.....An iDEASCOPE MEDIA

30 Nov 2016

ElShorbagy Excited to Make Channel VAS Championship Bow

World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy has said that he is eagerly anticipating making his debut at the Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill when the PSA M100 tournament gets under way on Thursday December 8 in Weybridge.

The 25-year-old Egyptian - who along with brother Marwan is sponsored by tournament title sponsor Channel VAS - is seeded first for the event and is looking to recapture the kind of form that saw him win six World Series tournaments in a row last season.

ElShorbagy has claimed two PSA World Tour titles so far this season with wins at the China Squash Open and the Delaware Investments U.S. Open, and he is eyeing up further silverware in what will be his last PSA World Tour event of 2016.

"I’m really looking forward to playing the Channel VAS Championship for the first time," said ElShorbagy.

"I’ve heard how well the tournament was organised last year, I’m really looking forward to playing there and I really hope to do well in it.

"I would like to thank [Channel VAS Chairman] Bassim Haidar for sponsoring the event and showing a big interest in our sport."

ElShorbagy will headline a world-class draw at the St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club, with World No.7 Marwan, Colombia’s Miguel Angel Rodriguez and former World No.1 James Willstrop just some of the big names in action.

Qualification for the 2016 Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill takes place between December 6-7, with the main draw getting under way a day later and lasting up until the final on Monday December 12.

The Channel VAS Championship is the second biggest tournament to take place in Europe this season, with it’s lucrative $100,000 prize fund – a 300 per cent increase compared to last year – second only to the prestigious British Open.

Tickets for the tournament are priced from £10-£45 and can be booked online here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ChannelVASSquash

27 Nov 2016

pics & Updates from the ongoing KUNLE ADEBIYI all Racket games :Squash JUNIOR TOURNAMENT


 KUNLE ADEBIYI JUNIOR TOURNAMENT UPDATE
QUARTERFINAL RESULT:
Abel Shedrack bt Tobi Jimoh  (2-0)11/8,11/7
Kehinde Samuel bt Michael John(2-1) 5/11,11/9,11/9
Onaopemipo bt Ayomide Oladipupo(2-0) 12/10,11/4
Desmond Iguodala bt Dele Pratt (2-1) 7/11,11/3,11/7
UNDER 16 BOYS
Idowu Ololade bt Nasir Abdulraham(2-0) 13/11,11/6
Clinton Iguodala bt Simeon Okputu (2-0) 11/6,11/8
Raymond Iguodala bt Joel Njogo (2-0) 11/9, 11,8
Uthma Duro bt Mustpha Habeb( 2-1) 5/11,11/8,11/9
U-19 GIRLS
Busayo Olatunji(bye)
Blesing Isaac bt Idowu Ogunyem(2-1) 6/11,11/8,13/11
Ibukun Ajani bt Oyinda Fatoki(2-0) 11/2,11/5
Fadiat Soliu bt Idowu Ejiro(2-0) 11/2,11/6.
TOMORROW'S SEMIFINALS START BY 12NOON AT IBADAN RECREATION CLUB.
Abel Shedrack(OG) vs Kehinde Samuel(OG)
Onaopemipo(LAG) vs Desmond (HEADWATERS)
UNDER-16 BOYS
Idowu Ololade(OG) vs Clinton (HEADWATERS)
Uthman Duro(KW) vs Raymond (HEADWATERS)
UNDER-19 GIRLS
Busayo Olatunji (LAG) vs Blessing Isaac(KW)
Ibukun Ajani(OG) vs Faidat Soliu(KW).      
COME N EXPERIENCE  D EXPERIENCE WITH D FUTURE OF AFRICA SQUASH
Admission is free!!!
                       kids present at the tourney
    pic of kunle Adebiyi (left)  Seun Peters (Right)

24 Nov 2016

Dessouky Leads Seeds Into CCI International Quarter-Finals


Egyptian World No.18 Fares Dessouky got his 2016 CCI International JSW ISC campaign off to a winning start as all eight seeds rose to victories on the opening day of main draw action at the PSA M50 tournament taking place in Mumbai at the Cricket Club of India.

Dessouky was in fine form to shrug off the attentions of experienced Finnish campaigner Olli Tuominen, earning the win by an 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 margin to seal his place in the quarter-final stage.

Scotland’s Alan Clyne will meet Dessouky for a place in the last four after he benefitted from an injury to Indian qualifier Mahesh Mangaonkar. Clyne was two games ahead and 5-3 up in the third before Mangaonkar was forced to retire after 20 minutes.

Home hope Saurav Ghosal was the only Indian player to win on day one after he overturned a one-game deficit against Malaysia’s Ivan Yuen, setting up a quarter-final fixture with Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller, who beat England’s Jaymie Haycocks.

The other local player involved in the main draw was tournament wildcard Vikram Malhotra, with the World No.62 falling in four games to Egypt’s Mohamed Reda, whose reward is a next round clash with second seed Mohamed Abouelghar.

