U.S. Open Squash » Player Profiles

Shabana is back to defend his title

Kristi Maroc — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:52:23 +0000

Squash champion Amr Shabana, arguably one of the greatest players of all time, is back in the United States and ready to defend his U.S. Open title this week in Philadelphia.

The Egyptian is a four-time PSA World Champion – the absolute pinnacle of squash achievement – and also reigned as world #1 for a 33 month unbroken stint between 2006 and 2009. That run secured his position among the five longest-standing world number ones of all time – squash legends Jahsher Khan and Jahangir Khan from Pakistan, England’s Peter Nicol and Australian Geoff Hunt.

“Being world number one was actually the easiest period I spent on the world tour since I joined in 1995. I cherish the achievement just as much as winning the World Open title, as I proved myself as the best player on tour for 3 years straight without dropping pace,” says Amr.

In the history of the game there are also only three other players who have ever been World Champion four times or more – Jansher Khan, Jahangir Khan and Geoff Hunt. To win the World Tour once is a huge feat – to win it more than once is an exceptional, and almost unheard of, accomplishment.

“Being a four times World Champion is a reality that I never dreamed of achieving, but I realize it is also a huge responsibility that I have to take care of and maintain whether inside or outside the squash court,” says Amr.

Amr has a host of other prestigious titles to his name – the Hong Kong Open, Malaysian Open, Tournament of Champions, Mexico Open, Canadian Classic, Saudi International Open, Qatar Classic, and Kuwait Open to name a few. When asked which tournament is his favorite, he laughs.

“My favorite tournaments are the ones I’ve won!”

Amr was the champion of the U.S. Open last year, and also won the title in 2009. In last year’s final, he beat world #2 Nick Matthew to win the title.

“The experience was really good for me last year. Philly is a great city and it felt great winning the event. At that time in my career I was struggling with injuries and lack of form, so to have it all happen in a big one like the U.S. Open was awesome,” he says.

“The atmosphere was great, the venue gets better each time, and the crowd really gets behind the players. Without a great atmosphere you don’t really have a tournament.”

Amr says he has been training hard, ready to defend his U.S. Open title once again this year.

“Winning in the USA is awesome. To have achieved so much here is a blessing that I cherish, and winning the U.S. Open as well as the Tournament of Champions here twice each are great memories for me.

“I like playing in the U.S. as I always feel the excitement of the people, whether off or on court. I get nothing but love from people around here, so it’s easy to perform my best.”

Amr bases himself between the USA and his home country of Egypt, and also often spends time in Canada.

“People might think it’s strange, but we squash players are used to traveling around the world many times over each year…so having a few places that I could call a first, second and third home comes very naturally to me,” he says.

Many professional players say that Amr is one of the nicest, most genuine and honest players on tour. When asked about his wholesome reputation, Amr laughs:

“I think they should watch what they say, as right now I will not hesitate to knock them out of a tournament!

“Actually I really appreciate the respect I get from my peers – in my opinion squash players are the greatest athletes on this earth, period.”

As one of the oldest players on tour, Amr still going strong despite some physical setbacks in recent years. In January this year, he won the World Series Final, beating world #1 James Willstrop in the semifinal, and world #3 Greg Gaultier in the final – proving he’s not yet anywhere near being a fading contender.

“The past three years for me have been the hardest – trying to work myself out of knee, wrist and back injuries. It has taught me everything I need to know about my body and my squash game,” he says.

“I feel if I put in a decent amount of physio and training, hopefully I can extend my career a few more matches.”

Amr has become a legend in the squash world, both through his exceptional playing record as well as his sincerity, friendliness and integrity. He is admired by many of his fellow players, particularly the younger players, as well as fans worldwide.

“As one of the older players on tour, I’d say to the young players coming up: train hard, never look back, trust at the end of the day only those closest to you, and remember that you’re not done until you yourself decide.”

The post Shabana is back to defend his title appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Consistency the key for U.S. Open champ Laura Massaro

Kristi Maroc — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:50:58 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

England’s Laura Massaro, winner of last year’s U.S. Open, is looking forward to the challenge of defending her title in a couple of weeks time at the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships.

The world #3 has risen solidly through the ranks to firmly plant herself as one of the top few women’s players in the world, and one of the most consistent performers.

“It kind of all happened quite quickly over the last year or so. I started last year at #10 in the world, and finished it at #3. That was a bit of a crazy year, everything just seemed to come together,” she says.

“For me the U.S. Open was a really great experience. It’s always really good fun when you play in America because the crowd gets really loud and lively – and for what can be a quiet and polite English crowd at times, it’s quite refreshing to go somewhere where the people really get behind you.

“I really enjoyed my whole week there and the layout of the tournament in Philadelphia. On my rest day I went to see the Rocky statue and the steps.

“From playing the first round through to the final I just felt really relaxed all week and then I obviously played some really good squash too. It was brilliant.

“It was the first ever World Series event that I’d won at that level, and to win any title is amazing, so I was really happy. For everyone in the world to be in it and to win it on the glass court was amazing.

