Ramy Ashour

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Ramy Ashour

Ashour with his 2012 World Championship trophy
Full name Ramy Mohamed Ashour
Nickname(s) Cairo King, The Artist
Country  Egypt
Residence Cairo, Egypt
Born (1987-09-30) September 30, 1987
Cairo, Egypt
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 78 kilograms (172 lb)
Turned Pro 2004
Retired Active
Plays Right handed
Coached by no coach
Racquet used Prince Air Stick 130
Men's singles
Highest ranking No. 1 (January, 2010)
Current ranking No. 4 (February, 2014)
Title(s) 30
Tour final(s) 45
World Open W (2008, 2012)
Medal record
Competitor for  Egypt
Squash
World Team Championships
Gold 2009 Odense Team
Gold 2011 Paderborn Team
Silver 2013 Mulhouse Team
Last updated on: February, 2014.

Ramy Mohamed Ashour (Arabic: رامي عاشور‎) (born September 30, 1987, in Cairo, Egypt) is a professional squash player from Egypt. He reached world No. 1 in January, 2010, after beating Nick Matthew in the final of the 2009 Saudi International Squash Tournament.[1] At 22 he became the youngest player to achieve world No. 1 since the Khan era,[2] having previously been the first two-time World Junior Squash champion. In addition, he has also won numerous titles including the World Open.

Career overview

Ashour 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 Pakistan in the final. In July 2006, he became the first player in history to win the World Junior Championships twice, defeating his junior compatriot Egyptian Omar Mosaad. He also led Egypt to a 2–1 victory over Pakistan in the final of the team event. By his victories, Egypt captured the first three positions in the individual players' event and the team event title, which was a feat no team had ever accomplished in the history of the tournament.

Ashour reached his first major final at the Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Squash Open in 2006, where he lost to the eventual world number one fellow Egyptian Amr Shabana. En route to the final, he beat World number ten John White, world number three Thierry Lincou and World number two David Palmer.

Ashour won his first major professional title in January 2007, when he defeated David Palmer (11–7, 11–3, 11–4) in 32 minutes for the Canadian Squash Classic. In April 2007, Ashour won the Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open, the richest squash event in the world, by defeating his Egyptian compatriot Amr Shabana, 11–5, 11–3, 12–10, in 34 minutes, after a 10-6 deficit in the third, and then won the Qatar Classic in Doha by again dispatching David Palmer with a score of 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 eight players are invited to this prestigious event. The only player to go undefeated in his first three matches, Ramy then met French sensation Grégory Gaultier in the final. After a 62-minute battle, Ramy took the title 3–1 (12–10, 11–8, 4–11, 11–4).

To quote squash legend and writer Malcolm Willstrop, "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 season ending 2009 Saudi International Open saw Ashour beat Nick Matthew in a final where the winner would become the next world Number one. Ashour won the 110-minute battle (his longest ever on the PSA tour) in a grueling 5-game match.[1]

Ashour's older brother, Hisham Mohd Ashour, also plays on the PSA tour and has a career high ranking of No. 11 in the world, achieved in February 2012.

After losing his world number one ranking to English rival Nick Matthew in June 2010, Ashour reached the final of the new PSA World Series Australian Open in August, then battled to a 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 win in 90 minutes over Grégory Gaultier in the Hong Kong Open final two weeks later to ensure his return to the top of the rankings in September 2010. But despite again slipping behind Matthew in the first 2011 rankings, Ashour started his New Year campaign in brilliant style, winning the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions title for the second time since 2008 after overcoming the Englishman in the New York final. It was his comeback tournament after recovering from a 2010 hamstring injury. A month later, he was back again in a PSA World Series final at the North American Open in Virginia – but this time it was Matthew who prevailed in an epic five gamer. Ramy came back, however, at the 2011 Australian Open, defeating defending champion Nick Matthew in another epic five gamer. Their rivalry continued as they played for their country in the WSF 2011 Men's World Team Squash Championships in Paderborn, Germany. Ramy (and Egypt) went on to win that encounter. Ramy further consolidated his push towards world #1 defeating Nick Matthew again at the 2011 Rowe British Grand Prix 3 games to 1.