England’s Chris Simpson is also through after the World No.20 defeated Campbell Grayson of New Zealand, and the number three seed will face Frenchman Lucas Serme in the next round.

Results - First Round: 2016 CCI International JSW ISC 
[1] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 (37m)
[6] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 5-3 ret. (20m)
[7] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Joel Makin (WAL) 3-1: 11-8, 13-15, 11-8, 11-8 (70m)
[3] Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 3-1: 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 (76m)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-1: 7-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 (69m)
[5] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [Q] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (32m)
[8] Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt [WC] Vikram Malhotra (IND) 3-1: 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11-5 (45m)
[2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 13-11 (40m)

Draw - Quarter-Final
[1] Fares Dessouky (EGY) v [6] Alan Clyne (SCO)
[7] Lucas Serme (FRA) v [3] Chris Simpson (ENG)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [5] Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[8] Mohamed Reda (EGY) v [2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)

World No.1 ElShorbagy to Top St George’s Hill Open Draw

World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy will headline a high-quality draw when the Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill Open, PSA M100 tournament gets under way on Thursday December 8 at the St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club in Weybridge.

The tournament has grown exponentially over the past year, with it’s lucrative $100,000 prize fund - which is four times bigger than last year’s - making it the second biggest PSA World Tour event to take place in Europe after the iconic British Open.

ElShorbagy appears at his last PSA World Tour event of 2016 as the Egyptian looks to bring a year which has seen him win seven Tour titles to a triumphant close.

The Bristol-based 25-year-old has a tough first round encounter against 2015 runner-up Daryl Selby in store, with the Englishman in a rich vein of form after claiming a first World Series semi-final berth since 2012 at last week’s Qatar Classic - a tournament which saw ElShorbagy reach the final.

ElShorbagy is seeded to meet ‘Colombian Cannonball’ Miguel Angel Rodriguez in a mouthwatering semi-final, with World No.8 Rodriguez facing a qualifier in round one.

On the other side of the draw, World No.4 Omar Mosaad and ElShorbagy’s younger brother, World No.7 Marwan, are seeded to line-up against each other in the last four.

Mosaad begins his tournament against a qualifier, but could come up against former World No.1 James Willstrop in the quarter-final stage if both players win their respective first round encounters, with Willstrop winning the most recent meeting between the two during last month’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open.

Marwan, meanwhile, locks horns with defending champion Chris Simpson in round one, and the 23-year-old will be eyeing up a final clash with his older brother.

2016 Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill Open - First Round Draw:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [7] Borja Golan (ESP)
[8] Max Lee (HKG) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [4] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[3] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[WC] Joe Lee (ENG) v [5] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[6] James Willstrop (ENG) v [Qualifier]
[Qualifier] v [2] Omar Mosaad (EGY)

The qualifying rounds of the 2016 Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill Open take place between December 6-7, while the main draw begins a day later and runs up until the final on Monday December 12.

Tickets for the tournament are priced from £10-£45 and can be booked online here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ChannelVASSquash

23 Nov 2016

Under16-19 Racket Festival Ibadan Nigeria


Squash of course takes the lead among other racket games.
Don't have much info on this; For squash players in Nigeria you can find out about this tourney yourselves.
Once I get solid details,Will definitely keep you posted.

Willstrop Aiming for Strong Finish to Year on Home Soil at St George’s Hill Open



Former World No.1 James Willstrop is looking forward to appearing on home soil during December’s Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill Open - the PSA M100 tournament that takes place between December 8-12 at the St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club in Weybridge.

The Yorkshireman, who spent 11 months at the summit of the World Rankings in 2012, has fought back from a combination of a career-threatening hip injury and illness to display some of his best ever form over the past few months, reaching the final of September’s NetSuite Open, before making it to a first World Series semi-final in two years during last month’s U.S. Open.

Willstrop’s last PSA World Tour appearance of 2016 will come at the St George’s Hill Open and the 33-year-old World No.11 is hoping to finish off the year on a high in his native country before the christmas break.

"I’m very looking forward to playing at home, I love that," said Willstrop.

"It’s just nice to have the support as a lot of us are out here on our own. We have friends on the Tour, but it is nice to not have jet lag to worry about and to not have to do much travelling.

"I would love to finish on a high because you've got some time to contemplate it, enjoy it and perhaps celebrate. It's a lovely feeling because you've got three or four weeks to think about it. Most of the other parts of the year, regardless of whether you have a win or a loss, you're straight into the next event.

"It’s nice sitting there when there’s a three week break and saying that you've had a good finish to the season."

Willstrop will be joined in a world-class draw by some of the biggest names in the sport, with World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy and his younger brother, World No.7 Marwan, World No.4 Omar Mosaad and Colombian World No.8 Miguel Angel Rodriguez all vying for honours in Weybridge.

