By Satya Rath/Doha
It will be an all-Egyptian clash in the final of the PSA World Squash Championship, to be played today at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
Two-time champion Ramy Ashour, who won his last world title at this very venue in 2012, and compatriot Mohamed Elshorbagy, chasing his maiden world crown, have met four times before, with Ashour winning all four times.
In yesterday’s semi-finals, Ashour beat top-seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier 17-15, 11-7, 11-5, while Elshorbagy outclassed defending champion Nick Matthew 11-9, 11-5, 11-8.
The Worlds jinx continues for Gaultier. The 32-year-old Frenchman, in his 16th year on tour, had been chasing this one title since turning pro in 1999. He came close to realising it four times, but always faltered at the final hurdle.
This time it looked like he would finally break that hoodoo, having won almost everything else the game has to offer. The way he had been improving with each passing day, the way he had been raising his game with each outing, it did look like Gaultier would finally land that elusive World title. Alas, it was not to be.
Against Ashour, Gaultier did everything he could. He tried out all his tricks, summoned whatever reserves he had, slipped, fell and rose over and over again, screamed and argued with the referee, yet he failed to get past someone to whom he has now lost 22 times in 29 attempts.
The calm-as-a-monk Egyptian was just too good for his illustrious opponent. After the first game, which was neck-to-neck and lasted a long 35 minutes, Gaultier simply surrendered. The next two games were over in a flash, just 11 minutes, to put the 27-year-old Ashour on the threshold of repeating his 2012 feat.
The exciting first game, which Ashour won 17-15, was a battle among equals. All the facets of high level squash were on display in plenty — tight volleys, unplayable nicks, deceptive lobs, accurate drops — with neither player ready to concede an inch. The game went on even keel, from five-all till 15-all. Someone had to give in, and Gaultier obliged, banging the tin twice to undo all the good work till then.
It was one-way traffic thereafter, with Gaultier virtually giving up. He looked a pale shadow of his first-game self and just kept gifting Ashour points. After the 35-minute opening game, the second took just six while the deciding third was even less, five minutes, and that tells the whole tale.
It’s all the head, they say, and Gaultier simple lost his. Defeats always hurt, but this defeat, or the manner of it, is sure to haunt him for long.
“Compared to yesterday, today I think I was much more confident coming into the match. My arm was hurting, but it only made my resolve stronger. I just wanted to stay focused and calm till the end, because at the top level, it’s all in the mind. Yes, I was a little surprised the way he (Gaultier) played in the last two games. He’s a great player, and he knew what he was doing,” Ashour said.
“I am just happy to have made the final. Doha has always given me happy memories, I won my last (world) title here, so yes, I just hope I can do it again,” added Ashour, who will meet countryman Elshorbagy in today’s final.
It was almost a repeat script in the second semi-final too, between defending champion Matthew and Elshorbagy, the reigning Qatar Classic champion. Three-time champion Matthew had just bulldozed his way to the last four, but Elshorbagy was in no mood to let him have his way this time.
Barring the ill-tempered but close first game, where the referee had a busy time pacifying and warning both, the other two games were scrappy. There was some great squash on display, but there were also errors galore. The one scoring less on the error-sheet had to win, and Elshorbagy scored big on that count.
Egyptian Mohamed Elshorbagy goes for a shot against England’s Nick Matthew yesterday.
