Mostafa Asal and Other TOC Observations

I have watched quite a few of the women's matches and there's been a number of surprising results, but today I'm going to focus on the phenom, the Raging Bull and some of the strange calls I've witnessed.

I've mentioned Mostafa Asal in a few previous posts as I saw him play at the World Juniors in India in 2018. He won the individual event without losing a single game. Now under 2 years later he's top 20 in the world and at the Tournament of Champions he had some huge wins. Asal beat Ramit Tandon, who I have also seen play in person in straight games. I didn't get to watch this match, but I saw his next 3. In round 2 he upset one of my favourite players, Mohamed Abouelghar who again I have also seen play in person. Yes, Asal played well in that match, but I thought Abouelghar was pretty flat and was probably a bit edgy and nervous playing a young up and coming junior from his native land.

For some reasons when 2 Egyptians match up they don't always play their best squash. A great example of this is if you look at the Tarek Momen and Marwan Elshorbagy match which was quite scrappy and the ref was far too involved. We don't always know the background and hierarchy back in Egypt, but there seems to be something holding some of them back from focusing on their squash when they compete against one another.

Asal against Gaultier was one of the most hyped matches in recent memory. Gaultier had a long delay after being off with a career threatening knee injury. Gaultier is one of the greats and the oldest player  that's still competing at the highest level. The last time he lost to a junior was probably closer to when he himself was a junior. The match lived up to the hype and was quite entertaining. Gaultier started off strong and looked the superior player in the first, but lost the momentum due to a minor blood injury delay between games. Asal looked nervous to be on this stage at this moment against this player, but the extra time seemed to give him some time to settle down. When game 2 started Gaultier's game slipped a bit and Asal was more relaxed. It was fantastic to watch 2 greats who are on opposite stages of their careers.

I heard that Asal didn't start playing squash until he was 11 years old. If that is indeed true, it's hard to fathom how he got to the level he's at in just 8 years. Absolutely unreal. Certainly his size and strength has something to do with this, but he strikes the ball so clean and has some beautiful holds. I'm also impressed how quick is racquet preparation is for having such long arms. His swing can be big when he wants to crack it, but he can keep the pace up under pressure with the best of them.

I can't recall any other junior player who was able to overpower top seasoned adult pros. His hard hitting is right up there with the likes of Mohamed Elshorbagy and Simon Rosenr. Asal reminds me a bit of John White. White had the power, but also great soft touch. Being world class at both extremes is a rare quality and is a big reason why he's playing at a top 10 standard.

Some people have questioned Asal's movement. He's not the most fleet of foot and he's a big strong boy. How is someone at that size going to hang in there for 60+ minutes against a fleet flooded Ali Farag or Tarek Momen? Can he hang in physically with the likes of Paul Coll? Those who saw Asal go down to Momen convincingly in the quarters will know this is a question that will be continually asked until he is able to do this. About his movement, I have never seen someone play so many shots with just the split-step +1 more step. Some players have quick feet, but Asal seems to have the luxury of the strength and reach.

Asal is like a heavyweight boxer and like most I'm curious to see how his career is going to unfold. With the retirement of some of the greats recently retired (like Nick Matthew, Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana) we need some new players to fill these shoes and Asal in his different coloured shoes definitely does that. I bet most of us believe it's only a matter of time until he's world #1, but I think it's going to take a few years until he is going to be able to beat 3 or 4 of the top 10 players back to back to back; Diego Ellias is still trying to accomplish this. I can't wait to see him play Mohamed Elshorbagy since they are both such powerful players, but are very different in terms of their technique, tactics and movement. I also can't wait to see him play Paul Coll and Gaultier later in the season when he's back close to his best. Will he be able to beat Momen? Moment has shown to be a nervous player, so if he goes down a game to Asal he's got a real shot. I think every Egyptian senior will feel some pressure when they step out on court with him and Asal will be playing with house money.

One area I feel is unfair for Asal is having to wear eye guards. I don't believe anyone regardless of age should be forced to wear eye guards in a PSA event. I know it's not a major disadvantage, but he's not a normal 18 year old and I'm sure he would be fine playing without them.

Here's a few of my other thoughts about Asal. At his size there are going to be some traffic issues, plain and simple. I've heard complaints about his movement and on court behaviour. I've heard of 1 event where he was whining and used a fake injury timeout to make a phone call, presumably to his coach. I haven't seen all of his matches on Squash TV, but I haven't seen much to warrant a debate during the TOC. Back when I saw him play at the World Juniors he was so much better than everyone else the ref was never an issue. I've worked with juniors for a long time and I know sometimes you have to give them some slack. Learning to behave appropriately on court in the heat of the moment is something that takes a long time to develop. Just because Asal doesn't look like a junior, it doesn't mean he's not still one. Learning to clear properly is something that is still rarely done on tour and it's up to all of the players and refs to improve this.

