Chris Simpson

World’s top players will battle it out for £6,500 in prize money at Kent Open

World-class squash comes to Kent this week with the Kent Open taking place in Maidstone.

With a prize fund of £6,500 up for grabs the event has attracted an internatinal field of players for the action which starts on Tuesday, (June 26) and finishes on July 1 at the Mote Squash Club.

Qualifying takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday with the first rounds starting on Thursday.

Yorkshire-based world No.45 Chris Simpson is top seed, followed by Finnish No.2 Henrik Mustonen, Hungarian No.1 Mark Krajcsak and top Danish star Kristian Olesen.

Other competitors include Julien Balbo (France), Karim Ali Fathi (Egypt), Malaysia’s Elvinn Keo and Pakistani duo Saqib Yousuf and Aqib Hanif.

English hopefuls include Jaymie Haycocks, Anthony Graham and wild card Robbie Downe whose ferocious shot is one to watch out for.

He will be aiming to beat the 175mph world squash speed record during the tournament after clocking 171mph on the radar gun at last year’s event.

The tournament has been able to go from strength to strength thanks to a three-year sponsorship agreement with SE Leisure worth £9,000, as well as PSA world-ranking points up for grabs.

Sponsor Jonny Powell has competed in the event for the past three years and has increased his company’s financial backing to guarantee the future of one of the leading squash tournaments in the UK.

Powell has been allocated a local spot in qualifying alongside The Mote’s England junior international James Evans, Kent senior captain Joe Magor from Canterbury, and former county No.1 John Brewer from Rodmersham (Sittingbourne).

Admission is free all week and the event includes a world speed challenge with the radar gun ahead of the semi-finals on Saturday, June 30, after which there will be a barbecue.

The Mote’s club finals will also take place on the same day. The final takes place at 3pm on Sunday, July 1.

The tournament will feature daily coaching clinics with the professionals for local juniors and school groups, which take place at 4pm.