The qualifying rounds of the 2016 Channel VAS Championship at St George’s Hill Open take place between Tuesday December 6 - Wednesday December 7, while the main draw begins a day later.

The St George’s Hill Open is the second biggest tournament to take place in Europe this season, with it’s lucrative $100,000 prize fund - a 300 per cent increase compared to last year’s event - second only to the prestigious British Open.

Tickets for the tournament are priced from £10-£45 and can be booked online here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ChannelVASSquash

22 Nov 2016

Gawad Takes Lead on PSA Road to Dubai Standings



Gawad Takes Lead on PSA Road to Dubai Standings
So glad Ramy made it!
World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad has overtaken World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy at the summit of the 2016/17 PSA Road to Dubai Standings after he defeated his fellow Egyptian in the final of the Qatar Classic - the third stage on the Men's Road to Dubai - last week.

Gawad, the World No.3 from Giza, has been in sublime form so far this season, reaching a maiden World Series final at the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open in August, before triumphing over ElShorbagy in Doha to take the maximum 100 points available - just two weeks after lifting the PSA Men’s World Championship title.

Only the top eight players on the PSA Road to Dubai standings will qualify for the Dubai PSA World Series Finals, which will take place inside the stunning Dubai Opera House from June 6-10, 2017.

Every PSA World Series tournament offers players the chance to compete for vital points on the PSA Road to Dubai Standings, with a coveted berth at the Dubai PSA World Series Finals - which will see the world’s top stars battle for one of the sport’s most prestigious and lucrative titles - up for grabs.

"To reach Dubai would be a dream come true for me, I’ve been dreaming about playing in the World Series Finals since I started playing on the Tour," said Gawad.

"When I first started dreaming of this, I was very far down the rankings, but every year I’ve been getting closer and closer. Last year I was very close, but I skipped two World Series events, so that’s why I couldn’t make it to the World Series Finals.

"This year, I am focusing on playing this event and I am very glad that I am very near to playing the World Series Finals this year. I will keep working and keep focusing in the next tournaments."

Gawad sits atop the PSA Road to Dubai Standings with 205 points, 25 ahead of Delaware Investments U.S. Open winner ElShorbagy.

U.S. Open finalist Nick Matthew comes next with 105 points, with Hong Kong Open winner Ramy Ashour (100) and U.S. Open semi-finalist James Willstrop (80) rounding off the top five.

Hong Kong Open semi-finalists Max Lee and Ryan Cuskelly, and the younger ElShorbagy brother, Marwan, are the other players currently in the top eight, with the trio all sitting on 65 points.

The Women’s standings are unchanged and see Camille Serme and Nouran Gohar sit level at the top with 125 points after winning the U.S. Open and Hong Kong Open, respectively.

United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy and World No.1 Nour El Sherbini follow with 105 points courtesy of respective runner-up finishes at the Hong Kong Open and U.S. Open, while Nicol David (65), Raneem El Welily (55), Laura Massaro (50) and Nour El Tayeb (40) make up the rest of the top eight.

The next stage on the PSA Road to Dubai will be the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, which takes place between January 12-19, 2017 in the iconic setting of New York’s Grand Central Terminal.

The 2016/17 Dubai PSA World Series Finals will take place from June 6-10 at the Dubai Opera House and further information can be found by visiting www.worldseriesfinals.com

-ends-

18 Nov 2016

Gawad Lifts Qatar Classic Title to Claim Maiden World Series Crown







World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad’s stunning 2016/17 season continues to go from strength-to-strength after the he put in a superb performance to defeat World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy in the final of the 2016 Qatar Classic held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha - lifting his first World Series title in the process.

The 25-year-old from Egypt has been the man in form over the past few months and triumphed at the PSA Men’s World Championship just a fortnight ago in Cairo to lift the sport’s biggest prize - beating ElShorbagy in the semi-final, before moving on to overcome Ramy Ashour in the showpiece finale.

ElShorbagy went into the match having won this tournament the last two times it was held in 2013 and 2015, but it was Gawad who played with composure and accuracy to come out on top in tie-breaks in the opening two games to go 2-0 up.

ElShorbagy tried to halt his compatriot’s momentum in the third, but Gawad - playing with the skill and effortless brilliance that has become par for the course from the World No.3 this season - held firm to take it 12-10, 15-13, 11-7 to seal the title.

Gawad’s victory also ensures that he will overtake ElShorbagy at the summit of the 2016/17 PSA Road to Dubai Standings - where only the top eight players will qualify for a place at the season-ending Dubai PSA World Series Finals - after taking the maximum points on offer in Qatar.

"I’m very happy with the way I performed today," said Gawad.

"For the first time, I was under pressure. When you are a World Champion, people expect you to win and expect that you have a big chance to win. That is a new element I had to integrate into my preparation.

"Being World Champion and Qatar Champion sounds good, really good. I’m living the dream. But next season, I’m aware that I’ll have to make sure I’m very consistent if I want to stay in competition with the top boys."