Ashour's 2012 campaign was the most successful one in his career; he became the first player to make the final of every tournament in which he competed since Pakistan legend Jansher Khan. After coming back from the long injury break in February 2012, Ashour once again demonstrated his brilliant racquet skills and headed to the final at the North American Open 2012, though losing to the world number one, James Willstrop and finishing second. However, at the El Gouna International in April, Ashour avenged his former defeat and collected another major title in front of his home crowd, after James Willstrop pulled out of the final in the third. At the historic Allam British Open in May, he nearly missed the opportunity to be the first Egyptian title holder after Abou Taleb back in 1966 by losing to his old rival and defending champion Nick Matthew. Ashour's performance during the latter half of 2012 was even more magnificent; he was undefeated and won all four tournaments he participated in, including the Qatar World Open, two World Series Events (US Open and Hong Kong Open), and the Australian Open. He defended his Australian Open title in August, and gathered the US Open and Hong Kong Open titles in October and November respectively, by defeating Grégory Gaultier and James Willstrop in the finals. However, his greatest achievement in 2012 came at the Qatar World Open in December; by beating Nick Matthew in the semi-final, he reclaimed the world number-one spot in the January 2013 ranking and by defeating his fellow countryman Mohamed El Shorbagy in the final after a grueling five-game match,[3] he gathered his second world open title after the first one back in 2008.

Though opting out of the ATCO World Series final because of hamstring injury sustained in Qatar World Open, Ashour proved himself to fully deserve the world number one spot at the first world series event in 2013, the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions. With his right leg heavily strapped, Ashour showed his great fighting ability, as well as his well-known extraordinary shot-making ability, throughout the entire tournament; in the final match against Grégory Gaultier, he recovered from a 2-0 down deficit and staged an epic comeback. By claiming another TOC title after the last one back in 2011, he became only the third player to win the prestigious PSA series title a third time since British legend Peter Nicol in 2004.[4]

Ashour added two PSA world tour titles to his astonishing resume almost within two weeks; By beating his old English rivals James Willstrop and Nick Matthew in semi-final and final of North American Open in Richmond, Virgniam respectively, Ashour, who made the fifth consecutive final since 2009, gained the revenge for his former defeat in final (against Matthew in 2010 and 2011, and Willstrop in 2012) and claimed a second North American Open title; Ashour reached the milestone in his career, 30th tour title, at Kuwait PSA Cup (former Kuwait Open) only 12 days after his success at North American Open. He defeated defending champion James Willstrop at the final and clinched 3rd Kuwait Open title, extending his consecutive major PSA titles to seven. In May, Ramy Ashour made a history by clinching his first championship of British Open, which had denied title to any Egyptian player for almost half a century since great Abou Taleb claimed the title in 1966. By gathering his 31st career title in British Open, Ashour also extented his unbeaten run to 41 matches and remained undefeated since losing the 2012 British Open final in London exactly a year ago.

After the long summer break, Ashour marched through to his ninth PSA World Tour title in a row and extended his unbeaten Tour run to 45 matches by defeating the defending champion Grégory Gaultier in the Netsuite Open final.[5]

Career statistics

Ashour with his 2011 Australian Open trophy

Listed below.

