PLAYER OF THE MONTH

RAMY ASHOUR ACHIEVEMENT: Winning first title in seven months Age: 30 (DOB: 30/9/87) MARCH 2018 ISSUE 2 EST. 1971 Country: Egypt Sponsors: Pharco, Salming, Prince, CIB RODRIGUEZ’S WORKshop OPEN DREAM NEW ZEALAND’S NEWS drills and technique work in the mornings, and conditioning ended whatprogramme he described focusing on as “a very hard two REEHAM SEDKY is starting to reap the benefits of the training KING followed by further drills, conditioningyears” by thewinning multi-dimensional his first PSAaspects Tour of . title in seven months at and fitness programme she has been doing since last summer EL SHERBINI games and matchplay topics in the PALMER AND WILLSTROP the $100,000‘Building Grasshopper pressure’ is the Cup. focus of at home in Seattle with father Khaled and at college at the IN STYLE HEADLINE US CAMP afternoons.” YOUR TACTICAL WSF NEWS PLAYERSSquashSkills’ summer camp at Surrey University of Pennsylvania with Gilly Lane and Jack Wyant. COURSE Recently-crowned Commonwealth The 30-year-oldSports Park seventh in Guildford seed on produced July 28 and a masterly performance WorldGames champions Squash James Chief Willstrop ExecutiveUK COURSES Andrew UPDATE LONG GAME Fast-rising Egyptian Marwan ElShorbagyto defeat world29 with no.1Paul Carter,Mohamed Jesse Engelbrecht,ElShorbagy 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 in In March the 21-year-old reached the finals of the US National INTERACTIVE CENTRE and David Palmer are to headline the OF THE MONTH will be passing on some of the tips that Jethro Binns and Gary Nisbet. SUMMER COURSES ShelleyPlay Squash Academyreviews Sleepaway the international scene the all-Egyptian final in Zurich and round off a week in which he Women’s Championship and the $25,000 , the latter have taken him to a career-high third in Camps in Pennsylvania, USA, in July. did notA dropprilMeanwhile, a game. Since ’86 concentrate on achievement as a qualifier seeing her soar up the world rankings the world rankings when he takes part in COMPETITION technical and tactical content, movement, from 223 to 79. Willstrop, the Englishman who struck gold the two Millfield Squash Course weeks“I’m pouringinRamy mentality with Ashour andemotion “fun” inwins right their three now,” his weeks saidfirst of the injury-plaguedPSA title in WORKSHOPon the Gold Coast in the men’s singles, Street, Somerset, in July and August. universal squash camps and tournaments will take the camp at the Mercersburg triple world champion after ending ElShorbagy’s 12-match “I had competed in the US College Individuals the weekend WIN RAPHAEL The 24-year-old will assist Millfield Schoolseven in July months, and August at Lee-on-Solent while Reeham in Sedky is Academy from July 1 to 6, while Palmer, winning streak. “It’s been a very hard two years - but I have before the Nationals and that is where my momentum started,” KANDRA’S RACKET News: England Squash rolesdirector offor squash Matthew; Ian Thomas, Millfield Hampshire. the Australian who ended his competitive School head of strength and conditioningprovedrunner-up to myself that Iat am the there Texas again. Mohamed Open is an amazing explained Sedky, who beat top seed and world no.22 Hania El career by winning the men’s doubles in Week one (July 22-29) is devoted to WILLSTROP Polar Workforce Awards; GrahamLeicester Williams and former Czechathlete. He is the world champion and has been doing amazing Hammamy in Houston. “The momentum continued by beating April, will lead the following week’s sessions. coaching from Tim Vail, Bryan Patterson, University scholarships Republic PSA Tour pro Petr Martinrecently, from May butFiona I’m Geaves happy and with Miles theJenkins, way plus I played a today. It was a world no.13 Olivia Blatchford in the semi-finals of the Nationals The two former world no.1s will be assisted July 29-August 1 and August 2-5. South England Squash silver tournament; in the camps for intermediate and advanced brutal match, but I’m glad I came out on top. and, more importantly, just loving the squash scene every time The course will provide an intensive Marwanweek two (JulyElShorbagy 29-August 5) has coachingwins his first PSA Coursesplayers by the Egyptian Cale El Torkyn sisters,dar: I stepped onto court. COASTS training programme that incorporates“I’m not surprisedand a Doubles because Junior Open I did tournament a lot of work on and I’ve been Heba and Nouran. World Series title, while Summer camps in the UKall and the necessary USA components forthrough improve- a Augustlot - I’m 4; and not week being three cocky (August - 5-11)I’m saying what’s really “During the Texas Open I knew that a lot of the pressure was on Action-packed days will feature routines, ment on and off the court, and a strength has coaching and a handicap tournament. on mycaptures mind, because three I think Commonwealth I kind of deserve this and Games I hope the seeded players, so I just relaxed before every match and the TO GOLD we canmedals play more of these matches in the future.” positive mindset definitely improved the quality of my squash.” Selected events only. For full details please see COURSE & CAMP CALENDAR www.squashplayer.co.uk/directory/index.html

