been plenty of close calls during his 12-month unbeaten run and Ashour admits he still feels vulnerable, saying recently, “Maybe I am too emotional.”

“I’m always thinking there are no guarantees,” he tells BBC Sport. “We’re all very close and there are many incredible athletes. It’s pretty close between all the players and I’ll accept losing if it happens.

“The winning run does bring pressure and it gets to you mentally, the devil gets to you, and that’s the battle.”

Ashour was captivated by squash from the moment his father took him to watch in the days when greats like Jansher Khan would play in Egypt, with the pyramids providing a spectacular backdrop.

“I was six years old and amazed by these glass courts and how close you could get to the sport,” he says. “I picked up a lot from great players – everyone used to go and it inspired me.

“I never imagined that I could get to be world number one. Of course I respect all the great names, but I never want to be like someone else. I just push myself to my limits.”

Perhaps because his style suggests it all comes so naturally, Ashour is keen to convey his seriousness about the sport. Would he rather play beautiful squash or winning squash?

“Definitely winning squash. I might play a bit differently and a bit unorthodox, and when I get messages from people saying they like the way I play it really inspires me, but I want to play winning squash.

“I think the game is all about consistency, I always aim for that. I love that we keep learning. It changes a lot inside you, and physically.

“I’ve always been very committed. I love this sport, but the last two years I’ve had a lot of injuries and you sink to the bottom. I was forced to be very motivated, disciplined and change everything from nutrition to training.”

Ashour cites his current eight-week training block in preparation for the British Open as an example of that dedication, and he remains based in Cairo amid the backdrop of a revolution.

“I love it here but we have a lot of turmoil and problems,” he says.

“I have friends, family and a lot of training partners and come back whenever I have the chance.

“I have an academy  and it’s very exciting to be around the kids. I have a big team and they all know my thoughts on squash. If I’m not here we can communicate on Skype. I try to get on court with the kids whenever I can.

“Everyone is pretty depressed and not in the best place mentally, because after revolution there are a lot of hard times to get the country back on its feet. People are not that optimistic but we hope for the best.

“We’re not sure the people (in charge) are doing the best job. People aren’t as happy as they used to be. All Egyptians are talking about politics now because of the situation. I think 90% of Egyptians were never talking about politics before, but now they do.”

With his country in “turmoil”, Ashour could be forgiven for not being overly concerned with the less serious matters of sports politics, but far from it.

Squash faces a few weeks and months that will define its future, with Ashour and David, the impressive women’s number one, the faces of the campaign to get the sport into the 2020 Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee will cut the current shortlist of eight sports on 29 May, before making a final decision in September, and Ashour will be living every minute of the process.

“The Olympics is the most important thing in every squash player’s life,” he says.

“We’ve been trying to get it where it belongs and we’re doing all we can to convey the message and show the IOC the potential of the game. I think playing in a World Open final is great, but the pressure to get squash into the Olympics is history and helping the game survive.”

For now, Ashour is focused on winning the one major title that has eluded him and so extending an unbeaten run that passed the one-year mark on Monday.

England’s Nick Matthew beat him in last year’s British Open final, but Ashour insists: “It feels good to go back. It’s always good to play in front of a knowledgeable crowd and England is the motherland of the sport.”

Nick Matthew at the British Open 2012.

By Emily Goddard, republished from Inside the Games.

Wooldridge, who is also the sport’s technical delegate at the International University Sports Federation (FISU), was the youngest female England Squash chair between 2006 and 2012, alongside her paid job as director of sport at the University of Birmingham.

She will now lead the ESF and its 42 member nations – ranging in size from England, with almost 5,000 courts, to “younger” squash nations such as Liechtenstein and Macedonia with far smaller numbers.

Squash is among the sports bidding to appear at the 2020 Olympic Games – alongside karate, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding, wushu, and a joint bid from baseball and softball – and Wooldridge stressed the benefits Olympic inclusion would bring to the sport.

“Europe has some of the leading squash nations in the world, but also some new fast-emerging nations such as Poland, which is investing rapidly in new squash centres, and is now hosting a range of European and World Championships, which is great to see,” she explained.