ElShorbagy was effusive in his praise of his opponent, saying: "Karim deserves to be the champion, he’s played so well in this first part of the season. It was a great match, and the best player on the day won.

"I need to thank my team for the support they are giving me day in, day out. I couldn’t do it without them."

Result - Final: 2016 Qatar Classic
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 15-13, 11-7 (67m)

Notes
Free-to-use imagery of Karim Abdel Gawad in action and with the Qatar Classic title is attached. Please credit squashpics.com

-ends-

16 Nov 2016

Rösner Defeats Willstrop on Thrilling Third Day of Qatar Classic



The third day of action at the 2016 Qatar Classic - the World Series tournament taking place at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha - saw German No.1 Simon Rösner put in an immaculate display to defeat former World No.1 James Willstrop.

Rösner, the current World No.13, was deadly from the outset and executed his game plan to perfection, with a powerful and accurate performance sending Willstrop into all four corners of the court, drawing the normally accurate Yorkshireman out of his comfort zone and into a number of errors to record a superb 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 victory.

"I think I played my best squash, my best squash of the season, at least," said Rösner.

"I kept him behind me most of the time and I was able to attack quite well at the front. I played attacking squash and I think that I can't play much better than that.

"It’s so tough to beat this guy, I think he's pretty much back to normal and playing the way he used to before he was injured. To beat him in this form is quite special for me, so I'm really glad."

Rösner will take on defending champion Mohamed ElShorbagy for a place in the semi-finals after the World No.1 overcame a strong challenge from Hong Kong’s Leo Au.

A focused start from the man from Hong Kong saw him start the better of the two players, but ElShorbagy ramped up the pace to force Au into a number of errors towards the latter stages to take the lead.

Au fought back in the second to draw level, but the Egyptian soon rediscovered his rhythm to pull through with a 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8 triumph.

“I thought I was up and down again like the first round and I lost focus at times," said ElShorbagy.

"Mentally, I felt a bit tired in the first round, but today I felt fresh. When you're playing short, sharp rallies, you have to be mentally fresh to keep it up. If you're not, you're going to struggle big time in these kinds of conditions.

"Yesterday, I took the full day off, I didn't even touch my squash racket for even a minute, and I never normally do that during tournaments, but I had to. After a long two years, I had to take one day off and I felt that I deserved one."

World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad continued his title charge, but was forced all the way to five games after a dogged challenge from fellow Egyptian Zahed Mohamed to set up a quarter-final fixture with World No.7 Marwan ElShorbagy, with the 23-year-old defeating Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly.

Gawad twice saw a one-game lead wiped out by Mohamed, who dug in and hit a number of sumptuous winners against his in-form compatriot. But a fast start to the fifth game from Gawad saw the 25-year-old finally break Mohamed’s resistance, and he recorded a 13-11, 9-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 victory to reach the last eight.

"Since my first tournament here in Qatar, I played really well and I always play well here," said Gawad.

"I was looking forward to this tournament especially, I've done well the last few tournaments, and I believe I can also do well here. Tomorrow is a new day, I will just come on court and focus as if it is the first match and I will try to grab the win.”

Frenchman Gregoire Marche has reached his first ever World Series quarter-final after coming through an intense five-game contest with World No.9 Tarek Momen.

It was one-way traffic in the beginning of the encounter, with Momen looking sharp as he went a game ahead for the loss of four points. Marche moved up through the gears to take the next two games, but a combination of strong retrieving from Momen and some errors from the racket of Marche saw the Egyptian level, before Marche took the fifth to close out a hard-fought triumph.

"It’s my first ever World Series quarter final, and I feel this is not the end," said Marche.


"I felt good on court today, and even if there were a few moments I felt a bit in the red, at the end, I had a lot left under the foot, and that’s a great feeling to have. I cannot describe the feeling you get when you beat somebody like Tarek, somebody I’ve always admired.”

Three-time World Champion Nick Matthew will face Marche for a place in the semi-finals after defeating tenacious Scotsman Alan Clyne, while Australian No.1 Cameron Pilley and World No.19 Daryl Selby will contest the other quarter-final fixture courtesy of respective wins over Mexico’s Cesar Salazar and qualifier Adrian Waller.

Results - Second Round: 2016 Qatar Classic
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Leo Au (HKG) 3-1: 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8 (56m)
[7] Simon Rösner (GER) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (45m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [6] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-2: 4-11, 11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (76m)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-1: 11-5, 11-13, 11-7, 11-9 (55m)
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 3-2: 13-11, 9-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 (58m)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 3-0: 15-13, 13-11, 11-7 (60m)
[8] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX)3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-4 (39m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)

Draw - Quarter-Final: To be played Wednesday November 16
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [7] Simon Rösner (GER)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[8] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Daryl Selby (ENG)

15 Nov 2016

Updates & more: Selby Sends Mosaad Crashing Out on Day Two of Qatar Classic



England’s Daryl Selby claimed one of his biggest wins in recent years after he came through a five-game battle with World No.4 Omar Mosaad on the second day of the 2016 Qatar Classic, World Series tournament held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.