PSA Titles (32)

All Results for Ramy Ashour in PSA World's Tour tournament

Legend
PSA Platinum Series /
PSA Series Final /
PSA World Open (16)
PSA Gold Series (4)
PSA Silver Series (6)
PSA Star Series (5)
PSA Super Satellite (0)
PSA Satellite (1)
Titles by Major Tournaments
World Open (2)
Hong Kong Open (2)
British Open (1)
Qatar Classic (1)
Kuwait Open (3)
US Open (1)
Tournament of Champions (3)
No. Date Tournament Opponent in Final Score in Final Minutes Played
1. November 21, 2004 Athens Open England Andrew Whipp 13–11, 12–10, 7–11, 7–11, 11–9 1 h 15 min[6]
2. January 12, 2007 Canadian Classic Australia David Palmer 11–7, 11–3, 11–4 32 min[7]
3. January 29, 2007 Dayton Open Scotland John White 8–11, 7–11, 11–16, 12–10, 11–2 1 h 12 min[8]
4. April 11, 2007 Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open Egypt Amr Shabana 11–5, 11–3, 12–10 34 min[9]
5. April 17, 2007 Qatar Classic Open Australia David Palmer 8–11, 11–9, 11–9, 11–6 1 h 9 min[10]
6. August 12, 2007 Super Series Finals France Grégory Gaultier 12–10, 11–8, 4–11, 11–4 1 h 2 min[11]
7. January 16, 2008 Tournament of Champions England James Willstrop 11–7, 13–11, 11–9 40 min[12]
8. February 16, 2008 Canadian Classic Egypt Amr Shabana 11–2, 11–9, 8–11, 11–8 38 min[13]
9. April 20, 2008 Hurghada International Egypt Amr Shabana 12–10, 9–11, 11–7, 9–11, 12–10 47 min[14]
10. October 19, 2008 World Open Egypt Karim Darwish 5–11, 11–8, 11–4, 11–5 1 h[15]
11. February 28, 2009 North American Open England Nick Matthew 11–8, 13–11, 10–12, 5–11, 11–8 1 h 31 min[16]
12. April 4, 2009 Hurghada International France Gregory Gaultier 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 47 min[17]
13. December 10, 2009 PSA Masters England Nick Matthew 11–6, 9–11, 11–9, 11–9 1 h 19 min[18]
14. December 18, 2009 Saudi International Open England Nick Matthew 11–7, 7–11, 11–9, 9–11, 11–8 1 h 50 min[1]
15. March 20, 2010 CIMB KL Open Egypt Karim Darwish 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 51 min[19]
16. August 29, 2010 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open France Gregory Gaultier 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 1 h 30 min[20]
17. September 20, 2010 Rowe British Grand Prix England James Willstrop 11-7, 3-11, 11-3, 11-5 40 min[21]
18. November 2, 2010 Kuwait Open Egypt Amr Shabana 9-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-1 45 min[22]
19. January 27, 2011 Tournament of Champions England Nick Matthew 11–3, 7–11, 11–9, 11-7 52 min[23]
20. May 19, 2011 Hurghada International Egypt Karim Darwish 11-9, 9-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-3 1 h 20 min[24]
21. August 14, 2011 Australian Open England Nick Matthew 12-14, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4 1h 17 min[25]
22. September 25, 2011 Rowe British Grand Prix England Nick Matthew 1-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 1h 6 min[26]
23. April 13, 2012 El Gouna International England James Willstrop 12-10, 11-5, 5-2 (ret) 37 min[27]
24. August 19, 2012 Australian Open Egypt Omar Mosaad 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 53 min[28]
25. October 13, 2012 US Open France Grégory Gaultier 11-4, 11-9, 11-9 43 min[29]
26. December 2, 2012 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open England James Willstrop 11-8, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6 1h 4 min[30]
27. December 14, 2012 World Open Egypt Mohamed El Shorbagy 2-11, 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8 1h 30 min[3]
28. January 24, 2013 Tournament of Champions France Grégory Gaultier 7-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-1 1h 12 min[31]
29. March 2, 2013 North American Open England Nick Matthew 11-7, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7 1h 5 min[32]
30. March 14, 2013 Kuwait PSA Cup England James Willstrop 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 58 min[33]
31. May 26, 2013 British Open France Gregory Gaultier 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 1h 4min
32. October 1, 2013 Netsuite Open France Gregory Gaultier 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 1h 8min [34]

Note: (ret) = retired, min = minutes, h = hours

PSA Tour Finals (Runner-Up) (15)

