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Floor problem ...
what floor problem ???
As you all know, we had a few teething problems with the glass
court this year. It's the same court as the last two
years, but the floor is the new(ish) all-glass one from ASB.
The first problem was that, having decided to turn the court
through 180 degrees and move it to the other side of the sports
centre, there was an 8-centimetre slope to correct. Fortunately
there's no shortage of local filling material - sand - and after
a few hours levelling the floor was laid nice and flat.
The floor is made up of twelve panels, and the small gaps
between them need securing and sealing. This is usually done
with silicone sealant, and that was used here in Al Khobar,
completed on the day before play was due to start.
After we returned from the Heritage Village trip a few of the
players tried out the court, just messing around as it was
getting late and we had a heavy day coming up, and it seemed
fine.
So, the next day during the first round matches on the inside
courts, the court surroundings were completed, the
air-conditioning units brought into play, which meant that the
court wasn't used during the day.
However, as soon as Ramy Ashour and Jonathan Kemp went on for
the first match it was clear that there was a problem, with
neither being able to push off. After one quick game it was
decided to move the match 'inside'.
At this stage no-one was sure what the problem was. The floor
wasn't wet, the players weren't sweating enough to cause the
problem ... was the air-conditioning causing rather than solving
the problem?
Stewart Boswell and local wildcard Mohammed Al-Saif managed to
complete their match after the opening ceremony, but it was far
from satisfactory, with both players struggling to keep their
footing - or rather, to push off.
So, the final match of the opening day, Amr Shabana v Omar
Mosaad, started and finished on the inside courts while Hadi
Mitri - ATCO's Logistics and Maintenance Manager, who has
the job of preparing and maintaining the venue -and his team
tried to find the problem.
Close inspection revealed that the silicone between the panels
had spread, and was now covering parts of some of the panels
with a thin, slippy film. No wonder the players had trouble!
Was it a bad batch of silicone, had the players gone on before
it was ready ... who knows, but the main thing was that te
problem had been found and we knew it could be sorted.
It wasn't easy though - it wasn't just a case of brushing the
floors, this film had to be removed painstakingly, little by
little, with a lot of elbow grease (an English term for hard
manual labour) involved.
Hadi and his team worked late into the night, and were back at
6am in the morning. By mid-day they had completed their work,
and we all watched as Lee Beachill, Nick Matthew and James
Willstrop gave the 'new' floor a run-out.
A few lunges ... a couple of sprints ... some training routines
... some full-speed rallies and the verdict came back .... "it's
perfect."
So, no need for plans B, C or Z ... the show would go on, thanks
to some dedicated hard work ... thanks Hadi, have a
well-earned rest !!!
Now it's just down to the cleaners to keep the floor in perfect
condition when those pesky players sweat all over it ... |
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A well-earned rest for Hadi ... |
22-Oct:
The Heritage Village
On the eve of the action all the players headed out towards
Dammam for a visit to the Heritage Village and an official
introduction to the tournament. It's a special place, stone
walls with mysterious alcoves, winding stone staircases and a
central lake imparting real atmosphere.
 After
some Arabic coffee and a liberal dusting with incense, Ziad
welcomed everyone back to Saudi and presented players with
mementos of the event.
 Then
it was a trip round the museum – two levels of artefacts, some
ancient, some not so (not sure what 1377 is in the Arabic
calendar, but in Gregorian terms I'm pretty sure the batteries
on that calculator will have run out by now), in no particular
order so it made for a fascinating few minutes' walk.
 Off
to the tent for some Arabic music – really can't think why they
made a bee-line for Wael to join them, he's normally such a shy,
retiring guy – before enjoying a sumptuous meal where, in Arabic
tradition, far more was left than we could actually manage to
eat!
 If
we thought the temperature was subsiding, a temperature gauge
perched high on a tower on the way back soon dashed those hopes,
97 degrees (old money) at 8.21pm …
Once we got back to the venue though we cooled down rapidly as
the industrial-strength Air Conditioning units had been switched
on, creating a lovely cool breeze and hopefully perfect playing
conditions for Tuesday …
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20-Oct:
Saudi set for Squash Spectacular
Tuesday 23rd October sees the start of the richest squash event
the world has ever seen. Set in the spectacular venue of Al
Khobar's Sunset Beach resort, the Saudi International Squash
Tournament 2007 boasts a $210,000 prize fund which has
attracted every one of the world's top professional squash
players to the kingdom's Eastern Province.
