Ashour's Netsuite Title Extends Unbeaten Match String to 45 by Howard Harding
photos Andreas Hofweber
2 October 2013
- Egypt's indestructible squash force Ramy Ashour marched through to
his ninth PSA World Tour title in a row - and extended his unbeaten
Tour run to 45 matches since May last year - when he dethroned NetSuite
Open champion Gregory Gaultier in the final of the PSA International 70
event in San Francisco to win the title for the first time.
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 on an all-glass court erected on the South Lawn at
Justin Herman Plaza on the San Francisco waterfront, backed by views of
the renowned Ferry Building and Bay Bridge (see picture below).
It was the dream
climax between the world's top two players - Ashour, the world No1 from
Cairo who was celebrating his 12th successive PSA final since December
2011 - and title-holder Gaultier, the world No2 from France who arrived
in California with a second successive PSA International 70 Abierto
Mexicano de Raquetas title under his belt.
The NetSuite Open
enjoyed a sold out crowd, beautiful California night and exquisite
competition from Ashour and Gaultier (pictured in NetSuite action
below).
"Greg was slower in
the first and seemingly more unfocused than Ramy but the second and
third contained some of the most ferocious, first pumping, shout out
finishing shots ever seen on the pro tour," explained Nimick.
"Gaultier was a tiger
throughout game two and three. Ramy stayed close but hit several tins,
looking up at the night sky and speaking to himself constantly.
"Ramy pulled away quickly in game four at which point Greg managed himself physically as the game slipped away.
"Gaultier came out
with intensity in the earlier going of game five and the incredible
gets and rallies were welcomed by what seemed to be a partisan Gaultier
crown," Nimick continued.
"But the masterful Ashour stormed to a 9-2 lead before closing 11-2 and winning his first NetSuite Open title."
The 11-4, 7-11, 7-11,
11-3, 11-2 triumph in 68 minutes - his fourth in a final against
Gaultier in the past 12 months - takes Ashour's Tour title haul to 32
from 47 final appearances.
RESULTS: PSA International 70 NetSuite Open, San Francisco, USA