The World No.19 relinquished a one-game lead to go 2-1 down, but produced a spirited fightback to claim a huge 11-9, 5-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-2 victory for the 34-year-old - his first win over Mosaad at the sixth attempt.

"It was tough as it always is, and it hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m delighted obviously to beat him for the first time," said Selby.

"It was a similar match to the ones we’ve played in the past, they always seem to be five-gamers and they’re always fairly physical. I expect that really because he’s such a big guy. He’s tough to play because he hits the ball so hard and so cleanly.

"Maybe I kept my head a little bit better in the fifth game and he looked a little bit despondent. He’s lacking a little bit of confidence at the moment, whereas I’ve been having some decent results."

World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad got his tournament off to a winning start as he led compatriots Marwan ElShorbagy and Zahed Mohamed through to the second round, where there will be a five-strong Egyptian contingent after World No.1 Mohamed, the older brother of Marwan, and World No.9 Tarek Momen claimed wins on the opening day of action.

Gawad, competing less than two weeks after he defeated compatriot Ramy Ashour in the PSA Men’s World Championship final in Cairo, went a game behind courtesy of some consistent play from Reda.

But the 25-year-old found his range and showcased his sublime attacking talents to full effect as he won the next three games in comfortable fashion, taking it 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 to ensure that he will take on Mohamed - who beat England’s Tom Richards - for a place in the quarter-finals.

"I was very, very tired after the World Championship,” said Gawad.

“I finished on the Friday and then I had to travel on Monday to Qatar. I only had a couple of sessions in Qatar, I didn't have enough time to do loads of fitness, I just tried to relax my body and tried to recover.”

World No.7 Marwan booked his place in round two after rising to a routine 3-0 win over Hong Kong’s World No.41 Tsz Fung Yip.

Yip, who claimed a notable win over World No.8 Miguel Angel Rodriguez in August’s Hong Kong Open, started brightly and went 3-0 ahead in the opening game before ElShorbagy took control, coming through 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in 27 minutes – and he will face Australian No.2 Ryan Cuskelly in the next round.

“I was very happy, it was my first time playing Yip, he’s had a few good wins and I had to watch a few of his matches to study him,” said ElShorbagy.

“I had to be careful from the beginning and not give him any chances as he would have taken them. I’m very happy to win in less than half an hour. There are no rest days for us in the bottom half, so it’s perfect for me against Cuskelly."

Cuskelly made history at this tournament last year after he became the first player since 2001 to come through qualification and progress to the last four of a World Series tournament - and he required five games to see off World No.17 Max Lee.

Lee was irresistible early on as he swept to a one-game lead for the loss of three points, but a tenacious Cuskelly refused to bow down to the pressure as he battled back to go 2-1 ahead. The 29-year-old was unable to convert a match ball though, and Lee forced a decider, only to succumb to cramp as Cuskelly closed out a 3-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-13, 11-9 victory.

"I probably didn’t play the best but I tried to stay solid and he gave me a few cheap ones in the end before he started cramping, so I was a bit lucky," Cuskelly admitted.

"Overall, I’m happy with the win. I’ve had a couple of bad results, so everything was going through my head. I could have lost it but .......

10 Nov 2016

Qatar Classic Squash Championship coming up this November

The much anticipated Qatar classic Squash championship is scheduled to hold on the 13th of November  to 18th 2016.
So painful I'll miss 2 of my favorite squash players.  The likes of Ramy and Gaultier.
Wish you guys a quick recovery.. ...Really hope this miss won't affect Ramy's World Series in Dubai due to points

oh! No! The general is out!Gaultier withdraws from Qatar Classic


Gaultier Withdraws from Qatar Classic
World No.2 Gregory Gaultier has withdrawn from the 2016 Qatar Classic after he was unable to recover from the ankle injury he sustained during last week’s PSA Men’s World Championship.

The Frenchman, a 2011 Qatar Classic winner and a runner-up last year in Doha, picked up the injury during his quarter-final clash with Egypt’s Tarek Momen in Cairo last week and was forced to withdraw from his semi-final fixture with World No.10 Ramy Ashour as a result.

His ankle problem is the latest in an injury-hit year for the 33-year-old, who has already spent two months on the sidelines after damaging ligaments on the same ankle during January’s J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions.

World No.4 Omar Mosaad replaces Gaultier as the number two seed and will play England’s Daryl Selby in round one, while 2009 winner Nick Matthew moves up to the number four seeded position and will play tournament wildcard Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi.

Elsewhere, Momen moves up to become the new number eight seed and will face a qualifier, with Hong Kong’s Leo Au moving into the main draw where he too will lock horns with a qualifier in the opening round.

