Oct. 7, 2011

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford University will host the $35,000 NetSuite Open, a record-setting prize for a Bay Area squash tournament, beginning Friday on the Arrillaga Courts.

The tournament will welcome five of the world's top twenty players, including #1 U.S. player Julian Illingworth. The tournament runs from Friday, October 7 to Monday, October 10 at Stanford University's Arrillaga Courts.

The sixteen-player pro draw includes world #11 Daryl Selby, #12 Laurens Jan Anjema, #13 Omar Mossad, #18 Weal El Hindi,and #20 Alister Walker. Additional players include Canada #1 Shahier Razik, India #1 Saurav Ghosal, and Scotland #1 Alan Clyne.

"We've never had this caliber of players in the Bay Area before," said Stanford head coach and former world champion Mark Talbott. "We're excited to show how fun squash is to watch and play."

Squash, a fast-action sport that balances endurance, speed, and strategy, has 13 million worldwide players. Stanford's squash program was started by students in 1998 and its women team was promoted to varsity in 2005. The women's team is currently ranked #6 nationally, the men's team is ranked #24, and program alumna Lily Lorentzen won the 2006 national championship.

Stanford will also host an amateur draw for players of all skill levels on the same days as the NetSuite Open.

The Celestino Martinez Stanford Club Championship, named for a former Stanford player who passed away in a plane crash, will run on October 8-9. Entry is $45 and includes meals and prizes.

NetSuite Open tickets are $40 for each day's matches and can be purchased online with less than fifty left. One ticket holder will win a free lesson with UK pro Lewis Walters.

About Stanford Squash
The Stanford Squash program was founded by students in 1998. It has since grown to become the highest ranked program on the west coast. In 2004, Stanford Athletics appointed Mark Talbott, former World Champion and head coach of the national champion Yale Bulldogs, as its head coach. The program now offers a university-accredited class for beginners, junior squash camps, bay area tournaments, and a club for Stanford affiliates.