“The ESF has some very committed expert volunteers, who are doing some impressive work to support development in many of our smaller member nations.

“Israel reaching the final of last weekend’s European Under-15 Championship is a prime example of how new nations are developing.

“If squash becomes an Olympic sport later this year, I’m sure this growth will escalate.

“It’s an exciting prospect for the sport.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will vote on whether to include one of the bidding sports in the 2020 Olympic programme on September 8 this year at its 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires.

With only 10 days (May 29th) before the IOC Executive Committee makes its decision as to which sports will be recommended to their General Assembly in September, a grand opening, ribbon cutting and dedication of a new squash court took place at the lovely Arroyo Seco Racquet Club in South Pasadena, California.

The event attendees enjoyed all the festivities, which included a BBQ, Margaritas and presentation of a plaque to its primary patron Ed brooks, commemorating the new court to him.

This was an appropriate celebration of and for squash – the creation of a new squash court in a new location, all on the eve of one of the most important decisions the IOC will ever make for squash, that of (hopefully) voting our great game into the 2020 Olympic Games!

A special note of thanks went to Dave Rosen of Harrow Sports for providing raffle prizes for the evening, as well as congratulatory notes read from Kevin Klipstein of U.S. Squash and Andrew Shelley, World Squash Federation CEO.

The evening concluded with a junior squash demonstration by Celine Vendler and Kelvin Shang – and a pro exhibition by Al Preston, former PSA player from New Zealand and Ronen Goldberg, former five-time Israeli national champion and Maccahbiah Game Gold Medalist. They wowed the crowd with an impressive display of athleticism and skill.

A great deal of enthusiasm for squash was generated, as many juniors in attendance were anxious to get onto the court… most for the first time, as no other publicly accessible squash courts have yet been available in the area… until now! All in all, a great evening of and for squash!

Bob Hanscom, junior Victoria Oppel and John Letts, owner of the Arroyo Seco Racquet Club.

By Marianne Bevis, republished from The Sport Review.

It was in Rotterdam in February that seven-time world squash champion, Nicol David, recruited the most influential name in tennis to squash’s 2020 bid, and since then, many more from squash’s larger sibling have rallied to the cause.

In April, the 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer was joined by Kim Clijsters, Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg, who between them have won 22 Grand Slam singles and doubles titles along with five year-end championships.

Then came contemporary champions: Caroline Wozniacki has won 20 professional titles and held the No.1 ranking for over a year; Andy Murray is No.2 in the world rankings, a Grand Slam champion and owner of 26 titles—along with two Olympics medals in London 2012, gold in singles and silver in mixed doubles.

Federer, too, placed huge importance on winning an Olympic medal last year. Already with a doubles gold in 2008, he took singles silver to Murray’s gold in London.

In Rome, where he is currently aiming to win one of the few Masters titles to elude him, he talked of the impact of Olympic participation for tennis, and how important it would be for squash to have the same exposure.

“The Olympics is clearly a place where the ‘Olympics spirit’ is very important—the movement, and all the sports coming together on the same stage. To be part of so many sports at such a big event is, I think, a big benefit for tennis,” Federer told our chief tennis writer Marianne Bevis in Rome.

“We can showcase to a live audience, also on TV or live in a stadium. And I think maybe people who had never gone to see tennis, but now because they’ve gotten a ticket in the raffle, that spreads the word that actually it’s a great sport—not just on TV or in the live stadium.

“So that worked well for tennis and then I think the same thing goes for squash. It’s an incredible platform and a stage to showcase the talents of each individual.”

Federer used to play squash himself, often with his father, but had to put his involvement on hold once tennis took off for fear of injury. But clearly his personal experience nurtured a love and an appreciation for the sport.

“I think it’s a lovely sport,” he continued. “I played it when I was younger, and although it’s a bit different to tennis in some ways, it’s still very similar and very exciting.

“It’s obviously evolved with the technology over the last 10, 20 years as well. I grew up with a wooden squash racket, for example!