Ramy Ashour during the 2011 Australian Open quarter-final match against Peter Barker.
No. Date Tournament Opponent in Final Score in Final Minutes Played
1. October 22, 2005 Athens Open Egypt Hisham Mohd Ashour 11–7, 2–11, 10–12, 7–11 37 min[35]
2. January 29, 2006 Dayton Open Scotland John White 5–11, 3–11, 6–11 Unknown
3. March 11, 2006 COAS International Egypt Mohammed Abbas 4–11, 11–9, 5–11, 7–11 Unknown
4. October 22, 2006 Hong Kong Open Egypt Amr Shabana 11–13, 11–3, 5–11, 11–13 48 min[36]
5. October 28, 2007 Saudi International Open Egypt Amr Shabana 5–11, 5–11, 11–1, 9–11 50 min[37]
6. April 27, 2008 Kuwait Open Egypt Amr Shabana 9-11, 7-11, 11-13 52 min[38]
7. September 6, 2009 U.S. Open Egypt Amr Shabana 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 14-12, 8-11 57 min[39]
8. November 7, 2009 Kuwait Open Egypt Amr Shabana 8-11, 8-11, 5-11 50 min[40]
9. January 28, 2010 Tournament of Champions England James Willstrop 10-12, 5-11, 11-9, 2-11 49 min[41]
10. February 27, 2010 North American Open England Nick Matthew 9-11, 14-16, 4-5 (ret) 48 min[42]
11. August 15, 2010 Australian Open England Nick Matthew 14-16, 7-11, 10-12 1h 17 min[43]
12. October 24, 2010 El Gouna International Egypt Karim Darwish 14-16, 3-11, 1-5 (ret) 52 min[44]
13. February 26, 2011 North American Open England Nick Matthew 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11 1h 23 min[45]
14. February 25, 2012 North American Open England James Willstrop 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 51 min[46]
15. May 26, 2012 British Open England Nick Matthew 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 49 min[47]

Singles performance timeline

Terms
W-L Win-loss NWS Not a World Series event
NG50 Not an International event NH Not held
A Absent LQ/#Q Lost in qualifying draw and round number
RR Lost at round robin stage #R Lost in the early rounds
QF Quarterfinalist SF Semifinalist
SF-B Semifinalist, won bronze medal F Runner-Up
F Runner-up, won silver medal W Winner

To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only once a tournament or the player's participation in the tournament has concluded.

Tournament 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Career SR Career W-L
PSA World Tour Tournaments
World Open 1R QF A W F 2R QF W SF 2 / 8 27–6
British Open A 2R A 2R A Not Held F W 1 / 4 11–3
Hong Kong Open NH F A QF QF W A W QF 2 / 6 20–4
Qatar Classic LQ W 2R QF SF A 1R NH A 1 / 6 11–5
PSA Masters Not Held Absent W A QF Not Held 1 / 2 7–1
Tournament of Champions Absent SF W SF F W A W 3 / 6 25–3
North American Open Not World Series A QF W F F F W 2 / 6 24–4
Kuwait PSA Cup A NH W F NH W A NH W 3 / 4 19–1
US Open A SF A SF F Absent W A 1 / 4 14–3
Saudi International 1R 1R F QF W Not Held 1 / 5 11–4
Win Ratio 0 / 3 1 / 6 1 / 4 2 / 9 3 / 8 2 / 5 1 / 5 3 / 5 4 / 6 17 / 51
(33,3 %)		 NA
Win–Loss 0 / 3 15 / 5 13 / 3 27 / 7 31 / 5 19 / 3 14 / 4 24 / 2 26 / 2 NA 169 / 34
(83,3 %)

