India's Joshna short-listed for global squash award

New Delhi -- Indian national woman champion and world's No. 42 Joshna Chinappa is among the five short listed for the Young Female Player of the Year award.

The Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) has been short listed Joshna along with Camille Serme of France, Tenille Swartz of South Africa, Egyptian Raneem El Weleily and Annie Au of Hong Kong, according to information received here.

Joshna, 20, is currently enjoying her best-ever international rank.

The Chennai-based Joshna is the youngest to win the senior Indian national title. She achieved that feat in 2000, when she was just 14. That year she became the youngest Indian sportsperson to hold both senior and junior national titles.

World No. 1 Nicol David of Malaysia leads the five short listed nominees for the WISPA Female Player of the Year award. The other are Natalie Grinham of Australia, Engy Kheirallah of Egypt, Ireland's Madeline Perry and Tania Bailey of England.

In the men's section, Egypt's world No. 1 Amr Shabana, fresh from his triumph in the Saudi International, heads the list for the Professional Squash Association's (PSA) Male Player of the Year. The other two are Nick Matthew of England and Australian David Palmer.

For the PSA Young Male Player of the Year, Ramy Ashour of Egypt, Peter Barker of England and Frenchman Gregory Gaultier are in the fray.

The awards will be presented at a star-studded gathering list at the R.A.C. Club in Pall Mall, London, Friday.