Revised Main Draw – 2016 Qatar Classic
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Leo Au (HKG) v [Qualifier]
James Willstrop (ENG) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[Qualifier] v [7] Ramy Ashour (EGY)
[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Qualifier]
[WC] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [4] Nick Matthew (EGY)
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Tom Richards (ENG) v Zahed Mohamed (EGY)
Max Lee (HKG) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[Qualifier] v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[5] Ali Farag (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
Simon Rösner (GER) v [Qualifier]
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [2] Omar Mosaad (EGY)

The qualifying stages of the 2016 Qatar Classic will take place on November 11-12, while the main draw begins a day later, with the final taking place on Friday November 18 – entry to the tournament is free of charge.

-ends-

9 Nov 2016

Wasiu Sanni Lagos State Official Squash coach shared pic of himself and wife

Wasiu Sanni, the official Lagos State squash coach, former head Lagos State Coaches  shared an amazing picture of himself and beautiful wife on facebook.
In case ur all don't know,  Wasiu Sanni is one of Nigeria's squash Legend who is still very much active in the game.
More pic of Wasiu Sanni
Isn't he handsome? 

Ashour Pulls Out of Qatar Classic



World Championship runner-up Ramy Ashour has pulled out of the upcoming Qatar Classic after failing to recover from the hamstring injury he picked up during last week’s PSA Men’s World Championship final.

The maverick Egyptian has suffered a barrage of hamstring injuries over the past two years, however his body looked to be coping as he made it all the way to the final in Cairo.

But he was forced to shake hands in the fourth game of his clash with compatriot Karim Abdel Gawad, bringing a premature end to the match and preventing ‘The Artist’ from appearing in Qatar, the scene of two of his three World Championship triumphs.

The injury will also dent Ashour's hopes of being one of the eight qualifiers for the season-ending Dubai PSA World Series Finals as he will be unable to accrue vital points on the PSA Road to Dubai Standings - where he currently sits in third place - with the Qatar Classic acting as the third stage on the PSA Road to Dubai.

As a result of the injury, German No.1 Simon Rösner takes Ashour's place as the number eight seed and will meet a qualifier in the opening round, while Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller moves into the main draw and will also face a qualifier.

Revised Main Draw – 2016 Qatar Classic
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Leo Au (HKG) v [Qualifier]
James Willstrop (ENG) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[Qualifier] v [8] Simon Rösner (GER)
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Qualifier]
[WC] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [4] Nick Matthew (EGY)
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Tom Richards (ENG) v Zahed Mohamed (EGY)
Max Lee (HKG) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[Qualifier] v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[5] Ali Farag (EGY) v [Qualifier]
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v [Qualifier]
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [2] Omar Mosaad (EGY)

The qualifying stages of the 2016 Qatar Classic will take place on November 11-12, while the main draw begins a day later, with the final taking place on Friday November 18 – entry to the tournament is free of charge.

-ends-

6 Nov 2016

El Welily Lifts Wadi Degla Open Crown


Egypt’s World No.4 Raneem El Welily claimed the inaugural 2016 Wadi Degla Open title after overcoming compatriot Nouran Gohar in the final of the PSA W50 tournament taking place in Cairo.

The duo are both representatives of the prestigious Wadi Degla Club and it was El Welily who took an early lead after coming through a nervy start and a flurry of errors to go a game ahead, only for Gohar to capitalise on some loose shots from her opponent in the second to draw level.

Gohar’s comeback was short-lived though as El Welily worked her way back into the contest, moving the younger Egyptian into all four corners of the court as she restored her lead in the third, before an unstoppable display in the fourth and final game saw her surge to victory, closing out an 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-5 triumph to lift her second PSA World Tour title of the season.

"I’m absolutely happy, Nouran is such a tough opponent, she’s a great player," said El Welily.

"It’s a pleasure playing with her in the final in front of the Wadi Degla Club and I’m really happy that I managed to win today.

"I was trying to get the ball to the back and was volleying as much as I could. I was trying to do that in the second, but then my length got short and I had to find another way to get the ball to the back. I’m really glad I found a solution there, otherwise it would have been a nightmare."

Result - Final: 2016 Wadi Degla Open
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-5 (42m)

Gawad Takes World Championship Title After Ashour Retires Through Injury





Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad is the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Champion after his final opponent in Cairo, three-time winner Ramy Ashour, was forced to retire in the fourth game of their climactic clash after a reoccurrence of the hamstring injury that has ravaged the last two years of his career.

Gawad, the 25-year-old World No.3 from Giza, battled back from a game down to go 2-1 up after a series of explosive rallies brought a vociferous crowd at the Wadi Degla club to their feet time and time again.

