The 10th annual Al-Ahram Hurghada Women's Squash Championship comes to an end today. The final will take place this evening, culminating the one-week event whose preliminary rounds were staged at Cairo Stadium's squash complex. A total 28 players started the competition in the preliminary round, 10 of whom were Egyptian. Only 12 players, including four Egyptians, made it to the final round which started on Sunday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. Play is being staged in a glass court erected on the main promenade in Hurghada. Spectator turn-out was high with large numbers of local spectators and tourists visiting the city. Supporters cheered their favourite compatriot country girl. Among the participating Egyptians was Omneya Abdel-Kawi, the world No 11. Abdel-Kawi, the world juniors champion two years ago, made it to the final last year but lost to eventual champion, the more experienced Rachel Grinham. In 2004, Abdel-Kawi made it to the semi-finals. World No 20 is Ingi Khairallah who aims at a top 10 finish. The reigning world juniors champion, Ranim El-Walili, is Egypt's third hope for the title. The 16-year-old is looking for a better result after being eliminated from the early rounds of the competition last year. The tournament witnessed the comeback of Egypt's former champion Salma Shabana, sister of the world's No 1 Amr Shabana. Salma won her two preliminary games to qualify for Hurghada. The Al-Ahram championship was inaugurated in 1997. Games were staged in a glass court erected on an island in the middle of the Red Sea.