“It’s a huge title – to be able to say you’ve won the U.S. Open!”

However, Laura says that mixed in with the successes of last year, which included the U.S. Open, the Cleveland Classic titles, as well as making the final of the Singapore Open, were also some inconsistent results.

“Straight after the U.S. Open last year I had in my eyes a poor result, not backing up such a big win in the Qatar tournament,” she says.

“So for me a major training focus is trying to overcome those little inconsistencies that I guess everyone has, to lessen them as much as I can, and try and win a few more titles.”

That focus saw Laura come close to another title last month at the Australian Open, where she made it to the final but lost in three hard-fought games against world #1 Nicol David. She again came up against Nicol in the semifinal of the Malaysian Open last week, this time missing out in four games.

“It is really difficult with Nicol around playing so well. My goal is to just try and better my squash and become the best squash player I can be, and hopefully that might be enough to get me to #2 or even #1 if I can do it for a long enough period of time.”

Laura knows the key is consistency, and as the only player to beat Nicol on more than one occasion last year, she definitely has what it takes. With the added motivation of defending her U.S. Open title, she is certain to bring a solid performance to the upcoming U.S. Open.

“I’m there to try and do my best, and defend my title,” she says.

Laura turned professional when she was 19 years old, and is now at 28.

“I played on all the school teams growing up – like netball, and cross country running, and was quite a good swimmer as well.

“I knew by the time I was 18 or 19 that I was fairly good at squash. I was #1 or #2 in Europe at that stage, and had made the quarterfinal of the World Junior Championships, so I knew I was in the top 8 in the world for my age.”

“I was going to go to University, and got accepted at a university, but then I decided to defer the place for a year to give the pro squash tour a bit of a go and see how well that first year went.

“I got my ranking up quite high for that level within that first year, I think came in at the bottom of the ranking at like 50 or so.

“So I thought, that went pretty well, and decided to give it another year…and I’ve never really have looked back since then!

“It is really a fantastic lifestyle – to be able to travel the world and do something that you love.

And love it she must. Laura has trained very hard to earn her spot at the top.

“I think over the years my progress has been really really steady. I never seem to look back and think that it was a ridiculous improvement phase. It’s just been a lot of hard work for a solid amount of time.

“I’ve really tried to chip away at my weaknesses and try to work on the areas that I know that I need to – which can be hard to do, because you quite often just want to work on your strengths.

“One of the things I love about playing this sport is that it’s not just the same thing every day.

“I do a fair bit of weights training and I think that’s really important, it really keeps you strong and also can help to keep the injuries away. And a lot of match practice.

“I work quite hard on my technique, trying to keep on top of it. I think even though you think you’ve nailed something, if you don’t keep on top of it you can relapse into old habits.

“And one of the biggest things that I think is sometimes overlooked in the game is practicing on your own.

“If you really want to improve your game you have to spend that time on court getting to know the court and the ball and the angles and just being comfortable on there. I think if you can do that it will go a long way to improving.”

Laura has certainly done the hard work, and is ready to defend her title at this year’s U.S. Open.

“I’m a big believer that your training has to be harder than your actual squash when you’re playing in a tournament because then you can always push when you need to.

“It’s obviously going to be a huge task to try and defend my title, and everyone is playing really well. It’s going to be exciting.”

The post Consistency the key for U.S. Open champ Laura Massaro appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Kasey ready to show her spark again at this year’s U.S. Open

Kristi Maroc — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:49:35 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

One of the biggest shake ups of the 2011 Delaware Investments U.S. Open was during the quarterfinals of the women’s event when sixth seed Kasey Brown, ranked #6 in the world at the time, beat the robust and long-standing world #1 Nicol David.

In what was one of the greatest wins in her career, Kasey outclassed the rarely beatable Nicol in a smooth four game match that lasted just under an hour, and then went on to beat third seed Madeline Perry to make it through to the U.S. Open final.

The super-fit 27 year old Aussie, who lives and trains in the United States, says that the experience was thrilling and has been one of the biggest highlights in her career so far.

“The 2011 U.S. Open was probably the best WSA tournament I’ve ever played to date,” she says.

“I don’t think anyone really expected me to win that match [against Nicol]. I had to play really well to beat her…and I think things just came together.”

“It was a huge match for me, and it was just a fantastic tournament overall.”

Kasey says her preparation and support in the lead up to the tournament was instrumental in her success at the event.

“It was really good. I was training with my coach Rod Martin here in the States and he was able to come to the event as well which really helped me get through to that final.”

“The finals atmosphere at the U.S. Open is fantastic, and I really just took it all in and took it in my stride. Unfortunately I lost the final against Laura Massaro, but it was a fantastic tournament overall.”

Kasey has been playing on the professional women’s tour for eight years now, since she was 19 years old, and has solidly climbed through the rankings to reach a career high of world #5 at the end of last year.

Kasey’s introduction to squash happened at a young age through her mum’s work at a local squash center as she was growing up in the Australian country town of Taree.

