Brilliant Ashour Wins Australian Open Final
from PSA Media
photos courtesy Australian Open media
19 August 2012 - Defending champion Ramy Ashour was at his brilliant best as he downed fellow Egyptian Omar Mosaad in straight games to win his second Hi-Tec Australian Open crown today in Canberra.
Ashour took 53 minutes to see off the tall and powerful Mosaad 11-9, 11-9, 11-6, thrilling the big crowd with the audacity of his stroke play in the climax of the PSA World Tour International 70 squash event in Canberra's Royal Theatre.
Mosaad was also in superb touch but Ashour always had the edge over his countryman, sneaking the first two games then stamping his authority on the third, clinching victory with a devastating drive down the forehand wall.
Ashour had to survive two gruelling matches to make the final, first downing Swiss number one Nicolas Mueller in five games in the quarter-finals, then top-ranked Australian Cameron Pilley in four in the semis.
But there were no signs of weariness in the final, the 24-year-old from Cairo choosing to keep hitting the ball during the game breaks rather than having a rest.
He said he found it difficult playing against Mosaad, someone he grew up with in Egypt. "We both know each other's games very well, we've both seen each other's shots so we're at the place where the ball is going even before it's been hit," said Ashour, the world No4 who now has 24 PSA Tour titles to his name.
"It's more of a mental match as a matter of fact," continued the former world No1. "If you're not 100 per cent accurate, the other person is going to string a lot of points together in a row, especially if you're playing someone who knows your game."
Ashour said he had been pushed hard throughout the tournament. "Every match was tough this week," he said.
"The further you go in the tournament the more pressure is on you, the more you are worried and the more you don't want to let go of what you have done."
The Egyptian has made no secret of his wish to return to world number one and also used his win to push the cause to have squash included in the Olympics.
"It's very healthy, you burn a lot of calories. This game can be very, very good for human beings in general - not just as a sport," he said.
"We have a portable court that can be put anywhere in the world. It's very fast, very interesting, very exciting and everyone whoever watches squash always comes back."
RESULTS: PSA International 70 Hi-Tec Australian Open, Canberra, Australia
Final:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (53m)
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