JUNE 15-27 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight 30 - Elite Squash: Junior AdvancedMARWAN Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and Aug 3 Summer Camp. Ages 9-18, county 03-08 London Squash Coach: Sun, Sea ELSHORTBAGY advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. to national level. Exeter, UK. & Squash. Age 18 +, all levels. FEATURES La Santa, Lanzarote. 22-27 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight 30 - Elite Squash: Junior AdvancedACHIEVEMENT:

Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediateAPRIL and Aug 10 Summer Camp. Ages 9-18,First county World Series title 10-15 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight RODRIGUEZ FLYING HIGH advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. to national level. Exeter, UK. Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and Age: 24 (DOB: 30/7/93) advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 22-29 Since ‘86: Universal Squash Camp Richard Eaton talks to Miguel Rodriguez AUGUST Ages 9-18, county standard. Country: Egypt 10-22 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight Lee-on-Solent, UK. 02-05 Millfield School: Squash Course about his dramatic British Open win Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and Ages 8-17, all levels. Sponsor: Tecnifibre, advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 28-29 SquashSkills: UK Summer Camp Millfield, Street, UK. Channel VAS Age 18+, all levels. Surrey Sports OPEN DRAMA 17-22 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight Park, UK. 5-11 Since ‘86: Universal Squash Camp Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and Ages 9-18, county standard. Ian McKenzie was in Hull to watch Miguel advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 29 - Millfield School: Squash Course MARWAN ELSHORBAGY Lee-on-Solent, is hoping UK. his El Gouna International JOELLE KING admitted it was “pretty amazing” to win three Aug 1 Ages 8-17, all levels. Millfield, JUNE 24-29 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight Open success in April is “a start to many great things”. medals at the recent on the Gold Coast. Rodriguez and triumph Street, UK. 6-10 Elite Squash: Junior Advanced Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and Miguel Rodriguez Summer Camp. Ages and 9-18, countyNour El Sherbini advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 29 - MSquash: Accelerator OvernightHis comprehensive 3/0 victory over fellow Egyptian in The 29-year-old New Zealander boosted her tally of medals to to national level. Exeter, UK. HEART OF GOLD Aug 3 Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediatethe final and brought the 24-year-old fourth seed his first PSA World five over three Games since 2010 by winning the women’s singles 24 - MSquash: Accelerator Overnight win British Open titles advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 11-12 Academy: CoaJuly 6 c Camp.hes’ Ages 9-18,Cor intermediatener: and Bett Dryhurst Series trophy and what he labelled “the biggest tile of my PSA and the women’s doubles, the latter with Amanda Landers- Mike Dale hears the story behind James Masterclass All ages, all levels. advanced. Port Chester, NY, USA. 29 - Since ‘86: Universal Squashcareer Camp so far”. Murphy, before striking bronze with Paul Coll in the mixed. HALL Sheffield,OF UK.FAME Willstrop’s Commonwealth gold medal The long game: SquashAug 5Player Ages 9-18, looks county level. JULY Lee-on- Solent, UK. “It’s alsoVicki a result Cardwell of all the ishard inducted work I have into put in the in the Squash last “Probably a year ago, three medals would have been beyond my at two adaptations of squash that are period,” he said. “I have been focusing on my weaknesses this KING RULES AGAIN 01-06 Play Squash Academy: Sleepaway Player Hall of Fame. Richard Eaton wildest dreams - but the way this year has been going, I wanted serving Camp. their Ages 10-17, devotees intermediate well season and getting a lot of confidence with the way I have been three golds to be honest,” she said. “But to come away with two Joelle King explains how a move to Elite and advanced. Pennsylvania, USA. playingremembers in each tournament.” golds and a bronze is pretty amazing. Ta01-06ct MSquash:ics: AcceleratorIn a new Overnight series, Squash Player ElShorbagy junior is also reaping the rewards of living in the Squash revitalised her career Camp. Ages 9-18, intermediate and “It’s a team effort, though – it’s not just me, it’s all these guys South-West of England in Bristol and working with Ian Thomas, presents advanced. the Port Chester,key tactics NY, USA. you should be HALLof FAME who have been watching me all the way through the singles and MOXHAM PRESSES ACCELERATOR Haitham Effat and Hadrian Stiff. “There are many PSA players in picking me up each day.” using8-13 Play in Squash your Academy: game Sleepaway and explains how to Bristol, a good group of guys and great atmosphere between all Australian Shaun Moxham tells Simon