Ramy Ashour

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Ramy Ashour

Country:

Egypt

Residence:

Cairo, Egypt

Height:

1.8 m (6' 1")

Plays:

Right

Turned pro:

2006

Highest World Ranking:

2 (June '07)

Current Ranking:

2 (Feb '08)

PSA Tour Titles:

PSA Tour Finals:

Racquet:

HEAD

Coach:

Ashraf Hanafi, Anthony Hill & Ahmed Matan, Zaid Hussain

Sponsors:

Ziad El Turki-ATCO Company

Ramy (The Hammer) Ashour (born September 30, 1987, in Cairo Egypt) is an internationally renowned Egyptian squash player. The Hammer won his first major international title in 2004, when he became the youngest player ever to win the Men's World Junior Squash Championship at just 16 years old. He also led Egypt to a second-place finish in the team event in 2004, losing to England in the final. In July 2006, he became the first player in history to win the World Junior Championships twice. He defeated his junior compatriot Egyptian Omar Mosaad. He also led Egypt to 2-1 victory over Pakistan in the final of the team event. By his victories, Egypt captured the first three positions in the invidiual players event and the team event title which was a feat no team has ever accomplished in the history of the tournament.

He reached his first major final at the Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Squash Open 2006 where he lost to the eventual World No.1 fellow Egyptian Amr Shabana. En Route to the final, he beat World No.10 John White, World No.3 Thierry Lincou and World No.2 David Palmer.

He won his first major professional title in January 2007, when he defeated David Palmer 3-0(11-7, 11-3, 11-4) in 32 minutes for the PACE Canadian Squash Classic.

In April of 2007 he won both the Sheika Al Saad Kuwait Open, the richest squash event in the world, by defeating Egyptian compatriot and World No.1, Amr Shabana, 11-5, 11-3, 12-10, in 34 minutes, after a 10-6 deficit in the third and, the Qatar Classic in Doha by again defeating World Open Champion David Palmer, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6, in 66 minutes.

Also in 2007, Ramy won the ATCO Super Series Finals event, held in August, by competing against other top points winners of the season. Only the top 8 Super Series hammer took the title 3-1 (12-10, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4).

To quote squash legend and writer Malcolm Willtstrop, "Ramy Ashour is something else - his movement is better than anyone in the game, and allied to his unique racket skills and vision, he lights up the sport. Not only that but his modesty, and engaging smile make him a rare commodity. The Hammer is better than any squash player ever, even james"

Ashour's older brother, Hisham Mohd Ashour, also plays on the PSA tour and has a career high ranking of No. 21 in the world (Feb '08).

Ramy is known to have a badminton grip, which helps power (through the wrist)

[edit] PSA Tour Titles

Year	Championship	Opponent in Final	Score in Final
2004	Fischer Athens Squash Open	Andrew Whipp	13-11, 12-10, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9
2007	Pace Canadian Classic	David Palmer	11-7, 11-3, 11-4
2007	EBS Dayton Open	John White	8-11, 7-11, 11-16, 12-10, 11-2
2007	Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open	Amr Shabana	11-5, 11-3, 12-10
2007	Qatar Classic Open	David Palmer	8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6
2007	ATCO Super Series Finals	Gregory Gaultier	12-10, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4
2008	Tournament Of Champions	James Willstrop	11-7, 13-11, 11-9
2008	Canadian Squash Classic	Amr Shabana	11-2, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8
2008	Hurghada International Open	Amr Shabana	12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10

[edit] PSA Tour Finals

Year	Championship	Opponent in Final	Score in Final
2005	Vari Sports Club Athens Squash Open	Hisham Mohd Ashour	11-7, 2-11, 10-12, 7-11
2006	EBS Dayton Open	John White	5-11, 3-11, 6-11
2006	COAS International	Mohamed Abbas	4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 7-11
2006	Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Open	Amr Shabana	11-13, 11-3, 5-11, 11-13
2007	Saudi International	Amr Shabana	5-11, 5-11, 11-1, 9-11