KARACHI, Oct 21 The third Hyderabad Women's Open Squash championship which gets into action at Hyderabad Gymkhana courts on Thursday will throw a new champion as title holder Maria Toor has abstained after sending her entry.

She has won the first two editions of the event which was instituted in 2007.

The four-day event which concludes on Sunday, carries a total prize money of Rs70,000. Hyderabad District Squash Association is organising the event in collaboration with Sindh Squash Association.

Muqaddas Ashraf of Wapda has been seeded on top followed by Rushna Mehboob, Saima Shoukat and Zoya Khalid.

Meanwhile, all the top women's players who featured in the Karachi Women's Open Squash championship left for Hyderabad on Wednesday evening.