“I used to go there with her on the weekends and after school and just hit balls by myself for hours and hours and play games with myself while she was working. It all really started from there.”

At 13 years old Kasey won the highly competitive Australian Junior Open and realized that becoming a professional squash player was a realistic goal for her future.

“At the time I won I thought ‘yeah I want to become world number one!’ and I think that has always been in my head. It still is!” she smiles.

“It’s been a long term goal and hopefully I can get there one day.”

Boasting an athletic physique that screams fitness and strength, and the proven ability to beat the unshakable Nicol David, there’s no doubt that Kasey is in optimum shape and at the pinnacle of age and experience right now to do whatever she sets her mind to in her career.

Currently at world #8, she’s got a wealth of knowledge and experience behind her to achieve her ultimate dream. She has competed solidly in a throng of eminent world tournaments and boasts an impressive list of career achievements, including winning the esteemed Greenwich Open last year.

Kasey has represented Australia at two Commonwealth Games, in 2006 and 2010. In 2010 she was the only player to take home three medals in the mixed doubles, women’s doubles and singles. Added to that was the prize of a career highlight win in the singles during a marathon match that saw Kasey fight back from two games down to beat England’s Madeline Perry, proving a life lesson to herself about her capability and endurance. She also won a bronze medal with women’s doubles partner Donna Urquhart, and a gold medal alongside mixed doubles partner Cameron Pilley.

“To get a Commonwealth Games gold medal is such a huge honor and to win it with Cameron was just a fantastic experience. To get all three was just a dream come true,” she says.

“It’s just a dream come true really to play for your country. Especially with Australia having such a strong history in the sport.”

“Another highlight for me was winning the World Team Championships in 2010. The Australian team beat England, and to win that title and win for Australia was a huge thing for me.”

“Having Michelle Martin as our coach and part of the team was great. She was my idol growing up so to have her there was just fantastic.”

Growing the profile of women’s squash is important to Kasey. She’d like to see it more closely aligned with the men’s tour in terms of popularity as well as prize money.

“With the U.S. Open, the gap [in prize money] is closing, which is fantastic for an event like that, and also great for women’s squash,” says Kasey.

“In terms of the appeal of women’s squash, I think the spectators relate a little bit more to the women’s game and I think we need to use that to promote the WSA.”

Women’s Squash Week is happening in the US next week (September 8-15), and Kasey says the goal of getting more women involved in squash is an important one.

“It’s such a great sport for women to play. Not only does it keep you incredibly fit, but it’s a really social and fun way to mingle with other people.”

Along with her exceptional squash, Kasey has also become well known in the squash world for the eye-catching and glamorous dresses she wears on court, with their fun design making them a standout favorite in on-court fashion.

During her U.S. Open match against Nicol, Kasey was wearing one of the favorite designs – a black racer-back dress with lavish metallic embellishments.

“The reaction that I got from that dress has been just fantastic,” she says.

“A friend of mine and I, we really wanted to create a statement for squash through a bit of fashion, so we found a design and put some ideas together, and my friend’s mother made the dress up.

“We actually made a whole set in different colors, we have a pink and a blue one as well,” she adds.

The outfits have been popular amongst many squash fans.

“I’ve been coaching here at camp with Karen Kronemeyer, and these kids from Philadelphia have said ‘oh, you’re the girl with the dress!’, remembering it from when they were watching last year’s U.S. Open! So I’ve had a really good reaction from it,” she says.

“I think it’s really important, for the girls especially, to show their personality through what they wear on court. I think it’s a big part of the game, and hopefully others will follow suit.”

Rather than relaxing over the summer break, Kasey chose to spend her time training with her coach Rodney Martin, coaching at school camps, and mentoring at New York’s urban youth program CitySquash.

“I think it’s really important to give back, and CitySquash is a fantastic charity and so a great way to do so,” she says.

“I try to volunteer as much as I can for that program when I’m around. I think they’re all just an amazing bunch of kids, and they really open up to you after a while and you see their personalities come out. It’s a really beneficial program.”

Kasey has just returned from Australia where she competed in the Australian Open at the beginning of August. Next up she’ll head over to the Malaysian Open, before returning to her home base in New York to prepare for another attempt to win the crown in what she lists as one of her favorite tournaments, the U.S. Open.

“It was such a fantastic event last year. Drexel University had the glass court set up, on one day the SquashSmarts youth program from Philadelphia came out and watched which was fantastic,” she says.

“I thought that U.S. SQUASH did a great job with the event and I hope that things just become bigger and better each year.”

The post Kasey ready to show her spark again at this year’s U.S. Open appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

James’ view from the top of the world

Kristi Maroc — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:47:17 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

As a child, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up it’s likely James Willstrop replied ‘a top international professional squash player’ while other children were saying astronauts, racecar drivers, ballerinas or Hollywood actors. Like many other responses, his answer may have seemed like an innocent and possibly farfetched dream to many…but to James and those close to him it was already something realistic to aspire towards.

“I remember really being very young, there was no question that I really wanted to play the game to a top level,” says 29-year old James.

