Gaultier and El Sherbini top seedings for AJ Bell PSA World Championships 2017
World number ones Greg Gaultier and Nour El Sherbini have been named as top seeds in what promises to be one of the most hotly contested World Championships in recent history.
More than 200 of the world’s greatest players will descend on Manchester in one month’s time to compete for the most illustrious title on the tour from 8th to 17th December.
Frenchman Gaultier occupies the top spot ahead of defending champion Karim Abdel Gawad – the Egyptian who claimed the title in surprise on home soil in Cairo last year, beating compatriot and three-time winner Ramy Ashour in the final. Two-time runner-up and Qatar Classic champion Mohamed ElShorbagy takes the number three seeding spot ahead of recent U.S. Open champion Ali Farag.
England’s Nick Matthew, who at 37 will be competing in his final World Championships, takes the number five seeding and will be hoping for a repeat of the success he had in 2013 when he claimed his third World title, defeating Gaultier in the decider.
Gaultier and Matthew are the only non-Egyptian players inside the top eight seedings in the men’s draw as Gawad, ElShorbagy and Farag are joined by Marwan ElShorbagy – younger brother of Mohamed – Tarek Momen – the recent Qatar Classic runner-up – and Fares Dessouky. UPDATE 19-Nov Dessouky withdraws injured
In the women’s draw, two-time champion El Sherbini, who in 2015 became the youngest World Champion at the age of 19, will be hoping to complete a hat-trick of triumphs and sits at the top of the draw ahead of compatriot Raneem El Welily, whom she defeated in the 2016 title decider.
England’s Laura Massaro – the 2013 winner, Camille Serme, Nouran Gohar, eight-time winner Nicol David, Sarah-Jane Perry of England and recent U.S Open winner Nour El Tayeb complete the top eight seedings in the women’s draw.
2011 finalist Jenny Duncalf is the tournament Wildcard while her partner – and 2007 title winner – Rachael Grinham will become the oldest woman ever to compete in the event at the age of 40.
The Championships will start at the National Squash Centre between 8th and 13th December before moving to Manchester Central from 14th to 17 December,.
Men’s Entries
1) Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
2) Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
3) Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)
4) Ali Farag (EGY)
5) Nick Matthew (ENG)
6) Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
7) Tarek Momen (EGY)
8) Fares Dessouky (EGY)
9) Paul Coll (NZL)
10) James Willstrop (ENG)
11) Ramy Ashour (EGY)
12) Simon Rösner (GER)
13) Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
14) Diego Elias (PER)
15) Daryl Selby (ENG)
16) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
17) Cesar Salazar (MEX)
18) Borja Golan (ESP)
19) Cameron Pilley (AUS)
20) Omar Mosaad (EGY)
21) Saurav Ghosal (IND)
22) Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
23) Gregoire Marche (FRA)
24) Alan Clyne (SCO)
25) Zahed Mohamed (EGY)
26) Leo Au (HKG)
27) Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
28) Max Lee (HKG)
29) Tsz Fung Yip (HKG)
30) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
31) Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
32) Adrian Waller (ENG)
33) Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
34) Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
35) Declan James (ENG)
36) Chris Simpson (ENG)
37) Campbell Grayson (NZL)
38) Tom Richards (ENG)
39) Mazen Hesham (EGY)
40)Greg Lobban (SCO)
41) Raphael Kandra (GER)
42) Joel Makin (WAL)
43) Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
44) Mohamed Reda (EGY)
45) Lucas Serme (FRA)
46) Ivan Yuen (MAS)
47) Olli Tuominen (FIN)
48) Joshua Masters (ENG)
Women’s Entries
1) Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
2) Raneem El Welily (EGY)
3) Camille Serme (FRA)
4) Laura Massaro (ENG)
5) Nouran Gohar (EGY)
6) Nicol David (MAS)
7) Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
8) Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
9) Joelle King (NZL)
10) Alison Waters (ENG)
11) Annie Au (HKG)
12) Emily Whitlock (ENG)
13) Olivia Blatchford (USA)
14) Joshna Chinappa (IND)
15) Victoria Lust (ENG)
16) Tesni Evans (WAL)
17) Donna Urquhart (AUS)
18) Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY)
19) Joey Chan (HKG)
20) Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND)
21) Mariam Metwally (EGY)
22) Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
23) Fiona Moverley (ENG)
24) Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