“But I mean, it’s a brutal sport physically and very tough mentally, too, you know. Unfortunately in the past maybe they didn’t get a big opportunity… but I think maybe through being part of the Olympic movement, it could grow in a big way.”

Federer is not alone in picking up on the physical intensity of tennis’s fellow racket sport. Agassi, a gold medallist in 1996, commented: “Squash is absolutely one of the best/toughest sports. The Games would be proud!”

Edberg, who won Olympic singles gold when tennis was a demonstration sport in 1984 and went on to win bronze in both singles and doubles when it became a full medal sport in Seoul in 1988, returned to squash after retiring from tennis: “Squash has all the credentials to be an Olympic sport.

“It would complement the other racket sports that are already part of the programme and it would be great to see it included in the Games.”

Certainly Federer has no doubts that squash should be in. “When I did hear some time ago that squash has never been in there, I was like, how come badminton’s in there, ping-pong is in there, tennis is in there and squash isn’t? It makes total sense for the racket sports to be complete, so I wish them the best for their bid.”

No doubt he—by then in Paris to begin his French Open campaign—along with the rest of the squash-loving world, will be watching developments in St Petersburg next week with keen interest.

There, the Olympic Committee (IOC) will consider the final presentations from the eight shortlisted sports—squash, baseball/softball, climbing, karate, roller sports, wakeboard, wushu and wrestling—and is expected to recommend two or three of them to the IOC members meeting in Buenos Aires in September where the final vote will be made.

Final:
Black & White RC Worms bt Paderborner SC 2/2 (Worms win 8-7 on games countback)
Nick Matthew bt James Willstrop 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (49m)
Jens Schoor lost to Simon Rosner 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, ret. (52m)
Andre Haschker lost to Raphael Kandra 12-10, 8-11, 1-11, 5-11 (55m)
Tim Weber bt Norman Junge 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 (74m)

In one of the most dramatic finishes in the event’s 34-year-history, Black & White RC Worms beat title-holders Paderborner SC in today’s fotobuch.de Squash Bundesliga final in Germany – German number three Jens Schoor snatching a vital game in the decider against Paderborner’s top-ranked national Simon Rosner to give Worms an 8-7 victory on games countback at the Pink Power Squash Centre in Boeblingen.

It took 74 long and hard-fought minutes for Worms to take the early lead when the team’s revitalised No4 Tim Weber beat Paderborn opponent Norman Junge 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9.

German No2 Raphael Kandra was expected to level the tie against national team-mate Andre Haschker – but the Worms No3 thrilled his team by taking the opening game after a tie-break.

With the opening skirmish out of the way, Kandra then took control of the match to win 10-12, 11-8 11-1, 11-5 for Paderborner and leave the score poised at one-all in matches and four-all in games.

Then the teams’ top strings took to the court – and the packed crowd was treated to squash excellence of the highest quality between Englishmen Nick Matthew and James Willstrop, ranked two and four, respectively, in the world.

Matthew, in his second season for Worms, was in devastating form. Despite boasting an unbeaten PSA Tour record against his rival stretching back to 2007, Matthew lost to Willstrop at the same stage of this event 12 months ago.

Firmly putting memories of this behind him, Matthew took the first two games 11-6, 11-4 and built up a 7-0 lead in the third.

Willstrop was not ready to lie down, however, and pulled back the deficit to nine-all. But Matthew maintained the pressure to close out the match 11-9.

The straight games win, however, left Paderborn needing to win the decider 3/0 – not only to retain the trophy, but to claim the title for a record tenth time.

Rosner, the seven-time German national champion who has represented Paderborn in every Bundesliga final since 2006, survived two close first games against Schoor as the packed crowd became increasingly animated as the climax approached.

Spurred on by the Worms section of the crowd, underdog Schoor raced to a 4/0 lead in the third. Rosner pulled back to draw level – but again Schoor dug deep and reeled off five points in a row before Rosner was able to reply.

Rosner reduced the deficit by a further point, but a winner from Schoor gave him the all-important game-ball – and a no let decision against Rosner that followed clinched the winner for Worms.