“I had a lot of encouragement and had an environment where I was able to be very involved and exposed to the game. I was at squash clubs, and found I loved it. I got addicted very early on and never really looked back.”

James’ family is all heavily involved in squash. His father Malcolm Willstrop was, and still is his coach, along with his brother David who was also previously a professional player and is now part of England’s national coaching team.

“It’s been a great life in squash for me. I’ve been very very privileged to have that chance to be exposed as a young child to that environment. As it happened I enjoyed it, I may not have taken to it as I did, but my family were well involved and I followed them.”

Now at the pinnacle of squash achievement, with a world #1 professional ranking, all of James’ dreams have come true.

“I was always really exposed to professional squash. I came to watch the British Open when I was young, and was obsessed with it – I still am really.”

The difference now is that he is actually competing in the British Open, and other major World Series professional tournaments such as the El Gouna Open, Hong Kong Open, and the U.S. Open.

James has confirmed he will return to the United States in October to contest for the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open title. In last year’s U.S. Open he lost in the semifinals to compatriot and known rival Nick Matthew, a result which he will no doubt be looking to amend this time.

He is also likely keen to retaliate from his most recent major tournament experience – at the 2012 British Open – where he was knocked out in the semifinals in front of a home crowd during a nail-biting hour-long match against Egyptian Ramy Ashour.

After the summer off to regroup and prepare for the first major tournament of the season, plus a taste for revenge on his lips, James is likely to turn up enthusiastic and raring to win the U.S. Open and substantiate his world #1 ranking.

“Motivation comes by easily because I love winning, I love the thrill of winning and competing to the very best of my ability, or giving the very best account of myself even if I don’t win. I just love striving for that,” he says.

According to James, the only road to success is hard work…there are no secret tips.

“As boring as it sounds, there aren’t really any shortcuts. Hard work is the key. And if you want to get better at things, practice is my biggest tip, it really is…hard work and training.

“There’s a lot of off-court training – gym work, core work, yoga, psychology – it’s all in there. The secret is literally hard work. Like anything, what you put in you’ll get out,” he says.

“My main target now is to just try to stay healthy and play the game and enjoy the experiences that might be left. That’s another thing that you learn when you get older, I think you get a lot of perspective and you understand that it doesn’t last forever.

“I’m really lucky to have played at some of the great venues around the world and win some brilliant tournaments, and I just want to try and enjoy that as well.”

The starring role that squash has played in James’ life means that now he is so successfully established in his career, he is enthusiastic about instilling his love of the game to junior players.

“I remember like it was yesterday when I was watching people play in these big venues and just being absolutely awestruck by them. They were my heroes, the players, at that time. So I suppose now when I’m stood in that position as the world number one, I try and steady myself and enjoy it.

“This time isn’t around forever, where you’re an elite athlete and at the top of your game, so I try to just think ‘let’s enjoy it, let’s try to put back into the game and encourage the kids and the fans to enjoy the sport’.

The post James’ view from the top of the world appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Nicol David out to avenge last year’s upset and win first U.S. Open

Kristi Maroc — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:36:17 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

A surprise upset in the quarterfinals of last year’s U.S. Open has Malaysia’s Nicol David looking toward the 2012 championship with fresh and determined drive.

Losing isn’t something she takes lightly, and it was a rare occasion for Nicol – one of very few losses amid an incredibly lengthy list of wins in recent years.

“Everyone knows that I hate losing. I just want to keep on winning all the time!” Nicol chuckles.

World #1 for the past six years, Nicol has been virtually unbeatable in professional women’s squash throughout that time, but was unexpectedly knocked out of the U.S. Open last year by talented Aussie Kasey Brown, who was seeded sixth in the tournament.

There are very few professional titles that Nicol hasn’t won. However despite her astounding career history of over 50 titles, Nicol hasn’t yet won the U.S. Open –something she is looking to change in October.

It seems last year’s loss has only acted as a motivator for her and this year she is hoping to challenge for the title and add it to her extensive list of career achievements.

“The U.S. Open again this year will be exciting, being there knowing that it’s not mine to defend, it’s mine for the taking,” she says.

“It’s something to look forward to, and it will be good to be back in Philadelphia again.

“The challenge is always there, all the time, and no doubt you have players that are there gunning for you. But it’s a tournament where I’m not defending it – I just want to go for it!” she smiles.

Nicol’s determination, drive and achievements have earned her a household name status in the squash world. She is arguably the most well known female player of modern day squash, and one of the most prominent in the history of the game.

Nicol was named WISPA Player of the Year for six consecutive years from 2005 to 2010. At the end of last year she was inducted to the World Squash Federation’s Hall of Fame, a prestige usually reserved until late in the career of long standing professional athletes, however due to her extraordinary accomplishments she was given the honor whilst still at the peak of her career and actively competing.

At the time she was quick to dispel any rumors that the honor might mean she is nearing retirement.

“Even though I have been playing the professional circuit for over ten years, this honor doesn’t mean I plan to finish yet!” she warned.

