WORLD SQUASH UPDATE Issue 82 September / October 2019 FOR ALL WSF REGIONAL & NATIONAL FEDERATIONS cc: WSF Regional Presidents, WSF Commission Members, Stakeholders, PSA members, SPINs, Media, Accredited Products and Companies FROM WSF EXECUTIVE BOARD - WSF REGIONS AND NATIONS UPDATE Last week the WSF Board met in London. In addition to the general and ongoing business of managing the affairs of WSF, there are a few specific areas that it is timely to update upon. One is the appointment of a Chief Executive to follow Andrew Shelley who stepped down at the end of June. The WSF Board initiated a process to handle filling this key position, which led to an initial shortlist of candidates being evolved all of whom were interviewed by the Board as a whole via a conference call. They were then reduced to a final selection who were met and interviewed in person during the meeting. An announcement on the appointment can be expected shortly. Another important element of the London meeting was to receive an initial progress report from James Sandwith, the British brand and marketing consultant, appointed to gather opinion and insight from squash federations around the world, and those within the broader squash community including the PSA, to determine what the sport's strategic future should look like. His plans for the coming weeks and arrangements for his report to be received by delegates for discussion at the WSF AGM & Conference in Cape Town at the beginning of November were covered too. Also central to the there was a review of draft reports, forward plans, motions, accounts and budget Reports for inclusion in the AGM papers that will be circulated this month. Planning for the Delegate Conference Day was also refined. The Board hope that many delegates from Regions and nations will participate in general discussions that will help shape our future in Cape Town. Jacques Fontaine WSF President 1 EGYPTIAN BUSINESS AS USUAL! "This win is really important for me because I've been Top seeds Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy rose watching all my favourite players on the PSA Tour and to the occasion in the finals of the CIMB Foundation they've all won the title at some point’, said El WSF World Junior Squash Championships in Kuala Hammamy. "I was angry that I didn't win this before Lumpur, claiming an Egyptian double in the premier and for the past three years I've been really hoping to World Squash Federation junior event for the third win it. There was a lot of pressure on me too and I year in a row. was also nervous to start because I didn't want to lose in my last world juniors," added Hania. In the boys' final, top seed Asal delivered a showman's performance as he put down compatriot Moustafa El Sirty (both pictured below) 3/0 for his second straight world junior title. The Cairo native Asal got back into the first game and despite being 10-7 down went on to take the game 12- 10. After that it was a one-sided affair as Asal simply exerted his influence while El Sirty looked a spent force. The world No.29 would eventually wrap up the win after 41 minutes to be the fifth player since 2006 to win two world junior crowns. Azman goes down In the women’s semi finals a thrilling encounter in Defending champion Asal follows in the illustrious front of a partisan saw Malaysia's 3/4 seed Aifa Azman footsteps of Ramy Ashour, Mohamed Elshorbagy and go down 3/2 to Jana Shiha. Meanwhile, El Hammamy, Marwan Elshorbagy by becoming the fourth Egyptian who despite dropping the third game, still proved too to win the men's title twice in a row, while El hot for compatriot Farida Mohamed. Hammamy, runner-up for the past two years, finally claimed the title at third time of asking - just as In the first men's semi-final, 3/4 seed Moustafa El Sirty distinguished compatriot Nour El Tayeb had done stole the show as he rallied from 2/1 down to upset eight years ago. second seed and his best friend Omar El Torkey 3/2 in 63 minutes. In the other half the superb run of Ending a junior career on a high unsseded Englishman Lewis Anderson came to an end Now competing in her fifth and final world junior as Asal powered through to a comfortable win. championships, it was clear that world No.15 El Full credit should be given to 18-year-old left-hander Hammamy was desperate to end her junior career on Anderson, however, who came into the event with a high. The 18-year-old from Cairo had to be at her little expectations but took out three seeded players, best against Jana Shiha, however, to see