Taking shape: The structure set to host the World Squash Open starts to take shape at the Fairmont Southampton hotel. Photo Tamell Simons

As these pictures show, work is well underway constructing the spectacular transparent tent set to house an all-glass court for the Endurance World Open Squash Championships in Southampton.

The total cost of hosting squash's most prestigious competition, staged later this month, is an estimated $2 million, believed to be the biggest ever budget for an international squash event.

Its centrepiece will be the 16,000-square-foot structure on Turtle Hill, at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel, which at 43 feet is the highest clear-span tent of its kind in the world. It will be made entirely of see-through plastic panels to protect players and the 1,400 spectators from any bad weather.

The tournament will boast a prize pool of $175,000, which equals the largest amount ever offered to players in a World Open with a main draw of 32, including all the sport's top names.

Bermuda Squash Racquets Association's director of squash, Ross Triffitt, described the construction process as a substantial operation and said television coverage was expected to reach a potential 2.1 billion viewers world-wide.

"It's a substantial operation and takes around four weeks to complete the construction. It's the biggest ever budget for an international squash event and the legs of the structure are believed to be the highest of its kind in the world, Triffitt said.

"Our primary objective was to find the most spectacular outdoor location we possibly could in order to showcase the Island's natural beauty to as broad a global audience as possible.

"The transparent tent will allow for spectacular views overlooking the beach and South Shore, we have found one of, if not the, most fantastic location in which a glass court has ever been built. It will also feature a second level viewing gallery.

"There will be live feeds locally available through pay-per-view for Cablevision Digital customers, as well as a post-production highlights package for television networks around the world."

Among the star-studded line-up are defending champion and local resident David Palmer, world number one Amr Shabana of Egypt, who won the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters in April of 2006, and compatriot Ramy Ashour who stunned the squash world in 2004 by becoming the youngest ever World Junior Champion.

Bermuda's James Stout will be first player on court following the opening ceremony and will be up against Mohammed Abbas of Egypt who is ranked 15th in the world.

Four other players in Bermuda, Patrick Foster, Nick Kyme, Chase Toogood, and Melrindo Caines have the chance to get into the main draw after they were allowed to compete in the qualifiers before the tournament.

Triffit said ticket sales were going well for the week-long event which runs from November 25 until December 1. "Ticket sales have been going well especially for the opening ceremony on November 25, which sees Bermuda's James Stout on court. The final and semi-final days are also selling well," he said.

The clear-span tent has been imported from Canada and is being built by local construction firm BCM McAlpine. The competition is the culminating event of one of the largest contracts in the history of the sport, signed between the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and Bermuda. The Island also hosted the PSA Masters in 2005 and 2006.

• For more information about the Endurance World Open Bermuda 2007 Squash Championships visit www.squashworldopen.com

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