Nicol holds a celebrity status in Malaysia with an intensity that surpasses any squash athlete of current time. She has earned the devotion and admiration of adoring fans across the country due to her achievements in squash on the international stage, and has brought attention to the game in Malaysia at a level that is rare in squash in most other parts of the world.

She has won the Malaysian Sportswoman of the Year a remarkable eight times, and has also been ranked as one of the top most influential Malaysian women of all time. She was the first Asian woman to achieve world number one status in squash.

Nicole was honored with a Darjah Bakti (Order of Merit) award in recognition of her immense contribution to the nation, and the former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi once told her that she was the pride of the nation and “you are now more famous than me”.

So far this year, Nicol has won all of the championships she has competed for, including the World Open, British Open, Kuala Lumpar Open and the Cleveland Classic, showing peak form in the lead up to the U.S. Open.

Next stop will be the Australian Open in August, before she heads to the States to challenge for the U.S. Open title in October.

“The 2011 U.S. Open was a tournament where I learnt a lot. I lost in the quarterfinals and from then on I’ve really picked things up and found ways to really stay on top of things and going to other tournaments with a clearer mind and being ready for anything.”

When asked for the secret to her success throughout her career, Nicol says her parents have made a significant contribution.

“I have a good family upbringing and my parents have played a huge part in my squash success. They have supported me all through my squash career in juniors and also in school, and have never put any pressure on me to perform. They’ve just always been there by my side all the way.

“Also I have a very good support team behind me, and good sponsors, and all this has played a huge role.”

Recognizing her talent and marketability, Nicol is sponsored by Prince, Asics, Oakley, Gatorade, Hotel Equatorial and CIMB Investment Bank Berhad.

Nicol’s training is six days a week, twice a day, and a total amount of 2-4 hours a day depending on whether it is off season or pre season.

“If it’s pre season I’ll reduce the workload and pay more attention to squash, but it’s a combination of squash and physical – physical meaning fitness, gym, agility and movement and everything you can think of basically.”

Aside from her incredible and intensive squash career, Nicol has managed to achieve significant academic success, and is also a United Nations Development Programme National Goodwill Ambassador.

On her website, Nicol lists some of the qualities that she feels are most important in life as power, skill, creativity, mental toughness, drive and passion.

In her own words, “You have to want something so badly that it pushes you to the limits”.

With Nicol’s eye on the prize, the battle for the women’s 2012 U.S. Open crown is going to be an exciting one.

The post Nicol David out to avenge last year’s upset and win first U.S. Open appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Expect the unexpected as Ramy Ashour confirms U.S. Open entry!

Kristi Maroc — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:58:24 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

Despite his notoriety in the squash community and stable position within the world’s top few men’s players for over five years now, we never know what to expect from the artistic and intriguing Ramy Ashour.

One thing we can expect however is that he will be playing in the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships.

24 year old Ramy, long hailed as one of the most innovative and fascinating players around, has confirmed that he will head to Philadelphia in October for the coveted World Series event.

Known as an unpredictable player, the illusive ‘artist’, as he’s often nicknamed, lives up to the title in all arenas. His creative talent stretches from his astonishing backhand-volley-drop-nick, to his love of cultures, travel and singing.

Ramy enjoys being center stage both on the court and off, as recently demonstrated when he serenaded his childhood best friend at his wedding, with a song Ramy wrote especially for the occasion.

“I love this guy, he’s one of my best friends and we’ve been friends since we were like 10 years old. I wanted to do something for him, so I made him a song. I wrote the lyrics and did the composing and everything…and I thought it didn’t come up too badly,” he laughs.

Ramy also prepares for his squash matches by singing and listening to music.

“I love squash, and music for me is always parallel to squash. I’d never leave this and I’d never leave that.

In fact, don’t rule out a singing career in Ramy’s future. He says that during the current off season he might even record some of his singing.

“I’m really into music and I know some singers back home and I go with them a lot to studios. I might do something with them this summer.

“I’ll never be a professional singer I’m sure, but I just want to do something because I love it so much.”

So are we about to see a ‘Ramy’s greatest hits’ then…?

“No, swapping a career or trying to swap your concentration or turn it from your main thing to other things is very hard, so I would never do that.

“When I finish squash though, I might think about doing something else with singing. But for now I’ll just do it [as a hobby] so I can fulfill the desire that I have for singing.”

There’s certainly more to Ramy than meets the eye, not only in his lesser known singing aspirations and talent.

Ramy has an enthusiastic and passionate manner, and when asked what provokes, motivates or inspires him, he quickly raises to the topic of travel and other cultures, as well as his own home country of Egypt which he clearly feels a lot of pride for.

“I’m always observing new things in the characters and the lifestyles in different countries – more than just going out and seeing scenery and nature. To be honest, I’m not really interested in that, I’m more interested in the people and the characters and the different lifestyles.

“When I go to other countries and other places, I’m fascinated and interested in the way they live…their systems and regiments too.