off the including 3/4 seed Viktor Byrtus of Czech Republic, en- challenge of her second-seeded compatriot at the route to becoming the first unseeded player for 15 Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre. years to reach a world junior semi-final! But despite trailing Men's: quarter-finals: [1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [5/8] Siow for most of the first Yee Xian (MAS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-1, Lewis Anderson (ENG) bt [9/12] game, Hania found Veer Chotrani (IND) 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, [3/4] Moustafa El Sirty her composure as (EGY) bt [5/8] Sam Todd (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, [2] Omar El Torkey (EGY) bt [5/8] Yehia Elnawasany (EGY) 11-6, 11-2, 11-3. she converted the Semi-finals: Asal bt Anderson 11-5, 11-5, 11-2, El Sirty bt El big points to take Torkey 11-8, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7. Final: Asal bt El Sirty 12-10, the first game 11-9. 11-3, 11-6 From there on the Women's: quarter-finals: [1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [5/8] Cairo native never Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) 14-12, 11-3, 12-10, [3/4] Farida Mohamed looked back and (EGY) bt [5/8] Chan Yiwen (MAS) 3-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, [3/4] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [5/8] Elise Lazarus (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 11-5, [2] Jana - who was Jana Shiha (EGY) bt [5/8] Marina Stefanoni (USA) 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, looking a little more weary after a gruelling five-game 11-7. Semi-finals: El Hammamy bt Mohamed 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11- semi-final 24 hours earlier, committed too many 3, Shiha bt Azman 10-12, 14-12, 2-11, 16-14, 11-7. Final: El errors. Hammamy bt Shiha 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 2 Egypt Secure World Junior Team Crown Too It is however full credit to the gutsy Malaysian team who left everything on court with this final being one It was seven in a row for Egypt after the favourites of the closest contested one in recent years. denied hosts Malaysia a fierce comeback in the final of the CIMB Foundation WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship which followed the Individual Championships. The loss means Malaysia finish as bridesmaids for the The defending champions needed every bit of second straight edition. Bronze medals were shared by firepower in their arsenal, and a bit of luck as they Hong Kong China & England. Meanwhile in the playoff rode the strong resistance of Malaysia for a 2/0 win at for fifth, India finished strongly by beating the higher the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre. seeded USA 2/1 - thereby celebrating their best finish since 2011. With a 1-3-2 order of play, recently crowned world junior champion Hania El Hammamy gave the Switzerland finished seventh after edging Australia 2/0 Egyptians the start they needed when she overcame to mark their most successful run in the Aifa Azman 3/1. championships for 20 years. Meanwhile Canada finished ninth, ahead of New Zealand, South Africa Aifi fires home crowd and France. Further down, Japan finished 13th after It didn't always go Egypt's way as Aifa gave the home beating Sweden 2/0 while Republic of Korea took 15th crowd something to dream about by taking the first after beating Ireland 2/1. game 11-6. Hania however proved her mettle by Finishing positions: storming back to take the second 11-6 and then came from behind to take the third 11-9. That swung the Final: [1] EGYPT bt [2] MALAYSIA 2/0 Hania El momentum as Aifa had the wind knocked out of her Hammamy bt Aifa Azman 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3. with Hania eventually romping home for the win. Farida Mohamed bt Ainaa Ampandi 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-4. 3rd place: [3] HONG KONG CHINA & [4] "I never wanted to be the reason why the team loses ENGLAND. 5th place play-off: [6] INDIA bt [5] USA so I went in there and I wanted to push hard for my 2/1. 7th place play-off: [8] SWITZERLAND bt [10] teammates," said Hania. "Winning the third game was AUSTRALIA 2/0. 9th - 12th place play-offs: [7] big for me as it certainly gave me a lot more CANADA bt [9] FRANCE 2/1. [11] NEW ZEALAND bt confidence and I'm really pleased to finish my junior [15] SOUTH AFRICA 2/0. Final positions: 9 Canada, career this way." 10 New Zealand, 11 South Africa, 12 France.