[Also: teams competition final seedings and pools released] also POOL DRAW

Ramy Ashour from Egypt accepts the World Junior Title trophy from Hall-of-Famer Jahangir Khan. Photo 2006 © e-pics.

World junior men's title number two felt more special than the first for
exceptional Egyptian Ramy Ashour. He was determined to savour every moment
of it in the North Island of New Zealand city of Palmerston North.

Two years previously his win over Pakistani Yasir Ali Butt in Islamabad
seemed to happen in a blur for him.

"It felt very fast last time (in Islamabad)," said a smiling Ashour after
he had beaten countryman Omar Mossad Abozeid 9-1 9-3 9-1 in a 42-minute
final at the Arena Manawatu Stadium to become the first player to win a
second junior men's world title.

"I'm really taking everything in this time. I'll enjoy every moment."
 The first thing he did when he won the title was his ring his mother,
Dalel, in Cairo, followed by a call to his fitness trainer, Difo Mohamed.

"Mum was really worried about the final. She wasn't talking when I rang to
say I'd won. She kept on crying," he said.

"I'm really, really happy to have made history by winning a second time."

Ashour said he became increasingly excited as he closed in on victory.

"I was trying to hold myself, and I was doing nothing on the court, playing dumb, dumb squash, not thinking at all," he said.

Ramy Ashour kept Abozeid hamstrung in a dominating final. Photo 2006 © e-pics.

Long before the end Abozeid knew he was beaten, and he made Ashour's job
easier by making numerous errors, conceding the match with a stroke.
  The scoreline this time suggested an easier final than in Islamabad in
2004 when Ashour prevailed 9-5 10-8 9-3 against Butt, who lost in the
quarterfinals this time. Ashour was a 16-year-old playing in front of a
fiercely patriotic Pakistani crowd, which might have been quite
intimidating.

However, the 18-year-old said he had trained himself not to be put off by
the crowd. He had no concerns about crowd behaviour in Palmerston with the
spectators just happy to be enthralled by the talents of the finalists.

"I'm a much better player than I was two years ago," he said. "I'm fitter,
and more mature too."

Making his win even more memorable was to receive the trophy, and winners'
medal from the great Jahangir Khan, who is now the World Squash Federation
president, and for Jahangir to be so complimentary toward him.

"Jahangir told me to keep it up, you're going to become the senior world
champion, you're improving every day," Ashour said.

The world No. 20 on the senior men's tour never allowed the 78th ranked
Abozeid to settle, and the constant pressure took its toll. He controlled
the first game in eight and a half minutes with his wonderful volleying,
particularly on the backhand, and remarkable speed to get to almost every
ball, which continued.

The super-confident Ashour made Abozeid look cumbersome and tense by
comparison, and prone to mistakes. Ashour has captivated spectators with his
awesome playing skills, and the warmth of his personality. He is a born
entertainer, which will make him even more of a drawcard when he becomes a
fulltime playing professional.

He and Abozeid will now devote their energies toward assisting the top
seeded Egyptians complete victory in the teams' event as well.

Ramy Ashour from Egypt was focused on his opponent throughout the finals. Photo 2006 © e-pics.

AMERICAN FAILS IN PLATE BID
Meanwhile American Mark Froot's bid to win the plate final came unstuck in
wildly varying circumstances. He complained of exhaustion, and "almost
blacking out" in the third game in losing 5-9 9-5 9-0 10-9 in 39 minutes to
Australian Zac Alexander.

Froot said the weight of seven matches in six days, and two of them over
five games approaching the final, took their toll. He was also troubled
again by the shin splints that flaired in his semifinal, and the cold
all-glass court.

However, he made a brave attempt to take the final to a fifth game in
winning seven "straight" points with a series of rousing winning shots to
recover from being down match ball two in the fourth to have game ball
himself at 9-8. On game ball though he called for a let when about to win
the point, and the momentum was lost.

Alexander received a second match ball at 9-9 aided by a mis-hit, and he
was grateful to win the fourth after Froot's stunning revival. Earlier Froot
let go of the second after leading 3-0, and the third was a bumbling affair
for him, which lasted barely two minutes.

The Americans were not looking forward to the teams' event, believing they
were harshly treated with the revised seedings continuing to leave them 14th
even with the withdrawal of the original 13th seeds Kuwait.

They meet the third seeded England, No.6 Germany, and Switzerland (11th)
in pool C. There is no provision for countries to appeal their seeding.