“That’s what every Egyptian always speaks about, because our system is very flexible back home, to the extent that it can be changeable at any point in the day. There is a lot of unexpected in our lives, a lot more than the unexpected probably in America, or England or Europe.

“There’s always motivations back home, there’s always things that you keep on thinking.

“The system, the way we live…our lives always have ups and downs, ups and downs, ups and downs, but living in Egypt is so much fun because we’re always going out and the people have so much humor.

“I love being in America so much because it’s very similar to Egypt in the lifestyle and in the going out style. It’s always lively and there are a lot of people everywhere. When you go to New York, and down to Manhattan, there are people going out everywhere and everyone has something to do.

“In Egypt it’s like this, there’s a lot of people too so everyone is caught up in their own thoughts and their own things.”

On the squash court as well, Ramy’s emotion, deep thinking and fieriness is often quite apparent – it’s often easy to see his feelings, whether good or bad, during his matches.

“It all shows on my face, whether I’m in the mood or in the zone. It doesn’t take an intellectual person to analyze me, and analyze my attitude. If you just watch me a couple of matches and see me in my pinnacle, in my top game or top performance, and then see me in my down low form, you’ll very quickly realize the difference.

“Probably, as you say, this is a good thing and a bad thing, because other players would see this on my face pretty quickly, and playing squash, especially when it’s a tough game, you should be rigid and you should be firm all the time – you shouldn’t show emotion on your face that much.

“But sometimes I just can’t control it and I’ve tried not to show so much, but then I just felt like I’m not being natural and I’m not being myself.

“That’s another thing I believe in, that whatever you’re doing you have to always be natural and be yourself so you can produce your best outcome or your best skill level.

“I really love this game and I feel a lot of passion towards it. I treat this game, I treat the racquet and the court and everything about this game as though it’s my best friend, or my closest friend…or as if it’s my girlfriend.

“It’s my ultimate pleasure when someone tells me that their heart was pounding when I was playing. I believe it’s so important for fans to see the characters and personalities of the players, more than just watching the game and just seeing how hard or how nice or how fun the game is. I mean, people want to know more about the players so that they get more interested in the whole thing.”

What does Ramy think has been the secret to his success?

“I started playing this game when I was six years old, and I know every single corner and every single aspect of the court.

“I always believe that the more you stay on court by yourself – or even with a coach, but more by yourself – whether you have an iPod in your ears or not, the more that you become familiar with it and the more you have a chemistry and a connection with every angle in the court and every dimension of the court.

“And so that’s basically what I’ve been doing over the last seventeen or eighteen years now.”

It’s little wonder that Ramy is in the position he’s in now then. As one of the most awe-inspiring players of current time, and only in his early twenties, he’s likely to be around for a long while yet.

“I just try to do what I should do and what I feel joy about.

“I believe as long as you’re doing what you love and as long as you’re doing what you enjoy, and what you believe in, this energy will be conveyed to the people, and I hope its working.”

_________________________________________

Ramy on trick shots, tattoos, superpowers and sushi

Watch this recent interview where he reveals his thoughts on a variety of on and off court topics, from trick shots to tattoos, superpowers to sushi…

The post Expect the unexpected as Ramy Ashour confirms U.S. Open entry! appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Nour El Sherbini… school girl, squash star and world record breaker

Kristi Maroc — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:23:08 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

It’s not often that any squash player walks off the court after a three-love loss bursting with happiness and excitement, but that was the case recently for Egyptian youngster Nour El Sherbini.

And why wouldn’t it be? At just 16 years old, Nour just became the world’s youngest ever player to compete in the final of the esteemed British Open, one of the world’s oldest and well-known squash tournaments.

She is also the first Egyptian female ever to make the final of the event.

Her joy was evident right after her match at London’s O2 Arena in May.

“It’s unbelievable for me to reach the finals, and even though I lost and came second, it has been an amazing week for me,” Nour says.

“I played a lot of players and I had a lot of experience here. So I’m very happy,” she grins.

Nour is riding on a high at the moment. Her recent success at the British Open has just earned her an incredible eight-place leap in the women’s international squash rankings. In the June rankings she jumped to number seven in the world, which is her first time in the world’s top ten…a place she is likely to become very familiar with.

On top of it all, Nour’s new position has broken another world record – she is the youngest ever player to reach the top ten rankings.

These recent landmark feats aren’t the first instances of Nour making squash history. In 2009 she became the youngest world champion in squash ever when she won the World Junior Squash Championships in the under 19 division. She was just 13.

There is no doubt that this energetic teenager has an amazing career ahead of her. Having started playing at the age of 6 (which just ten years ago!), Nour has quickly risen through the ranks to become the world’s top junior female player.

With a risky and unpredictable attacking style, very much the type that Egyptian squash has become famous for, Nour is a spectacle on the court.

“Anything that gets in my mind I play it. I don’t think a lot in the game. Every point I play, I have my shots and I just play them,” she says.

Nour is managed by her brother Omar el Sherbini, who she says inspired her and taught her to play in the first place. Her ambition is to be world number one, a goal that doesn’t seem too far-fetched, given her incredible successes already at such a young age.

