Lockerbie Squash Club is playing host to 24 of the world’s top professional players in a PSA (Professional Squash Association) Challenger 5 Tour event for the first time.
The club is delighted to be chosen as the venue for one of the Tour events, which are usually staged in bigger towns and cities, and hopes it will give Lockerbie a boost.
“We are so honoured to be hosting this event,” said club chairman David Lindsay. “It’s a major coup for us and will be great for the whole community, with players, coaches and supporters staying, eating and shopping locally.
“We have some of the best facilities in Scotland and we hope this will raise the club’s profile and help encourage people to take up the sport.”
The tournament will run until Sunday with free entry for spectators and the action will also be streamed on the PSA YouTube channel.
“There’s such a buzz around the club as we look forward to this event,” said David. “Everyone’s really excited.”
Ahead of the event, Scotland’s National Squash Coach Paul Bell said it was great for the sport in Scotland to have a Scottish venue for the PSA Challenger 5 Tour.
He explained that, as well as the 20 top international players selected for the competition, four wildcard entries would be chosen by the host club and were likely to be some of Scotland’s best promising young players.
Praising Lockerbie Squash Club’s newly refurbished facilities, Paul said: “It’s brilliant to have a new venue and to have it in Scotland is massive for us.”
Meanwhile, Annandale North Councillor Gail Macgregor hopes such a major tournament would bring more recognition for the club and encourage visitors to come to Lockerbie.
She said: “The squash club is a long established, well used facility and its recent refurbishment has taken it to a new level. It’s a fresh, modern, inviting asset for the town and this tournament is a fantastic relaunch after the coronavirus shutdown.”
