POSTED: Saturday November 7th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SQUASH - Shabana Celebrates Fourth World Open Title Win In Kuwait

Global Squash News from the PSA:

RESULTS:                  Kuwait Men’s World Open     Squash Championship, Green Island,     Kuwait

Final:

[4] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [3] Ramy Ashour (EGY)     11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (50m)

Shabana Celebrates Fourth World Open Title Win In     Kuwait

Egypt’s Amr Shabana joined the sport’s     all-time greats when he lifted the Kuwait Men’s World Open Squash     title tonight (Saturday) at Green Island Resort in     Kuwait - becoming only the fourth player in history, after Australia’s     Geoff Hunt and Pakistanis Jahangir Khan and Jansher     Khan, to win four World Open crowns.

Both Hunt and Jahangir Khan were among the     distinguished guests in the record 1,300 Green Island crowd, witnessing     the final of the premier event on the PSA World Tour between world     number two Shabana and the defending champion Ramy Ashour.  It was the second all-Egyptian in     successive years - and one which undoubtedly attracted the     standing-room-only crowd.

Third seed Ashour, the 22-year-old from Cairo     whose near magical performances had entranced the Kuwait crowds all week,     was unable to reproduce the magic in the long-awaited climax to the     richest ever event in world squash which boastedS a $277,500 prize     fund.

Controlled squash gave the first game to Shabana     in just 12 minutes.  The     30-year-old, who reigned as world number one for 33 unbroken months until     the end of last year, again took the second game without ever losing the     lead.

There was a resigned look to Ashour throughout the     third as Shabana seemed on course to maintain his ‘odd’ sequence of world     successes - having won the titles previously in 2003, 2005 and     2007.

After being denied a let midway through the third     game, Ashour - who was becoming increasingly frustrated by the officials’     decisions - shouted later ‘can I get a let this     time?’.

‘Yes, you can get a let’ responded central referee     Nasser Zahran.

Shabana reached match ball at 10-4 after     wrong-footing his opponent.      But Ashour took the next point and served for the next     rally.

But it lasted one single shot as left-hander     Shabana pulled off his trademark return of service straight into the     sidewall nick to record his historic 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 victory in 50     minutes.

“I felt nervous before the match, and I’m sure he     was feeling the same,” conceded the victor - who now boasts 26 PSA World     Tour titles, equalling Australian David Palmer’s haul, more than     any other current player on the Tour.

“The final always feels different.  And playing such a great player     like Ramy, you don’t know what to expect,” added     Shabana.

“It was a very mental match - I felt I had to take     it point by point.  I was     really focussed.

“I think it was just my day - I’m 100% sure he’s     going to get days when it’s all him!”

When asked how he felt, equalling the achievements     of Hunt and the Khans, the ‘Prince of Cairo’ responded:  “It’s a dream.  You don’t think about it - you     just dream about it.

“It will take a month or two for it to sink in,”     concluded the new World Open champion.

Ashour was almost inconsolable after his     defeat.  “I have nothing to     say.  He played well - he was     just more consistent than I was.”

For all the latest results, visit the official     event website: www.kuwaitworldopen2009.com

Follow the action from the PSA World Tour live on WWW.PSALIVE.TV - the Professional     Squash Association’s official webstreaming service.  Enjoy live action, replays,     download archive matches and enjoy exclusive Live & Uncut     DVDs

- ENDS –

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Keywords · Kuwait Men’s World Open Squash Championship · Green Island · Kuwait · squash

Name: Howard Harding
Organization: PSA/WISPA/WSF/ESF
Email:
Phone: +(44) 1737-243333

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