But, just two years after he marked a return from six months on the sidelines by taking the 2014 World Championship title, Ashour was unable to repeat the feat as his troublesome hamstring flared up again with the maverick 2-1 down in the fourth to hand the title to Gawad, who becomes only the third Egyptian of all time to hold the sport’s most illustrious title after Amr Shabana and Ashour himself.

"I still can’t believe it," said Gawad.

"It has been a very long week, I didn’t have a good start, but I think I had good performances this week. I’m grateful to my team as I was able to get back on court today after my match yesterday.

"I need to thank my parents, my father, my mother, my sister and my fiancée, who support me always, and came this week to help me win this.  Also, my coaches, Omar Abdel Aziz, Mohamed Abbas, and my fitness coach, Ali Ismail. The results I had this season are 50% my work, but 50% their effort, and they work hard to keep me fit and allow me to recover between tournaments when we have a very short time between events.

"I feel very sorry for Ramy for having the injury again and not being able to complete the match today. He’s a great ambassador for our sport and we are all happy to have him around at the tournaments.

"He’s great for many generations and all the generations learn a lot from him, even me. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Ashour said: "It was an honour to play this week, I’ve been through a lot, and every time I fall down I learn.

"As long as I’m still breathing, I’ll just keep trying. It’s the thing that I feel so much happiness when I do and thank you all for being here today."

Result - Final: 2016 PSA Men's World Squash Championship
[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 3-1: 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 2-1 retired (50m)

4 Nov 2016

Gawad and Ashour to Contest World Championship Final




Egyptian duo Karim Abdel Gawad and Ramy Ashour will go head-to-head for the most coveted and illustrious title the sport has to offer when they meet in the final of the prestigious 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship in Cairo.

Gawad will be appearing in his first ever World Championship final after coming through a brutal test against World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy to claim the most important win of his career to date.

The 25-year-old from Giza put in a superb display, unleashing a veritable feast of winners on his opponent as they contested high-octane rallies throughout the 90-minute clash. With the scores poised at two games apiece and with Gawad 5-1 up in the decider, ElShorbagy was forced off court with an apparent achilles injury. Despite battling on, ElShorbagy was unable to prevent Gawad from taking a huge 13-11, 10-12, 11-13, 11-2, 11-5 triumph to reach the final.

"I’m over the moon, I'm really, really happy and glad at the way I played today, I was playing really well throughout the whole match," said a delighted Gawad.

"I just need one more push, I have to focus really well and recover well for tomorrow. Tomorrow is a very big day. Everyone knows Ramy and everyone watches squash because of Ramy. Tomorrow, I just have to start well and I can't put too much pressure on myself.

"It's a very, very big dream and I've been dreaming about this since I started playing squash and started thinking that squash was my career. Even if I don't do it this time I will keep going for it and keep pushing for it. Hopefully one time I will win it."

Ashour, meanwhile, will aim to win a fourth World Championship title after his semi-final opponent, 2015 champion Gregory Gaultier, was forced to pull out with an ankle injury sustained in his quarter-final clash with Egypt’s Tarek Momen.

World No.10 Ashour, who captured the World Championship title in 2008, 2012 and 2014, has been besieged with numerous injuries over the past two years, with a calf injury picked up in September’s Al Ahram Open keeping him out of action for two months.

The enigmatic 29-year-old defied all critics when he triumphed in 2014 after returning to competitive action following a six month injury enforced break to take the crown and he will he will be hoping history repeats itself as he looks to draw level with compatriot Amr Shabana on four World Championship titles.

“I feel truly sad for Greg,” said Ashour.

"I have been there many times and I know exactly how it feels so I wish him a speedy recovery."

Results - Semi-Finals: 2016 PSA Men's World Squash Championship
[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-2: 13-11, 10-12, 11-13, 11-2, 11-5 (90m)
[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) w/o

Draw - Final
[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [5] Ramy Ashour (EGY)

-ends-

El Welily And Gohar To Meet In Wadi Degla Open Final




Egyptian World No.3 Nouran Gohar and World No.4 Raneem El Welily will face off for the title of 2016 Women’s Wadi Degla Open Champion tomorrow when they meet in the final of the PSA W50 tournament taking place at their home club in Cairo.

The duo, both of whom train and play at the Wadi Degla club, came through contrasting yet challenging last four battles with eight-time World Champion Nicol David and Welsh qualifier, and tournament surprise package, Tesni Evans to set up what will be their sixth PSA World Tour encounter and their second title-decider.

It was El Welily who triumphed when the pair met in the 2014 China Open final and she secured her place in tomorrow's finale after banishing the demons of her World Championship final defeat to Malaysian Nicol David on Egyptian soil two years ago. El Welily held four championship balls in that encounter but put the record straight by coming from behind in the fifth to secure victory this time around and book her place in the final.

"Even in the last few points I don’t think my head was there anymore but she made the errors and I’m really grateful for those," said El Welily.

