Deciding at the last moment, world #1 Amr Shabana is the final entrant committing to the US Open which begins in Boston on Nov 12th, running through the 16th.

Amr Shabana brings his confidence and flair to Boston and the US Open on Nov 12th (photo © 2006, Debra Tessier)

Shabana is simply the most exciting player on the tour so far in 2006, attributable to his ability to charge up his game when needed into dead winners and a compelling attacking style. Shabana brings with him a strong contingent of Egyptians, most importantly the precocious Ramy Ashour, who charged into the finals of last week's Hong Kong open at the expense of several of the tour's leading lights. Along with Ramy and Amr, Egyptians in the main draw will include Ramy's older brother, Hisham Ashour and the increasingly potent Wael El Hindi. Attempting to qualify, will be classy Egyptian veteran Omar El Borolossy together with Ahmed Hamza and Mohamed Elkeiy.

Shabana's reticence in committing to the event is understandable, as he has had an unhappy history here, exiting in the first rounds in 2003 (to Graham Ryding) and 2004 (to Thierry Lincou) before skipping the event in 2005. But that was then and this is now - Shabana's game and confidence are completely turned around and he will be looking keenly to consolidate his psychological adantage over the rest of the tour in Boston.

Those lucky enough to decide to attend the Boston event are likely to witness some of the most unpredictable fireworks on the PSA tour in some time.

Ramy Ashour - can he repeat his Hong Kong success? (Photo © 2006 Alex Wan)

For the past 18 months, the squash pundits, such as Martin Bronstein, Malcolm Willstrop and Ian McKenzie have been touting the unprecendented parity on the tour. At the same time, there have always been four or five players who would be the realistic favorites to be semi finalists at any major event. Last weekend in Hong Kong turned everything upside down. Anthony Ricketts, Lee Beachill, Thierry Lincou and Nick Matthew ALL lost in the second round in Hong Kong. Those four players were all in a position, as recently as January, to assume the #1 position in the world had they won at Chicago's Windy City Open in 2006. Now those four are looking at the four Hong Kong semi finalists - Shabana, Ashour, James Willstrop and David Palmer and most certainly looking to make some kind of strong statement at the US Open. So we will have AT LEAST eight players, fully capable of winning the US Open, all with the highest motivation to reach the high ground.

And the backdrop to all that goes back to the startling performance of 19 year old Ramy Ashour who reached the Hong Kong Finals, surviving three strong battles with Lincou, Barker and Palmer along the way. Can Ashour regroup mentally and physically and do it again two weeks later? Part of that will have to do with the draw, which will be be made shortly, and the rest will have to do with the preparation and execution of those other nine players.

For tickets to the US Open call: 1-877-524-5685.