“Everywhere I go I learn something new. I get something that teaches me in squash or in my life, which has helped me a lot.

“I’d like to be someone like Nicol David. I hope I can,” she says.

“Nicol is so good. She’s so tough on the court and it’s very difficult to play her.”

During the British Open, Nour managed to beat three higher seeded players to reach the final against Nicol David – including fellow Egyptian and good friend Raneem el Weleily, who is currently ranked world #4.

“Me and Raneem are friends, we are staying in the same room here [at the British Open], we are spending a lot of time together – so it is very difficult to play each other.

“Raneem is very talented, she has a lot of skills, so in our game I think I was just enjoying it. I was playing good drops and playing my game.

“It wasn’t her day, she was playing a lot of errors, and it was my day, so I’m happy,” says Nour.

As well as regularly traveling on the professional squash circuit, Nour trains five or six days a week for three hours a day, two hours of squash and one hour of fitness…all while still studying at high school.

“It is difficult for me – I train a lot and I travel a lot, so for school I have to study very hard to pass my exams.”

Nour says that she will definitely be playing the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open as long as she doesn’t have any conflicting school exams.

It’ll be her first time ever playing in the U.S. Open. But with her track record, the world’s top female players will know not to assume anything.

Nour’s solid run of record breaking squash means it is anyone’s guess as to what the teenager will bring to the table in October.

The post Nour El Sherbini… school girl, squash star and world record breaker appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Nick Matthew looking to reclaim top spot

Kristi Maroc — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:42:33 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

At almost 32 years old, England’s Nick Matthew has achieved virtually every accolade there is in professional squash, including the U.S. Open title in 2007 and finalist in 2011, plus an unfaltering world number one ranking for the entire year in 2011.

In a recent interview following his impressive win of the British Open, the current world number two confirmed he will again play the Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships in October this year.

Nick also says he has hopes to reclaim the world number one position once more in his career.

“That would probably be my main goal now – just to have one more turn at the top,” says Nick, settling back into his seat for the interview just minutes after walking off the court from beating Egyptian Ramy Ashour in the British Open final.

“Obviously James Willstrop – my big rival – is there right now, but before I retire I’d love to get it back one more time.”

Winning the esteemed British Open title for a third time would certainly have contributed to that mission, and Nick’s excitement about the triumph is clear.

He is the first Englishman to win the British Open three times, one more remarkable addition to Nick’s already impressively long list of career highlights - not to mention attaining it by defeating the exceptionally skilled Ramy, another of Nick’s long-term rivals, for the first time in five successive matches.

“When I win three nil in the first round of a tournament I’m surprised, never mind against somebody like Ramy in the final,” says Nick.

“I’m over the moon, absolutely delighted. I don’t have many more of these finals in me, I’m getting on a bit now, so I’ll enjoy it while I can.”

After Ramy’s ruthless performance against James Willstrop in the semi-final the day before, many expectations were that the 24-year old Egyptian would win the British Open. However on finals day Nick dispelled any illusions of who deserved to take home the trophy, overthrowing Ramy in straight sets in just 33 minutes.

“I’m nearly 32…but I’m a young 32 some days!” Nick chuckles.

“I played great today, one of my best performances ever, so on such an occasion I can’t wish for anything more really.

“I don’t feel like I’m ready to stop yet though. Hopefully after a good summer, starting back probably with the U.S. Open, I can have a good start to the season and get some more titles under my belt.”

With his unwaveringly strong game style and consistently solid performances, Nick’s chances at the final of the 2012 U.S. Open are evident.

“I’m at a point now where I’m trying to peak for major events – the big ones in the calendar like the British Open, World Open, U.S. Open, Tournament of Champions – ones that I’m passionate about winning,” he says.

“It’s sometimes hard to play every single week, but to be the number one in the world you have to be the best player over 12 or 13 tournaments over the year, and that’s something I’ve got to get better at if I want to win get that number one spot back.”

As a PSA and WSA World Series event, and with total prize money of $185,000, the U.S. Open in October will bring all of the world’s top players to Philadelphia to compete for the prestigious title.

“I love playing in the US – some of the best atmospheres are at tournaments we play in the States,” says Nick.

“It’s a relatively new sport there so the crowds are always really passionate and really loud, and they always seem to be packed out every day. They love the dynamic and athletic nature of the game and they really get behind us.”

Nick started playing at the age of eight, and says he realized the potential to be a professional player when he was about 15 or 16.

“As a kid, I played every sport under the moon and then fell in love with squash. It suited my personality, with the one-on-one combat. I loved the dynamic nature too, where you had to think a lot and think for yourself. It made you independent at a young age.

“I realized from coming to the British Open as a kid that you could make a living out of it if you were good enough, and willing to work hard enough – and so I’ve been working hard ever since.

“In the United States, the number of kids you see attending the big tournaments like the U.S. Open and the Tournament of Champions is great. And they’re all so keen to play!

