Hemingford Grey to host UK U23 squash tournament

HEMINGFORD GREY will host a UK under-23 squash competition from April 24-26 with several Huntingdonshire players competing against other elite British players.

The competition will see a qualifying round on April 23 before the tournament begins the next day. It will be a knock-out format with 32 men and 16 women competing, and a Plate competition for those who exit at the first round.

The Huntingdonshire Country Squash Club in Hemingford Grey will be holding the competition annually until 2011. Professional coach Colin Griggs said they were "lucky to get it".

"Usually these things go to places like London, Birmingham or Manchester so for it to come here is huge for squash and for this area. We know there will be players coming from as far afield as Scotland and Wales and all over the country and we're sure it will be a great competition."

Huntingdonshire hopefuls include 17-year-old Sammy Chambers, senior Cambridgeshire champion who represented England at U17 level. Chambers was part of the 2007-08 county team that won the national championships and plays for Crown Lodge in Outwell.

Robert Dadds, 17, from Huntingdon, was also part of the national winning team with Chambers. Ahmed El Refee, 19, from Godmanchester, will be hoping to succeed in the competition and so will his sister, Nayera, 16. Elsja Van Ef will join Nayera El Refee in the women's competition as they compete against top players from across the country.

Squash has recently introduced standardised rules from April 1 in a bid to become and Olympic sport before 2012. Players now play to 11 points and can score on their opponent's serve.

"They want to make the game more understandable across the board," said Griggs. "The new rules have certainly made the game a lot more explosive, faster and more aggressive.