“This is our third title and our second German one,” said Worms team manager Michael Zehe after the joyous festivities died down. “But what makes it really special is that we won it by beating our great German rivals Paderborn – something which we haven’t done before.

“There were very close matches – and there was a lot of pressure on Nick to win 3/0.

“And Jens played really well too. In the past he has been very defensive but today he was much more confident in his game. But it was tough for Simon too.

“And the Worms supporters made a lot of noise!”

The outcome was clearly a blow for Rosner who has enjoyed such a distinguished career, not only for his home club Paderborn but also for the German national team.

“But Paderborn can’t win everything,” said the despondent German number one later.

“I had to be really focussed in that match – and it’s tough to cope with the pressure.

“But he deserved to win – he played really well and that’s the most important point in the end.”

Event promoter Peter Schmidl was delighted with the two-day event: “We had good drama, a good final, a good crowd and a good atmosphere.

“And we had PSA SquashTV streaming all the action to squash enthusiast all over the world.

“The people who came were happy, and I was happy!”

The jubilant Worms squad celebrating their success. Picture by Jordan Mansfield

A greater selection of Jordan Mansfield images are available at http://picasaweb.google.com/108109920024280066748

Champion Gregory Gaultier and runner-up Simon Rosner flanked by KPMG regional board member Holger Kneisel (left) and KPMG Head of Marketing Jeanette Reilly (Picture by Jordan Mansfield).

RESULTS: KPMG Grand Slam Cup, Frankfurt, Germany

Semi-finals:
[4] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 11-9, 6-11, 1-0 (39m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [2] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-5, 9-11, 1-0 (22m)

Third place play-off:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-7

Final:
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [4] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-7, 11-10 (30m)

France’s world number three-ranked squash player Gregory Gaultier denied the capacity crowd at The Squaire in Frankfurt a German winner of the inaugural KPMG Grand Slam Cup when he beat home hero Simon Rosner in tonight’s final on a state-of-the-art all-glass ASB Show Court sited in Europe’s latest architectural wonder.

World No12 Rosner, the seven-time German national champion from Paderborn, had earlier sprung the event’s biggest surprise by beating top seed Ramy Ashour, the world No1 and world champion from Egypt, 11-9, 6-11, 1-0.

The 25-year-old delighted the crowd by winning the event’s unique best-of-one third game decider with a dead nick in the court’s side wall – thereby earning his career-first victory over Ashour.

The other semi-final also went the full distance, with third seed Gaultier winning the all-important third game rally against world No2 Nick Matthew when the Englishman’s shot was called ‘not up’ by the officials.

“I chose the wrong side to serve,” said Matthew who had earned the service to start the decider after winning the second game.

Rosner took the first three points in the final, but Gaultier then won seven in a row to build up an insurmountable lead.

The German led 7-2 and 9-6 in the second game – then had game-ball at 10-9. But the wily Frenchman blocked out the sound of the jubilant German crowd – who clearly sensed another dramatic decider – by holding his nerve to close out the match 11-7, 11-10 in 30 minutes.

“It’s amazing to play in front of such a great crowd,” said 30-year-old Gaultier as he clutched his latest trophy. “I am very happy to have done well here.”

Ashour, who won the best-of-one-game third-place-play-off against Matthew, said: “It’s good to be back in Germany, where I first played Simon as a junior.

Amazing setup at The Squaire.

“This has been a fantastic event – from the second I stepped onto the court. It’s an amazing venue, an amazing set-up and an amazing crowd.”

On his role as an Olympic ambassador for the sport, Ashour admitted that he felt proud to be part of the World Squash Federation team which will present the sport’s bid to join the Olympic Games programme in 2020 to the IOC in St Petersburg later this month.

“It’s a great thing to do. I think squash belongs in the Olympics and I hope we will be able persuade the IOC at the meeting in a few weeks.”

KPMG regional board member Holger Kneisel also endorsed Ashour’s statement: “After seeing these players give us such an impressive high-class event tonight, I also really hope that squash will be in the Olympics in 2020.”

