The final of the 14th Al-Ahram International Hurghada Squash Champion will be held today. Inas Mazhar reports from the Red Sea site Both finals will take place today, men and women. The tournament started last week with the qualifications and first round taking place at the Cairo Stadium Squash Complex in Cairo. The main draw started earlier this week here in Hurghada with a high spectator turnout at the glass court set on the city's main promenade. The tournament was held to revive Egyptian tourism which has been dormant in the wake of the January revolution. Hurghada Gov Mohamed Magdi El-Qobeisi put all the governorate's facilities at the disposal of the tournament. Tourists visiting the famous resort of Hurghada and current foreign residents have found the tournament entertaining. Various nationalities have given the event a colourful atmosphere. Squash lovers enjoyed some exciting games and were witness to Finland's Olli Tuominen recording his first ever win over France's former world number one Thierry Lincou beating the fourth seed 3-0 in less than an hour to claim the biggest upset in the first round of the men's PSA Tour International of Hurghada. It was the Frenchman's first early exit from an international tournament in 14 months. Tuominen, the world No 22, will now face Egyptian Mohammed Abbas for a place in the semi-finals. The 30-year-old Abbas unexpectedly defeated Pakistan's world No 29 Aamir Atlas Khan 3-1 in 49 minutes. And it seems that Egypt will dominate the semi-finals with promising Egyptian prodigy Tarek Moe'men, who downed his more experienced Malaysian opponent Ong Beng Hee 3-1 in the quarter-finals. The world number 26, Moe'men is to now challenge the tournament's second Karim Darwish in the semis. The world No 3 Darwish defeated Swiss qualifier Nicolas Mueller 3-0. The women's tournament saw no surprises so far as the first round went smoothly. The top eight seeds marched safely to the quarter-finals with easy wins. Australia's top seed Rachael Grinham, former three time winner of this event knocked down Egypt's Kanzi Emad El-Defrawi 3-0 while Egypt's Omneya Abdel-Kawi, the defending champion and this year's tournament second seed came back from one set behind to win three straight sets and beat 18-year-old compatriot and qualifier Salma Hani, a qualifier, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7.