[48] Note: NA = Not Available

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Steve Cubbins, Framboise Gommendy (December 18, 2009). "Dream final it really was". Squashsite. Retrieved 2009-12-24. 
  2. ↑ "Ramy Ashour confirmed as new world number one". Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Ramy takes it in Doha". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-12-14. 
  4. ↑ "Comeback King Ashour Takes Third ToC Title". psaworldtour.com. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  5. ↑ "Rampant Ramy Makes It Nine At Netsuite Open". psaworldtour.com. Retrieved 2013-10-31. 
  6. ↑ "Ashour Takes Athens Title In PSA Tour Debut". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  7. ↑ "Ramy. Full stop. Change paragraph". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  8. ↑ "Ramy's revenge in Dayton". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  9. ↑ "Ramy and Nicol take Kuwait cronws". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  10. ↑ "Ramy makes it a double". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  11. ↑ "Ramy reigns supreme in Sportcity". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  12. ↑ "Ramy joins ToC elite". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  13. ↑ "Ramy retains against rusty Shabana". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  14. ↑ "Omneya and Ramy retains Hurghada titles". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  15. ↑ "Ramy Ashour & Nicol David share world honours in Manchester". World Squash 2008 Official Website. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  16. ↑ "Ashour outlasts Matthew in North American open final". Squashplayer.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  17. ↑ "Ramy retains Hurgada Title". Squashplayer.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  18. ↑ Framboise Gommendy. "Ramy is the Master". Squashsite. Retrieved 2009-12-24. 
  19. ↑ "Top seeds take KL titles". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  20. ↑ "Today at the Hong Kong Open". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  21. ↑ "Ashour Beats Willstrop To Deny English British Grand Prix Win". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  22. ↑ "Ramy Soaring". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  23. ↑ "Ramy joins ToC elite". tocsquash.com. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  24. ↑ "Contrasting wins for Ramy and Raneem". tocsquash.com. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  25. ↑ "Ramy Ashour wins Australian Open". psaworldtour.com. Retrieved 2011-08-15. 
  26. ↑ "The Dream Final". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-09-25. 
  27. ↑ "Ramy is the El Gouna Champion". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-11. 
  28. ↑ "Brilliant Ashour wins Australian Open Final". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  29. ↑ "David and Ashour claim first US Open titles". squashsite365.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 
  30. ↑ "Nicol retains, Ramy regains, on the Hong Kong Harbour". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-12-02. 
  31. ↑ "Ramy comback denies Greg". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  32. ↑ "Maestro Ashour Masters Matthew". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-03-03. 
  33. ↑ "Ramy is the Kuwait PSA cup champion". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-03-16. 
  34. ↑ "Ramy takes the San Fran title from Greg". squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-10-31. 
  35. ↑ "Older brother prevails". Squashsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  36. ↑ "World number ones take Hong Kong titles". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  37. ↑ "Saudi showdown". Atcosquash.com. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  38. ↑ "Shabana's Turn...". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  39. ↑ "Magnificent Shabana Takes US Open". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  40. ↑ "It's four for Shabana's". worldopensquash.com. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  41. ↑ "It's James at last". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  42. ↑ "Matthew wins North American Open 2010". squash.socialgo.com. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  43. ↑ "Matthew shows why he’s number one". squash.me.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  44. ↑ "Darwish takes title as Ashour limps out...". squash.me.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  45. ↑ "Mighty Matthew masters Ashour to retain Richmond title". Squashsite.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  46. ↑ "King James Rules in Richmond publisher = Squashsite.org.uk". Retrieved 2013-03-08. 
  47. ↑ "Nicol David and Nick Matthew are the Champions". britishopensquash.net. Retrieved 2011-05-26. 
  48. ↑ http://www.psaworldtour.com/page/PlayerProfile/0,,13121~893,00.html

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ramy Ashour.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Karim Darwish
Nick Matthew
James Willstrop		 World No. 1
January 2010 – May 2010
September 2010 - December 2012
January 2013 - December 2013 		Succeeded by
Nick Matthew
Nick Matthew
Nick Matthew
Professional Squash Association: Top ten African male squash players as of February 2014
Professional Squash Association: Egypt Top ten Egyptian male squash players as of February 2014
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