MARTIN BRONSTEIN REPORTING FROM THE JOHN BASSETT THEATRE TORONTO

ASHOUR AND SHABANA TO MEET IN DREAM FINAL

In front of a full house (my old theatrical background is emerging here)  Ramy Ashour started in top gear  and once more took his opponent by surprise to win the first game 11-4 in six minutes. Yesterday it was Shahier Razik who  was demolished in the first game, tonight it was fellow Egyptian Karim Darwish who found out that to play Ashour, he should have played a couple of  warm-up games first before facing this incredible young squash player.

From the very first rally Ashour was attacking he front  and playing tight, pacy squash. It was a quality of squash that is rarely seen, and the sort of barrage that gave Darwish all kinds of problems. Whereas we are used to most players attacking the front left corner, Ashour attacks both corners and his opponents can’t read which one is going to get the treatment. Ashour can do so much with the shortest of swings that he can  flick his wrist at the last moment and the ball is going somewhere else than planned.

These are just a couple of the problems he poses for his opponents and coupled with his speed, accuracy, shot selection and  ability to kill the ball stone dead, Ashour is the complete player. And he’s just 20 years old.

Darwish was more awake for the second game and  kept Ashour on the court for 16 minutes, but the result was the same – a win for Ashour.  But the third game was even with Ashour hitting a string of three errors  to give Darwish the lead at 4-3. They swapped points until at 8-8 Darwish seriously questioned whether one of Ashour’s shot was up. Although Ashour was certain it was, Darwish’s protest made  him doubt his own word and threw him off balance mentally. He virtually gave away the next points to give Darwish the game 11-8.

“I am honest, I don’t want to take points that I should not have.  And he made me feel guilty and I started thinking ‘I should not have these points’, “ he said, trying to explain what happened to the press. And then he added: “I have the same problem with my girl friend.”  He was not asked to elucidate on that point.

He came back for the fourth, his guilt expunged, a look of determination on his face and fire in his racket. Goodbye Mr Darwish, 11-5 in eight minutes and the  50 minute match was over, giving Ashour his second final in two tournaments.

SHABANA AND THE SHOWMAN

It will be every promoter’s dream final Shabana vs Ashour.  Amr Shabana  also won in four, taking his customary walkabout in the third game and managing to  contain his temper while his opponent, Wael el Hindi, did his usual  performance in an effort to work his way into the spectator’s hearts. He was dressed in  a becoming black shantung sleeveless top, black pedal pusher and silver lame shoes. He smiles at all opportunities and sometimes for no reason and takes every opportunity to talk to the referee. This tends to slow action down to the level of lawn tennis, where the ball is in play 12 percent of the time. We in squash expect more than that.

Don’t get me wrong: El Hindi is a fine player and he and Shabana produced  an hour of mostly quality squash. Shabana was in good safe form and took the first game 11-9 and the second by the same score.

Comes the third game and Shabana goes on his traditional walkabout. Errors, the sound of ball on tin and  general impatience.  El Hindi needed no second bidding and took the 10 minute game  gladly.

The fourth game had a lot of great rallies – dives and quite incredible overhead work. The Egyptian all seem to revel in attacking when the ball is three foot over their heads – either a smack into the nick or a perfect drive to length.  Great entertaining stuff but it was always going to be Shabana who would take the final point and so it was winning the game 11-7 to end the 60 minute match.

If the John Bassett theatre is not totally sold out tomorrow for the dream final, then  maybe we should move the PACE to Cairo next year as Shabana has suggested.

Semifinal results
Amr Shabana (EGY)  vs  Wael el Hindi (EGY) 11-9, 11-9,5-11, 11-7 (60mins)
Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt  Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-4,11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (50mins)

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.squashtalk.com