Team USA’s Amanda Sobhy, Olivia Blatchford and Chris Hanson are set to compete in the first round of the Guggenheim Partners & Equitrust Windy City Open Thursday and Friday at the University Club of Chicago.
The season’s third and final U.S.-based World Series event returns for a fourth year with equal prize money for men and women.
The first round takes place on a glass court in the University Club’s cathedral hall and the club’s traditional courts.
All three Americans will feature on the glass court in their first-round matches, which will stream live on SquashTV.
For the second year, Hanson, world No. 78, occupies the Wild Card position in the men’s main draw and will be the first American in first-round action against Germany’s world No. 10 Simon Roesner Thursday at 3pm local time.
Blatchford is the first match on the glass court Friday at noon local time. The world No. 26 from Wilton, Connecticut, will face India’s world No. 14 Joshna Chinappa.
After a month off since a second-round loss at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, World No. 6 Amanda Sobhy returns to the tour after a brief spell recovering from a foot injury.
“Despite not getting the results I wanted last month, I think having this time off was good for me because it allowed me to hit the refresh button and go into these next tournaments relatively fresh mentally and physically,” Sobhy said.
The twenty-three-year-old from Sea Cliff, New York, will face a qualifier Friday at 7pm local time.
“It is imperative that I get the momentum going in Chicago because it will set the tone for the next few tournaments that I play after that,” Sobhy said. “I am very eager to get back on the court and compete.”
Main draw matches begin at 12pm local time, 1pm ET on Thursday, February 23.
For tickets and more information visit www.windycityopen.com.
