(updated 27-jun-09 10:29 ) 

NEW YORK, NY - June 26, 2009 -- U.S. OPEN Squash Championships To Highlight Sports’ Olympic Qualifications - Second Year of Major Outdoor Event.

U.S. SQUASH announced that the 2009 U.S. Open Championship will take place September 2 - 6 in Chicago at Pioneer Court, in front of the 401 N. Michigan Avenue building.

This year, Chicago will once again immerse itself in the international spotlight, following last year’s Sweet Home Chicago Open, when Chicago made history in hosting the nation’s first-ever professional squash tournament to be held outdoors.

Squash is also one of the seven sports currently being considered for addition to the 2016, making the sport and the U.S. Open a perfect match. The short list of Olympic sports will be narrowed to two by mid-August, and a tournament of this caliber held in a possible host city is expected to assist in the final push squash would need to make it into the Games.

The men’s tournament will be a 5-Star Professional Squash Association sanctioned event placing it among the elite events worldwide. This unique event – to be held in an all-glass court in Pioneer Court, between Tribune Tower and the Chicago River – continues to elevate the city’s profile, as well as the sport of squash, which is played in more than 150 countries by an estimated 20 million people.

Based on the success of the first year 2008 Sweet Home Chicago Open, held at the same location, the U.S. Open will increase the prize fund to $52,500, ensuring many of the top players in the world – from last year’s champion, Peter Barker, to World No. 6 David Palmer – will compete on this iconic stage.

Event Director Imran Nasir noted, “With the intersection of squash and Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Games, combined with the U.S. Open title, this year’s event looks to be that much more impressive in scope.”

Tickets, travel and patron packages to go on sale in July. Check www.usopen-squash.com for updates and the latest details.

The U.S. Open Women's Championships will remain a separate event for this year, and be awarded to the winner of the Carol Weymuller U.S. Open Women's Squash Championship, to be played at Heights Casino in Brooklyn, NY November 3-8, 2009. This partnership with the Carol Weymuller Open has been in place since 2000, and will likely continue until U.S. SQUASH successfully combines the Men's and Women's U.S. Open Championships into one event, a stated goal of the organization.

 

 

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