Saudi businessman Ziad Al Turki ,right, has been the PSA Chairman since 2008

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has confirmed that the Saudi PSA Women’s Squash Masters, which was set to take place in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia between November 26 and December 1, has been moved to January due to "logistical challenges".

The tournament is now scheduled to be held from January 7 to 12.

Commenting on the postponement of the tournament, PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough said: "We are confident that the postponement of the tournament until January 2018 will enable us to put on a world-class event featuring the world’s top players.

World number three Camille Serme will be the number one seed when the tournament gets underway in January © Getty Images
World number three Camille Serme will be the number one seed when the tournament gets underway in January © Getty Images

"The logistics of running any major event is a challenge, but we are pleased to have secured the dates for January and believe that the Saudi Masters will get the new year off to an exciting start.

"We would like to thank Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan [President of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports] and the Saudi Squash Federation in helping to facilitate this postponement and we look forward to bringing professional squash to the country for the first time since 2010 in January."

The Saudi Women’s Masters will see players compete for a prize fund of $165,000 (£125,000/€140,000) and points on the PSA World Series Standings. 

Additionally, this will be the first professional squash tournament to take place in the Gulf state.