CHENNAI: This is not the first time that a squash championship is being held in a mall. Around the world, several tournaments have been hosted in venues such as the Express Avenue mall in Chennai. A squash court with a scenic back drop of the mighty Pyramids of Giza is perhaps the most famous of the unconventional venues. In any other sport, it is unimaginable to host a world-level tournament in a place such as a mall.
Technical difficulties and space constraints are foremost among the issues. But for many taking part in the World Junior Championship, this has been a unique experience so far. “I love New Zealand for the sea. And I had a nice view from my hotel. But this is really amazing. The crowd is great. I have enjoyed Chennai. I had never played in a setting like this before. This is one of the best venues that I have played at,” said Egypt’s Rowan Reda Araby, after winning the women’s title on Monday. While the participants are enjoying the unique experience, those knocked out early were having a gala time chatting and trying out various beverages from their favourite outlets.
“This is actually great. We are not feeling bored and there are lots of shops to check out. We are enjoying the whole tournament,” the South African players on the sidelines said. Fun aside, this is a world championship and even the slightest of distractions can prove costly. But for these players, nothing really matters when they take to the court. “I guess all venues are the same to me in the end. Because, when we go inside the court, we don’t think about anything else,” Araby said.
Even during the Senior Asian Championship held at the mall last year, players were all praise for the court. With many of them constantly travelling for tournaments, they are getting used to playing at such places. The youngsters are having a blast and making the most of the opportunity. Mostafa Asal, who beat defending champion Marwan Tarek to lift the men’s crown, feels this initiative is a great marketing idea to bring together more people to watch the sport.
“I had not played in a place like this before. Chennai has put up a good show. It’s a very good experience, as I am running inside the shops to warm up. But I feel this is a great way to popularise the sport as it’s not in the Olympics. When people watch us play, they will know more about us and I hope this continues,” Asal said.
vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com
Final results: Men: Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Marwan Tarek (EGY) 11-7, 13-11, 11-4.
Women: Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) bt Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9.