03 March 2013

RAMY ASHOUR + JAMES WILLSTROP + USA = MASTERPIECES FOR THE AGES

Well, if there had been only that extraordinary triple-fake by James Willstrop at 6:10, matchball down in the fourth game, this match would already feature in the history books. But just two rallies earlier, at 03:49 in the below video, there was the sauciest nonchalant shot ever, by Ramy Ashour of course. And about a dozen of another incredibly skilful solutions executed with casual ease. James and Ramy have a long story together, and for some reason they almost always take squash to an extraterrestrial level when they play in the USA. You know the 2011 masterpiece at the TOC in New York, or even some of their earlier TOC matches, but I consider a masterpiece even last year's North American Final where James Willstrop demonstrated that IT IS possible to contain Ramy Ashour, it is just god-dam rare as you probably need to consult the gods to achieve it the night before the match.