 "I'm
really looking forward to this one - it is the star in the crown
- the ultimate event," said tournament director Robert
Edwards, the Professional Squash Association's World Tour
Technical Director, who has overseen hundreds of tournaments in
a career spanning over twenty-two years.
He has been instrumental in showcasing this spectacular game
with a "Show" style that brings an extra drama to a tournament.
His record includes many World Opens - British Opens as well as
dozens of Super Series events - from Wales to Saudi Arabia via
such wonderful countries as India, America, Qatar, Holland,
Kuwait, Bermuda, Canada, Belgium, England, Scotland, Ireland,
South Africa, Hong Kong, where he has earned himself the title
of "The Voice of Squash".
Since moving to the professional game in the 1980s, Edwards has
witnessed a dramatic rise in the size and quality of new
tournaments coming on to the PSA Tour. "The last two years have
been especially dramatic with the Middle East driving a new
revolution in Prize money on offer to the players. Saudi Arabia
together with Kuwait and Qatar have all raised the bar," he
added.
The Saudi International, brainchild of Ziad Al Turki of
the ATCO group of companies, leads the world with the
highest prize fund ever offered at a squash event.
"When Ziad first approached me in 2005 I was immediately struck
by his tremendous love of the game. He clearly wanted to help
the tour and the especially the standards for the players and
also to focus the eyes of the world on Saudi Arabia. He was
young - exciting - full of energy and also a giant in the
commercial world. I was walking on air when I left him. Here was
a man with a desire that matched my own. I left his office
wondering if squash had found the benefactor with the qualities
to help lead professional squash into the 21st century."
The answer to Edwards' question came quickly with the advent of
the first Saudi International which was held in Dammam and
hosted at the magnificent Sunset Beach Resort in December 2005.
"The success story had started. We returned at the end of 2006
with an even bigger and better tournament. Now the formula
continues but again Ziad has raised the bar - the biggest prize
fund ever offered in the games history!!
"This visionary man continues to lead the world. He is the
perfect promoter for me - he lets the professionals get on with
what they do and quietly leads us all with a pointer here and
there. His style has produced a loyal team and the admiration
and respect of every player in the game. On a personal note my
respect for what he is trying to do has been instrumental in me
extending my retirement so that I can be at his shoulder to help
push this revolution on through to the Saudi World Open in
2010."
Proceeds from the tournament are donated to the Eastern
Province Rehabilitation Society, a charity benefiting the
disabled children of the region.
"Having visited the hospital where the Society do their life
saving work," Edwards said, "I saw at first hand the difference
that they make to peoples lives," adding "it makes you very
humble and puts life into perspective when you see some of the
miracles that they perform - it is an honour for us to be
associated with this amazing Society."
Favourites to take the title and the $31,000 winners' cheque are
two Egyptian superstars. World number one and top seed Amr
Shabana is a double world champion who won here last year in
front of a packed crowd who enjoyed every moment of his triumph.
His anticipated opponent in the final is Ramy Ashour, the
teenager who has taken the squash world by storm since becoming
the first player ever to win the world junior title twice.
The pair contested the finals in the last Hong Kong and Sheikha
Al Saad Kuwait Opens, and Ramy's sensational run which includes
claiming the ATCO-sponsored end-of-season Super Series Finals
title in August, has taken him to within a few points of his
friend and mentor at the top of the world rankings.
The crowd shouldn't expect an easy ride to the final for either
of their favourites though – the men's professional game has
never been so open, and the winner could come from any of the
top names.
British Open champion Gregory Gaultier, runner-up to
Shabana last year, will lead the French challenge alongside
Thierry Lincou, with whom Gaultier contested the first ever
all-French British Open final last month.
The English will have their say too, with newly-crowned US Open
champion Nick Matthew coming to Saudi in good form along
with James Willstrop, winner of the English Grand Prix,
and of course reigning World Champion David Palmer of
Australia is renowned for peaking for the big events.
Action starts at Sunset Beach at 13.00 on Tuesday 23rd October
with evening sessions on the all-glass court starting at 6pm
each day, through to the final which is scheduled for 8pm on
Sunday 28th. |
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