DOUBLE FAKEING YOURSELF: AMR SHABANA vs. JAMES WILLSTROP

It has been said a few times, the great thing about Amr Shabana is the mixture, the perfect balance of keeping it simple and being tricky at the right times. However, sometimes it can happen even to the greats that they become confused with themselves, just as it happens to Shabana in the below rally at 0:30. He employs a double fake, I guess as a variation to avoid to proceed to the more usual holding of the shot or just taking the ball as early as possible (which both are better solutions than the double fake when your opponent is so close to you I think).Anyway, some mess will always come with creativity, you just have to make sure that their number remains restricted.


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THE RAMY ASHOUR MASTERPIECE IN 2011 NEW YORK TOC

This one is one of my favourite one-sided matches ever. Ramy Ashour in general is probably the best thing that could ever happen to squash, but this semi-final match against James Willstrop at the 2011 TOC in New York Grand Central Station was probably his most outrageous masterpiece he has ever created (If you have a subscription with PSA Squash TV then you can watch it in the 'Replay' section). Beating the world #4 in about 30 minutes tells in itself the story. And don't think James was injured or played badly. Not at all. It's just that Ramy was more on fire than ever before, probably because he just had behind him a long and frustrating injury and recovery time and even against David Palmer in the previous round (with the shot of the century!) he seemed to be careful and hesitating at the start. Ramy probably felt euphoric not feeling any pain or fear for the first time after long. What ever the reason was, here we have the last three rallies. I just find it so intriguing when all four corners of the court are being used, when all kinds of pace (slow-fast) and trajectories (high-low) are employed in an embarrassing variety and when players are not afraid to go for the geometrically most risky solution: sending the ball into the nick. Add to this an exceptionally high level of sportsmanship (keeping playing when others might stop is search for a 'Stroke'), the direct and honest expression of admiration by the opponent (the mutual clapping after the first and second rally) and the warm friendly hug at the end. You just can't pretend to ask more than that form the phenomenon called squash, can you?


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WEEKEND BAGATELLE IV.: THIS, A LET? JAMES WILLSTROP vs. PETER BARKER

If two weekend earlier's 'bagatelle', with Shabana and Willstrop, had a funny but probably right 'Let' outcome, the current one is a sample of exemplary bad refereeing. The decision is even worse knowing that for the first time in squash history, a challenging system with video replay was employed (what a great thing though). Should have been simple: there was minimal if any interference, Willstrop was not blocking or clearing in the wrong way, Barker had straight access to the ball, he didn't raise his hand for a 'let' at or before the moment of the minimal interference (exactly because he knew it was only a 'minimal interference'), he went through and was ready to play and chose not to do so because of the quality and tightness of Willstrop's faded drop. One or two of the above mentioned would already be enough for a 'No Let!', but if all of the above mentioned points are applicable, then there should be no question - also because cheap 'Lets' damage the profile of the game. Otherwise, congratulations to Peter Barker, this was his first ever win against Willstrop.


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HOW TO FINISH OFF A MATCH: RAMY ASHOUR vs. GREGORY GAULTIER

You can't finish off a tight five-gamer (or just any match) more stylish than that, can you. And the amazing thing is that Ramy was definitely going for the nick-boast as everything else would have put him under huge  pressure (even if we know that he doesn't mind allowing his opponents to get in front of him). Concerning the Ramy-Gaultier story of the last couple of years, as incredible as it sounds, before their last encounter in Hurghada this year - which was won by Ramy 3:0 - their five previous matches went all to five, with each time Ramy coming out as the winner. If you have a subscription on PSA Squash TV I suggest to watch their quarter final match at this years North American Open (where the below rally is from), last year's final at the Hong Kong Open, their semi final at the Australian Open and mostly their 2010 quarter final match at the TOC in New York.


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FROM THE BEST DIVES SERIES: AMR SHABANA vs. RAMY ASHOUR

The overall dive kings are David Palmer and John White, but close after them comes Amr Shabana. In one respect Shabana is clearly superior to Palmer and White: his aptitude of standing up after the dive. I guess being shorter helps in this respect, but even taking this into account the athleticism factor - the speed of getting back to his feet - of the below recovery is hilarious.

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WEEKEND BAGATELLE III.: YES LET, CONDUCT STROKE... WARNING... THAT'S FINE!

If these two, Barker and Matthew were not the good mates they are, I could have imagined some more upset reactions from the guy who has been pushed. Just translate this situation into, let's say, a Palmer-Power, or Ricketts-Power context... Matthew argues funnily and intelligently with the referee just to clear the misunderstanding. He did not want to lose a point (conduct stroke) but was totally fine with a conduct warning. As a prologue let's mention that Matthew ended up losing this match, which ended also his incredible 6 months-long winning streak. After match ball, in his frustration, he threw his racket brutally into the glass-wall. I guess if there is a moment Matthew would have the power of cancelling from his squash-past, that one would figure high in the list.


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