England heroes Nick Matthew, James Willstrop and Peter Barker, who led England to a successful defence of the Men's World Team Championship title last week in India - where they beat Australia in the final - will head a star-studded list of squash players, past and present, who will attend the third annual World Squash Awards at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, London, on Friday (21 December).

Hosted by Eventis Sports Marketing, the company formed by four-times Commonwealth Games gold medallist Peter Nicol and fellow directors Tim Garner and Angus Kirkland, the World Squash Awards come at the end of one of the most action-packed years in the history of the sport. 

The world's top women's battled for the Madrid World Open title in October, while the men fought out the individual World Open crown in Bermuda in November, followed by this month's Men's World Team Championship action in Chennai.  Then 72 hours before enjoying RAC Club hospitality on Friday, James Willstrop and Nick Matthew were battling for Mamut English Open honours in the final in Sheffield!

Australian interest at the Awards event will be led by Anthony Ricketts, the former world No4 who was forced to announce his retirement from the sport this month.  Also in attendance will be New Zealand's Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Shelley Kitchen; former world champion Vanessa Atkinson, from the Netherlands; and England's Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters, members of the 2006 Women's World Team Championship-winning squad.

Past players at the 2007 Awards will include England's former world No2 Peter Marshall; England captain and former World Doubles champion Chris Walker; and Yorkshireman Simon Parke, the former US Open champion.

The full list of nominees is:

PSA Male Player of the Year:
Ramy Ashour (EGY), Gregory Gaultier (FRA), Amr Shabana (EGY)

PSA Young Male Player of the Year:
Ramy Ashour (EGY), Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY), Omar Mosaad (EGY)

WISPA Female Player of the Year:
Nicol David (MAS), Natalie Grinham (AUS), Rachael Grinham (AUS), Shelley Kitchen (NZL)

WISPA Young Female Player of the Year:
Annie Au (HKG), Heba El Torky (EGY), Low Wee Wern (MAS), Maria Toor Pakay (PAK), Camille Serme (FRA)

WISPA Most Improved Female Player of the Year:
Emma Beddoes (ENG), Line Hansen (DEN), Shelley Kitchen (NZL), Tenille Swartz (RSA), Samantha Teran (MEX)

There will also be two further awards: a Lifetime Achievement award, and a Services to Squash award.

A new initiative at the 2007 World Squash Awards will be a fundraising auction, organised on behalf of the World Squash Federation, to support Squash's Olympic ambitions.