When asked what he would say to those young players who have dreams of turning professional like him, Nick says:

“Get to the big tournaments! See that atmosphere and get inspired to play in one of these amazing venues – it is very different from playing behind closed doors.

“The sport is growing on television, so you can really do well out of it. This is the professional game and where you want to be.

“I’ve made a few sacrifices along the way, but I’ve enjoyed every minute and it’s beyond my wildest dreams what I’ve done up until this point.”

“I think there’s an opportunity there to be that American superstar – not taking anything away from the current players – but to be that first real top ten world champion from the US,” says Nick.

“When that happens, I think squash is really going to take off in the States.”

To see Nick Matthew live at the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open, you can buy tickets at http://www.usopensquash.com/tickets/. Tickets are on sale now!

The post Nick Matthew looking to reclaim top spot appeared first on U.S. Open Squash .

Dazzling Donna Urquhart confirms U.S. Open entry

Kristi Maroc — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:56:36 +0000

Article by Kristi Maroc

Donna Urquhart has confirmed that she will be playing in the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open in October.

The 25-year old Aussie beach babe, who spends her time surfing when she’s not on the squash court, grew up among a family of squash players in the small coastal town of Yamba, Australia.

Many who didn’t already know Donna for her exceptional squash ability – she’s currently world ranked #17 – have heard of her from the attention she brought to squash through a racy photo shoot for an Aussie men’s magazine in 2010.

“I kind of think I’m more known for that photo shoot now than my squash!” she laughs.

“It’s a shame, but I’m hoping that maybe I can change that and people start to recognize my squash more.”

Donna is currently in New York preparing for the British Open next week, after competing in the Texas Open last month.

“It would have been a long way to fly home in between, and I knew that I could find plenty of good people to train with here in the US. I’ve had some really good hard match practice,” she says.

“It’s a great place to be, there’s plenty of stuff to do, and I have some great friends here…that’s a few reasons that I chose to stay and train for a couple of weeks.”

Donna’s passion for squash and desire to promote the game she loves led her to participate in the Alpha magazine shoot. The goal of the article was to increase the awareness of squash, and help change the status of squash from an old men’s sport to a sport for everyone.

“That’s what the article was written about, that squash isn’t just for middle aged sweaty old men…there are young professional players out there too,” says Donna.

“I am glad I did it because the purpose was to get some exposure for squash. It did create a buzz and got people talking about squash again and that was really good.

“I’d never done anything like that before, so I was a bit nervous about how it would turn out and how it would go…but the response to it was pretty good, and I think that most people that know me realize that it was just a bit of fun and I don’t take myself too seriously like that.”

Donna is a left-handed player, and grew up among a passionate squash family. Her cousin is Australian #1 Cameron Pilley, who is also widely known for holding the world record for fastest squash ball ever hit, at 175mph – a record he made during last year’s U.S. Open.

“Cameron’s family owned the squash center in Yamba, so I was able to go and play there whenever I liked, which is a pretty big thing as a kid growing up,” says Donna.

“When I was a kid I idolized people like Sarah Fitzgerald and Michelle Martin, and I thought ‘god I’d love to do that one day’“.

At 18, after finishing school, Donna was offered a squash scholarship by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australia’s premier sports training institute.

“As a teenager I dreamt of being in the AIS and being able to train full time and become a professional player in the senior ranks.”

Donna says nowadays when travelling around the world on the professional circuit, the major difference she notices in the squash scene is the level of junior participation.

“Australia has such a rich history of good players, and when I was a kid I was idolizing people who were world number one at the time…Australians. The history goes back such a long way for Australia.

“Unfortunately now in the juniors there, there are a lot less than when I was coming through as a junior. So in comparison to somewhere like Egypt, it’s a big difference.

“The amount of kids that are playing in Egypt and the enthusiasm they have for the game is so inspiring. It’s great to see such a love for the sport.

“The kids all idolize Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana. They sit there waiting for a free court and twenty of them run on at any chance they get. It’s incredible, and I wish it was like that everywhere’” she says.

“The United States is like Egypt too, with the amount of kids that play. I find it a whole new world though, where it’s all directed at getting into college. The quality of squash here is out of sight compared to when I was a kid. US squash in the juniors is improving all the time because they’re pushing each other and there’s so much competition.”

“I think it’s hard in Australia because there seem to be so many other sports that kids want to take up, and so maybe we need to give them a reason to find squash attractive again.

“Hopefully someone like me can help to change that and get kids back into it – me and the other professional Australian players – help inspire some kids!” she says.

“Something that is different about Australian squash is the people we’ve had in the past. We now have really good quality coaches, all the past players that have been there, people like Sarah Fitzgerald…they have a lot to share.”

When asked what she would say to juniors dreaming of becoming professional players one day, Donna says that they have to make sure they enjoy themselves too.

“Train hard and enjoy it, but you’ve got to be willing to put in the hard work to get anywhere with it. It’s not an easy thing and the older you get the more your realize that.

“Make sure you get out there as often as you can and have fun and play with your friends!”

Click on images below to view slideshow

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