2013

Ashour took NetSuite Open title from Gaultier!

October 2, 2013 • Tags: Greg Gaultier, NetSuite Open, PSA, Ramy Ashour, San Francisco, USA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

Egyptian World No1 Ramy Ashour (ri) came back from 1:2 games down to step up the pace and snatch the San Francisco title in 5 tough games (11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2) from his French opponent and title holder Greg Gaulter (le).

It was “all squash fans anywhere could have asked for” said promoter John Nimick when asked about the final of the 2013 NetSuite Open Squash Championship – staged spectacularly at Justin Herman Plaza on the San Francisco waterfront, backed by views of the renowned Ferry Building and Bay Bridge.

Final:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 (68m)

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7 (52m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-4, 11-1, 11-3 (25m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (44m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 (36m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [4] Peter Barker (ENG) 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-4 (78m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (46m)

1st round:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) 15-13, 11-3, 11-1 (34m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-13, 12-10 (74m)
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 (45m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-4, 11-9, 3-11, 11-3 (70m)
[4] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [WC] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (41m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (51m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 14-12, 11-4, 11-7 (64m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (49m)

Ashour & Gaultier in dream NetSuite final!

October 1, 2013 • Tags: Greg Gaultier, NetSuite Open, PSA, Ramy Ashour, San Francisco, USA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

It will be the top two seeds that contest the final of the NetSuite Open after World No1 Ramy Ashour and second-ranked Gregory Gaultier prevailed in contrasting semi-finals at the San Francisco waterfront.

2nd-seeded Frenchman Gaultier despatched England’s World No12 Daryl Selby in straight games (11-4, 11-1, 11-3) in just 25 minutes by driving the ball to perfect length and capitalising on every loose ball. After victory which takes Gaultier into his third successive PSA Tour final, and the 53rd of his career, the 30-year-old from Aix-en-Provence said: “Yes, I like the conditions – not too hot and not too cold. And the audience is good to play for.”

In the 2nd and most eagerly-awaited match of the tournament, England’s World No3 James Willstrop (ri) gave Ashour (le), who celebrated his 26th birthday, an inspiring battle. Ashour’s 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7 win in 52 minutes extends his unbeaten Tour tally to 44 matches.

As Host and promoter John Nimick said on court after the match: “These are two of the finest athletes you will ever watch and two of the best sportsmen you will ever meet. San Francisco has truly enjoyed the best of squash.”

Final:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [3] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7 (52m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-4, 11-1, 11-3 (25m)

Selby and Gaultier took San Francisco semi spots!

September 30, 2013 • Tags: Daryl Selby, Greg Gaultier, NetSuite Open, PSA, San Francisco, USA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

Daryl Selby showed that determination to win overrides friendship on the PSA World Tour when he upset England team-mate Peter Barker, the No4 seed, 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-4 in the NetSuite Open to claim an unexpected place in the semi-finals in San Francisco.

Bidding to reach his second Tour final of the year, Selby will face defending champion Gregory Gaultier (ri) from France, who beat Germany’s Simon Rosner (le) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 in 46 minutes of play.

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [3] James Willstrop (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Daryl Selby (ENG)

Ashour & Willstrop set up 1st San Francisco semi!

September 29, 2013 • Tags: James Willstrop, NetSuite Open, PSA, Ramy Ashour, San Francisco, USA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

Egyptian Ramy Ashour (le) and England’s James Willstrop set up the 1st NetSuite Open semi-final after despatching their quarter-final opponents in straight games.

In the 1st quarter-final 3rd seed Willstrop, the 30-year-old former world number one from England, beat Dutch rival Laurens Jan Anjema – the world No18 from The Hague – 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 in just 36 minutes of play.

Ashour, the World No1 who has won the last eight PSA World Tour events in which he has competed, overcame Tom Richards (ri), the World No22 from England 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 to extends his unbeaten Tour run to 43 matches.

Semi-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [3] James Willstrop (ENG)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (44m)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 (36m)
[4] Peter Barker (ENG) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Simon Rosner (GER)

AJ Bell World Squash Championship promo video!

September 25, 2013 • Tags: AJ Bell World Squash Championship, Manchester • Categories: all posts, videos

Watch the promo video which has been put together to give you a taste of all the action and drama the worlds best squash will going to produce during the AJ Bell World Squash Championship in Manchester. Get ready, don’t miss it, either live in Manchester or on SquashTV.

Greg Gaultier retains Mexico title!

September 23, 2013 • Tags: Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas, Greg Gaultier, Mexico, Mohamed El Shorbagy, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

France’s World No2 Greg Gaultier survived ‘one of the toughest matches I ever played’ to beat Mohamed Elshorbagy and retain the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas title at Alameda Park in Toluca, Mexico.

It was the climax the crowd surrounding the all-glass court was hoping for – one featuring the event’s top two seeds and one which went the full distance.

Event favourite Gaultier reached the final – the 52nd of his career – after ending the brave run of unseeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the semi-finals (11-5, 11-5, 11-7).

Second-seeded Egyptian El Shorbagy faced top-ranked Spaniard Borja Golan in the other semi in what was the pair’s 7th meeting in the past 5 years. The 22-year-old from Alexandria extended his head-to-head tally to 5/2 after beating the 3rd seed 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5.

In the final, El Shorbagy, looking for his 1st win in 6th meetings with the Frenchman. In the end the top seed exerted his authority, ultimately closing out the match 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6 after 79 minutes to keep the title in his grasp.

Final:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6 (79m)

Semi-finals:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (50m)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [3] Borja Golan (ESP) 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (56m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (46m)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (113m)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6 (85m)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (28m)

1st round:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 (27m)
Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (31m)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (42m)
[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 (50m)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 11-5, 12-10, 11-6 (45m)
[Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 16-14 (55m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-13, 11-6, 5-11, 11-4, 11-2 (55m)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) bt [WC] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (27m)

Worms retains European Club Championship title!

September 21, 2013 • Tags: David Palmer, Davide Bianchetti, ESF, European Club Championships, Italy, Nick Matthew, Riccione • Categories: all posts, leagues, teams, tournaments

The German league Champion Black & White Worms won the final of the 2013 European Club Championships against the French contender Mulhouse Squash Club in style. After 2 hours and 7 games it was all over.

Davide Bianchetti (Worms) started well, as he beat English former World No4 Simon Parke (Mulhouse) in straight games. Afterwards, it was Nick Matthew who secured a 2:0 lead for Worms as he beat his English rival James Willstrop 11-5, 11-8, 11-5.

It was up to former 2 times World Champion David Palmer to close out the match, as he just needed one game against Mulhouse’s Mathieu Castagnet. Palmer, who has retired from the PSA Tour since November 2011, never gave the Frenchman a real chance and won the 1st game 11-6, which gave his Team Worms the 2nd ECC title after 2012.

Champion Gaultier Draws Karwalski In Toluca!

September 19, 2013 • Tags: Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas, Greg Gaultier, Mexico, PSA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments

France’s world No2 Greg Gaultier will begin his defence of the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas title in Mexico against Matthew Karwalski following the Australian’s success in the qualifying finals of the PSA World Tour International 70 squash event in Toluca.

1st round draw:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS)
Tom Richards (ENG) v Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) v [Q] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [WC] Cesar Salazar (MEX)