Camp. Ages 10-17, intermediate of us,” he said. “I feel very lucky living in a city like this. It gives King became New Zealand’s first ever Commonwealth Games develop and advanced. them Pennsylvania, USA. Redfern of his training innovation me theRichard right mindset Eaton remembers to be relaxed and not think about anything singles gold medallist when she beat England’s Sarah-Jane 15-20 MSquash: Accelerator Overnight else except enjoying my squash.” Perry 3/2 in a thrilling final. M y game Camp. Ages: World 9-18, intermediate no.1 and Nour El Sherbini talks advanced.tactics Port with Chester, Squash NY, USA. PlayerSince ’86 Universal Squash Camp students at Lee-on-SolentVICKI in Hampshire CARDWELL MORE FEATURES 42 was a boisterous, brilliantly athletic Mike Dale uncovers the all-time most Team28 Dunlop Q&A: Ali Farag and Australian who led theSQUASHPLAYER.CO.UK women’s game through the first years of its nascent professional tour during the early 1980s, becoming the best player by force of prolific national champions; James Zug Greg Gaultier answer your questions personality as much as by skill and movement – then disappearing suddenly at the height of her powers. reports on a new Team USA; PERFORMANCE Rod Gilmour OF THE MONTH ON COURT If this was unexpected back then, it grew dynamic on-court presence, looks back on an enjoyable 2018 into one of the game’s mysteries over time. generated by a mixture of spectacular Cardwell’s explanation is that late in 1983 movement, demonstrative personality, MARCH APRIL MAY she felt “her biological clock was ticking”. a left-handed ability to hit the ball with unexpected ferocity and a bristling Commonwealth Games At the age of 28 she decided that starting a determination to succeed. German Raphael Kandra’s shock 3/1 Egyptian Salma Hany’s stunning 3/0 Unseeded Colombian Miguel Angel family had higher priority than the further defeat of top seed in the humbling of world no.6 and French Rodriguez’s dramatic 3/2 victory over success which – after four British Open Voluble, forthright and warm, but some- quarter-finals of the M35 Squash favourite in the last eight world no.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy in the triumphs and a World Championship – times too controversial for those in NEWS Squared Wimbledon Cup Open of the W50 Macau Open British Open final had seemed likely. authority, Cardwell might never have become passionate about squash but for Her departure happened only a few the encouragement of her tennis coach. months after the formation of a Women’s Not till she was 17 did she consider Miguel Rodriguez’s British Open win International Squash Players Association competing seriously. designed to improve the status and HISTORYremuneration of its members. Gradually Despite claiming she had been “absolutely covered by the South American media; it did, but not for Cardwell. And it was hopeless” during her first state junior seven years before her first baby arrived. championships, she was such a natural John Murray asksathlete Natalie that she developed Grinham quickly. And how Nick Matthew’s honour; Pro stoppages down Nevertheless, with typical courage and after watching legends Heather McKay, determination she returned to the tour Geoff Hunt and Kenny Hiscoe in action, sheafter having became children, competing the in first she was hooked.player to win three several more World Championships, Four years later, she was Australia’s top Editorial: Comment on the controversial goldwinning a couplemedals of Australian Opensat a Commonwealthplayer, reaching the British Open final the Games and reaching world no.12 before following year, 1978, and winning the title retiring again aged 42. in 1980. In the final she outplayed the squash refereeing policy at the Common- English top seed, Sue Cogswell, who These achievements inspired the creation possessed a more creative game, but There were other setbacks. When her FROMof a special award for women, THE the Vicki GALLERY could not quell Cardwell’s strength of contest with England’s Angela Smith in Cardwell Comeback Player of the Year, wealth Games character and intimidating will to win. Birmingham deteriorated into a wrestling and contributed to her inclusion in the match, it brought disciplinary action against RodAustralian Gilmour Sport Hall of Fame and provides the Cardwell wona thepersonal British Open again in view of event both players. This and other contentious award of a British Empire Medal. 1981, beating fellow Aussie Margaret incidents underlined Cardwell as the first Zachariah in the final, and made it four in But we never learned whether she was professional champion in a new era of events at the Commonwealtha row by overcoming , theGames teenaged good enough to have delayed the onset of increasing physicality and aggression. home hope, in the next two finals. , a little-known 20-year-old Though Cardwell perhaps epitomised this, New Zealander, who succeeded her as Her one world title came when she she was only one of a group of women British Open champion and developed into CANARY WHARF EXPERIMENTS However, to watch four full ‘best-of-five’ “The last time I won one of the biggest overcame title holder summoned to an emergency meeting RODRIGUEZ’S DIRECTORYthe most successful female professional matches in an evening is difficult. City tournaments in my career was in London in Perth late in 1983, a success which during the 1980 women’s British Open and World no.