I loved watching James Willstrop and Joel Makin play. Those 2 went through and played almost every ball and it produced far more enjoyable rallies. The sweat on the court floor was a bit of an issue and is something they need to find a way to fix. Almost every other match I watched players constantly took advantage of certain positional situations. The one area driving me nuts is when a player hits a straight volley drop (normally on the backhand side) and their opponent moves sideways into them and gets a stroke because the drop isn't right on the sidewall. I don't see many of the players moving to the T too quickly or sticking their back leg out, blocking a direct path anymore. I do however notice this new stroke position so much that some players are changing their shot selection. If there isn't a path, prove it by trying to go through to play the ball. There's also still a lot of players shaping their racquet around another player and exaggerating their preparation to show that they are being interfered with.

Willstrop and Makin demonstrated that the players have the ability to play around each other, but most of them have gotten into the habit of taking the cheap stroke instead of doing the work to play through minimal interference. It's so hard to win a point at this level, so any cheap stroke is happily taken. I think they should start fining players for fishing or playing the man/woman. It's still crazy how refs sometimes give no lets for a shot when their opponent is directly in their path. Is this not an easy fix? If they don't have a DIRECT path it's a stroke regardless of shot quality? If they did this people would get out of the way or not hit it into the same corner when they're not able to properly clear. Pros know where their opponents are and are moving from, so they can easily provide a direct line if they were going to be punished accordingly. Are the amount of type of let decisions frustrating to anyone else? 'Lets' clean up our game and make it greater!

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Why We Should All Purchase A Squash TV Membership

A couple of blog posts ago I wrote about the troubling state of squash in many countries across the globe. Today I'm going to write about a way that we can all pitch in to make the game a little stronger and that's by purchasing a Squash TV membership.

I should start off by stating that I do not work for Squash TV nor am I associated with them in any way whatsoever. In fact I've been trying to get some footage from them to analyze for Squash Shots and have offered to pay for this, but I haven't heard back. So my opinion in this post is purely my own and the only interest I have is in promoting squash and to see it flourish. I have had my own Squash TV membership for as long as I can remember and some years I watch it more than others, but I will never cancel it.

I recently did a poll on the Serious Squash Instagram account and only 40% of the people who answered it had a current Squash TV membership. I'm going to try and do some research and figure out why the 60% don't have one. My guess is that they don't want to, or can't afford to spend the money. Or perhaps some people get enough squash from Youtube or don't care about watching full pro matches and tournaments. I know there's a few things about professional squash and Squash TV that could improve and if more people subscribed we would be doing our part to make that happen.

The quality of the production and the amount of matches filmed on Squash TV is quite impressive in my opinion, especially considering how limited watching professional squash was when I was growing up. The commentating is clever, well informed and easy to listen to. The caliber of the players is also amazing and the game is constantly evolving because of the filming production and ease of access. Players, current pros and up and comers are able to make better game plans and analyze squash in a way that was not possible prior to Squash TV. But it's not only for those keen on improving their squash that I believe should purchase a Squash TV membership.


I haven't had cable in over 8 years. It's too expensive and I don't want to sign a contract for an over priced service. All I would normally watch on cable was sports and much of that is now available online. I mention this because I know a lot of people don't want to pay the monthly or annual costs associated with a Squash TV membership. Some people may even share accounts because their interest is simply in saving themselves a little bit of money. But by doing this these people are not supporting our game at the highest level and we all know there is not enough publicity or money in the pro tour.

I don't know the statistics, but if the Squash TV membership somehow doubled I imagine it would allow them to majorly increase their production value and it would be more appealing to potential sponsors and tournament hosts. Squash has always had a tough time getting on television. As as small close knit and supportive community, we basically have our own channel and by not supporting it we are also not doing our part to give back to our game and to help it flourish at the pro level. If there is no professional circuit, or a less funded one it is bad for the entire sport; I truly believe there is a trickle down effect right to your home club and for many of the members in it. Imagine if they took away the NBA, NFL or NHL and what type of impact that would have on their respective sport and the kids who look up to their role models?

Hopefully you can agree that the simplest way we can support the PSA World Tour and the professional players that are trying to make a living playing squash is by buying a membership. We can't all attend or sponsor a pro tournament, but most of us can afford to purchase a Squash TV membership. If you don't have a Squash TV membership and you're reading this I'd be curious why not. You're clearly into your squash if you're reading a squash blog. So I'm making a plea for the good of our sport to give Squash TV a try. Even if you don't want to use it this is putting money back into our sport and potentially you can purchase it for someone who would love to have an account and watch all of the matches. It's my understanding that Squash TV is run by the PSA so by supporting it you are also supporting the tour. If the PSA World Tour thrives over the next decade and beyond I have to imagine the state of our game globally will be in good hands.