John Nimick, co-founder of the championship with the Welldone Agency in Frankfurt, summed up the success of the maiden event: “The KPMG Grand Slam Cup represents so many great elements of our sport. It highlights an iconic location, it brings together the world’s very best players, and it celebrates squash in a festival setting.

“The audience has been outstanding – and have provided a great atmosphere and the perfect start to an annual championship featuring four of the best players in the world battling against each other in a single evening.”

Further KPMG Grand Slam Cup images, courtesy of Jordan Mansfield, are available at http://picasaweb.google.com/108074726754865292117

Annie Au

Runner-up in the last championship in 2011, the 24-year-old world No13 beat Low, ranked six places higher, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-1.

The men’s championship provided the first Pakistan winner for 15 years when Aamir Atlas Khan beat third-seeded Kuwaiti Abdullah Al Muzayen 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 – ending Malaysian dominance of the men’s event since 1998.

The 40th European Team Championships took place in the Netherlands city of Amsterdam, where England maintained their grip on both the men’s and women’s titles despite stiff opposition.

Former world No2 Jenny Duncalf earned her 100th England cap in sensational style on semi-finals day by clinching victory in the deciding match against third seeds France.

The 30-year-old from Yorkshire was then called upon to repeat her heroics 24 hours later in the final decider against second seeds Ireland - Duncalf beating Laura Mylotte 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 to give favourites England their third title in a row, and the 35th since the women’s championships began in 1978.

Team England took home the Men's and Women's European Team Championship Titles.

In their 13th successive final again France, the England men found themselves 2/0 down for the first time after powerful French wins by world No3 Gregory Gaultier and the now retired former world champion Thierry Lincou.

But Essex duo Daryl Selby and Peter Barker - ranked 13 & 7, respectively, in the world – steadied the England ship with straight games wins over Lucas Serme and Gregoire Marche to give the defending champions an 8-6 win on games countback – and England’s narrowest victory since 2002.

RESULTS: FMC Asian Championships, Islamabad, Pakistan

Men’s final:
[6] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [3] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 11-9, 11-3, 11-8

Women’s final:
[2] Annie Au (HKG) bt [1] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-1

European Team Championships, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Men’s final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [2] FRANCE 2/2 (England win 8-6 on games countback)
James Willstrop lost to Thierry Lincou 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11 (67m)
Nick Matthew lost to Gregory Gaultier 11-13, 6-11, 12-14 (82m)
Daryl Selby bt Lucas Serme 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (48m)
Peter Barker bt Gregoire Marche 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (53m)

Women’s final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [2] IRELAND 2/1
Laura Massaro bt Madeline Perry 11-7, 11-5, 11-2 (29m)
Alison Waters lost to Aisling Blake 5-11, 9-11, 6-11 (28m)
Jenny Duncalf bt Laura Mylotte 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 (23m)

Squash Bond Nederland celebrates its 75th anniversary this week by hosting the biggest ever European Team Squash Championships in the Netherlands capital Amsterdam.

The Dutch Squash Federation is the second oldest European member of the World Squash Federation (after England Squash) – and will be hosting the historic European Team Championships, the 41st edition of the event, for the tenth time since 1978.

More than 50 teams are competing in all three men’s and women’s divisions of the European Championships – including men’s championship debutants Estonia and first-timers in the women’s event Latvia and Slovenia.

The championships will take place at the 21-court Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam from 1-5 May.

“The Dutch federation is one of the most active WSF member nations in Europe as well as being a world leader and we congratulate them on this magnificent three-quarters-of-a-century milestone,” said WSF President N Ramachandran, who will be attending the championships.

“Furthermore, our European Squash Federation is celebrating its 40th anniversary at a time when they are going from strength to strength,” added Ramachandran.

“The fact that the celebrations will also include the staging of the biggest international team event in the world – bringing together nations such as Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia with successful countries such as France, England and hosts Netherlands, joined by smaller ones such as Luxembourg and debuting Estonia – will make this week in Amsterdam an extremely special one for our sport.”