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy experi- Round-up, News & Reviews, Rankings, so far. gents rush in after the 5pm start and rush at Canary Wharf and two years later I have probably persuaded her that the time warned that unless the aggro stopped, mented with a rare outing at London’s ServicingDevoy would have faced aall Cardwell your whose forsquash retirement was imminent. needs they risked disqualification. off to catch trains home before play is won this one – I should be born here!” momentum was impressive. Between 1978 favourite event, the $100,000 Canary Wharf Quote of the Month, Performance of the Despite the negative gossip which ensued, finished. The solution? Make the matches and 1983 she reached the semi-final or Cardwell claims that her most memorable defeat also came against Thorne – in a these blemishes seemed symptomatic Classic, in March and won, writes Ian At Wimbledon, the fifth seed reached the final in every tournament she played, for DREAM best of three. From this point of view, the two-hour world final in Toronto in 1981, of something much bigger – the anger five years using her unmarried name, McKenzie. Month, Profile of Yip Tszfinal Fung, with wins overShort Ben Coleman, Shots, Youssef then thought to be the longest women’s and freedom which the women’s game new format worked well. Hoffmann. Ian McKenzie witnesses Soliman (the qualifier who put out fourth match yet played. After losing 9-7 in the experienced whilst at last beginning to The real experiment, however, was with the COMPETITION PSAThere are Tour other considerations, round-up though. seed Declan James) and . Though small in stature, she appeared fifth, a mortified Cardwell hid in a tree hurdle decades of social and financial thescoring. most This dramatic was the first major of ranking larger than she was because of her and refused to come down. barriers. Those who win major events often arrive for He was dominant in the final, not allowing Win Raphael Kandra’s event to include the best-of-three games men’s British Opens the final fresher, but, to some extent, this Tom Richards any way into the match. 44 SQUASHPLAYER.CO.UK format. racket Enis a lotterygla and ncand depend Sq on uashthe rest days. events: Euros The event’s sponsors included Tooting- ElShorbagy didn’t like it. “The sooner we Previously at Canary Wharf, if a Tuesday based estate agents Mercer Taylor and stop this and get back to proper squash, for Edgbaston and Pontefract; Lazarus’ player had an epic five-set battle, they financial research company Pelham the better,” said the Egyptian. “I train for played again on the Wednesday, whereas Smithers Associates, located in the City hard battles – that is what it is about.” nationala Monday player record; enjoyed a rest day.Top This 10 offor London. Wycliffe; ElShorbagy got his battles in the semi- year the semi-finals were highly competitive. SUBSCRIPTIONS Funds from the tournament and auction finals and final, which he won 3/2 St“There George’s is a reason for that,are obviously,” PSL champions at the excellent finals-night dinner went to respectively against younger brother said the PSA’s Lee Beachill, alluding to Get your copy Now! help grow the club’s charity for deserving Marwan and compatriot . the fact that players arrived a little fresher. children, Squash Squared. The charity Print & Digital The jury is out, though, on best of three CALENDARWe are, however, playing with the ingred- has 80 pupils from local primary schools and there is probably no definitive answer. ients of the sport. The games and rallies attending weekly coaching sessions. OFF COURT The matches are not more exciting for the Selectedwere a little longer events on the first threecoming days, up including the spectator, but organisers can fit matches but the play wasn’t especially attacking. Squashplayer.co.uk Glass floors; England’s Worldin more easily.Juniors squad WorldIt was more Junior intense, but theChampionships chance of a in India in July comeback was reduced. For instance, Gregoire Marche, Greg Lobban and Nathan Lake went out in 32, CASTAGNET SQUARES UP 33 and 32 minutes respectively, which helped the staging. Mathieu Castagnet knelt down and kissed the floor after winning the $35,000 Squash The 16-draw event is played Monday Squared Wimbledon Club Open, writes to Friday, with the eight first-round matches split over Monday and Tuesday, the quarter-finals on the Wednesday, the semis on the Thursday and the final on Friday. It is a brilliant format, very popular and sold out shortly after tickets are released. With Canary Wharf being at the heart of London’s financial district, city workers come to watch – there are around 400 seats – and wine and dine at the same time. There is even a bar above the court.