"I wasn’t [thinking about her World Championship final defeat] until before the match. Then in the fourth game it kind of came back. I was down in the entire fifth and I think the memory from last time gave me the push to not quit and to keep pushing harder."

Gohar, the 19-year-old World Junior champion who has already ascended to No.3 on the World Rankings, came through her encounter with Evans in more comfortable fashion, prevailing 3-1.

"I realised in the third that my pace wasn’t as high as it was in the first two games," said Gohar.

"I was trying volley as much as I could in the fourth and I was trying to get my concentration back and make it faster.

"Raneem and I train a lot together here at the same club and I’m glad we both got to the final. It’s such an honour for us to play in this club in front of this crowd tomorrow."

Results - Semi-finals: Women's Wadi Degla Open
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [1] Nicol David (MAS) 3-2: 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7 (70m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-1: 11-5, 11-2, 9-11, 11-4 (51m)

Draw - Final:
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)

-ends-


3 Nov 2016

Referee call caused commotion among spectators in the quarter final match between Ramy & Dassouky

Last night match between Rammy & Fares Dassouky didn't go so smooth as Fares worked out of court due to referee call during a game between him and the Egyptian  Squash Artist Ramy  which ended in 3-0 in favor of Ramy
Fares apologises  to family ,fans and friends  for working out

BREAKING: Defending Men's World Champion Gregory Gaultier officially withdraws due to injury ...


BREAKING: Defending Men's World Champion Gregory Gaultier officially withdraws due to injury ...
Gregory Gaultier is OUT of the World Champs due to an ankle injury - @RamyAshour into the Final
#WSqChampsStats @RamyAshour now in 5th @wcsquash final – just 4 less than Jahangir & Jansher’s shared 9-final record

More info soon on Africa's most visited squash blog. 

November 2016 world Squash Ranking


Male and Female world Squash ranking for November 2016

Ashour to Face Gaultier in Mouthwatering World Championship Semi-Final




Three-time World Champion Ramy Ashour and defending champion Gregory Gaultier will lock horns for the 33rd time on the PSA World Tour after both players triumphed in their last eight clashes at the 2016 Wadi Degla PSA Men’s World Championship to set up a highly-anticipated semi-final clash in Cairo.

Ashour - who lifted the sport’s most illustrious title in 2008, 2012 and 2014 - dispatched fellow Egyptian Fares Dessouky in straight games to move to within one win of a fifth World Championship final.

The maverick Egyptian stormed to a one-game lead, before coming out on top of an intense tie-break by a 17-15 margin to put one foot in the semi-final. Both players traded a series of high-octane blows until, with Ashour 10-8 up, an emotional Dessouky reacted to a referee decision by inexplicably conceding the match and walking off court to hand the win to Ashour.

"That was very stressful, definitely," said Ashour.

"I was relaxed but I wasn’t there, I couldn’t find it. He was physical, I got into his physical game and things weren’t going my way in my short game. When things happen like that I find it a challenge.

"I wouldn’t say I enjoy it, but I find it a challenge because life is not fun, it’s supposed to be a burden. When things happen that way I accept it and I have to go through it."

Meanwhile, Gaultier booked his place in a fourth consecutive World Championship semi-final after overcoming World No.11 Tarek Momen to become the only non-Egyptian semi-finalist.

The charismatic ‘French General’ put in a masterclass of a performance in the opening two games as he mixed up the pace well and utilised all four corners of the court to power into a 2-0 lead, but he surrendered three match balls in game three after a litany of errors to give Momen a lifeline.

A series of high-quality rallies in the fourth lit up the Wadi Degla club as the match drew to a nail-biting finale, with Gaultier managing to reassert himself on proceedings to edge out an 11-5, 11-5, 14-16, 11-8 triumph to set up an explosive semi-final clash with Ashour, who currently leads the head-to-head record 25-7.

“He’s a really skilful player, he’s very dangerous, talented and he can put the ball away at any time,” said Gaultier.

“If you don’t pay attention, you lose the big points, that’s what happened on the game balls. I didn’t play tight enough and I rushed myself. He’s talented and a hard worker.

“You have to remember that at the end of the day, in any kind of country, it’s two lions battling as hard as possible on the same territory. There’s only one winner coming out, but today I felt it was really tough."

Results - Quarter-Final (Bottom Half): 2016 PSA Men's World Squash Championship
[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [15] Fares Dessouky (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 17-15, 10-8 retired (67m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [11] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-5, 14-16, 11-8 (73m)

Draw - Semi-Final
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
[5] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)

-ends-

1 Nov 2016

Bala shared some pics after game at Transcorp Hilton Hotel





Abubakar Bala is one of Nigeria's best squash player who hails and represent Niger state, graced with several medals. The squash talent who has been participating in different tourney across the country lately shared a pic of himself puffing having a nice time after a tourney knows at Transcorp Hilton Hotel.  Chilling Beside him is Bello Wasiu, one of Nigeria's best 10 Squash Athlete. 





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