Here's the link for those that want to purchase a Squash TV membership: https://psaworldtour.com/squashtv
I know it's not cheap as the monthly subscription is more than my Netflix bill. But I also have an MLB annual pass which is higher than both. I know we could all do with saving a bit of money and cutting out unnecessary expenses, but I believe this is a good cause that goes beyond our local squash club and unifies us all. If Squash TV made an extra million dollars I highly doubt it would just go into the pockets of anyone in particular, it would go back into the sport and the service and make it all that much more impressive. If Squash TV had more paying members than the Tennis Channel or NHL season pass I have to believe this is something that would get big corporations on board for sponsors and may potentially impact a future Olympic bid. We may not have the vast majority or numbers, but we can be the most dedicated and passionate!

Another great part about Squash TV is that you can go back and watch replays of matches and tournaments. There are also some old school matches featuring some of the best from the last decade. Some of my favourite players to watch are Shabana, Power and of course Ramy.

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Oh Ramy

A few weeks ago someone was asking me who the best squash player in the world was and I replied well it's Ramy Ashour and he either wins a tournament or has to pull out injured. I also said that Ramy is potentially the best player of all time. Seeing him pull out in the recent British Open semis was really tough. He's devoted his entire life to becoming the best player in the world and I believe he still is, but his body continues to let him down. I hope he continues fighting and isn't contemplating retirement. It must be incredibly frustrating for him, but is also equally frustrating for tournament organizers and squash was worldwide.

Even while battling these injuries for a number of years he's maintained a high world ranking and managed to keep his game at an extremely high level where he can still beat anyone in the world in a 1 off. The problem is is that he's not playing 1 offs. He has to make his way through a number of tough players. There are no easy matches anymore as the level at the top continues to get deeper. The young up and coming players like Paul Coll, Mohamed Abouelghar, Fares Dessouky and Ali Farag have all stormed up the rankings while veterans Nick Matthew and Greg Gaultier are still playing at the highest level. How is Ramy supposed to keep up with the youth movement which has youth and health on their side?

Ramy is my favourite player to watch because he proves that anything can be done on a squash court if you practice it and commit to it. When I was a kid I remember a lot of coaches saying 'don't do this' or 'you shouldn't do that' and of course 'play the percentages.' All of which is great advice for the average squash player, but for someone deeply invested in becoming a top player these mediocre terms can hold back creativity and talent. I am always careful about using the words 'can't' or 'shouldn't' when I'm coaching now.

When watching Ramy play these days the announcers on Squash TV and the viewers are all hoping that he can finish the match; yes that's right, simply make it through the match. How is it possible that he can play without these thoughts and doubts creeping in too? Life can be so cruel sometimes. Here we have arguably the best squash player ever who cannot stay healthy. Ever since he completed his 1 year unbeaten streak a few years back he's struggled with his health. He's transcended the game of squash and has made everyone around him better because of it. He's basically to squash what Tiger Woods is to golf. Even though Tiger hasn't been performing well, the ratings are still way higher when he's participating. I'm sure the same is true for Ramy. The difference of course is that if Ramy has to pull out with an injury there is no match and when this happens to be a semi or a finals it is not good for the tournament organizers, sponsors or of course the other able bodied players he's beaten along the way.

I of course love watching Ramy more than any other player, but I believe the PSA will have to look at rule changes because of how often he defaults out of tournaments. I have no idea what they should do, but it's come to a point where I believe they have to do something. Ramy has no idea when his hamstring will give out and this uncertainty is quite troubling when it happens in a later round. Obviously they can't make him continue to play while he's injured, but is it possible that who he beat the previous round can take his spot? I know that sounds insane, but we want Ramy in these tournaments, but we also want to have matches take place. I don't want to see Ramy forced to not play because he has to default too much. That isn't good for the sport and we can't force someone to continue playing with an injury. I'm open to other suggestions, but I'm sure all of us would have preferred seeing Abouelghar play a full match against Gaultier than just that 1 game against Ramy. Those seats for the semis couldn't have been cheap!

What other options does the PSA have? Is there a limit to how many times someone can default out of a tournament in a season? I know they now have a physio for the players at the world series events, so that's a good start, but clearly it isn't enough. Maybe they need to spend their own resources to get Ramy the best treatment in the world because he is such a legend and crucial ambassador for our sport.

Looking at this from Ramy's perspective it must be incredibly difficult to stay positive and continuing to register for events. He probably feels he's hitting the ball well enough to win, but isn't able to push himself in practice enough to properly condition himself. He probably also needs the money because he isn't able to play that many events and after this many defaults does it not get in his head? I wonder how he can stay positive about making it through a tournament when he arrives. I'm sure this doubt is holding Ramy back from playing his best squash. One thing I did notice from the British Open was how little he was lifting the ball. Just like when he lost to Simon Rosner in Chicago, he seems like he wants to overhit his opponents and maybe now with his body he needs to change his game and change paces more. He has the skill to play anyway imaginable and I always use to say that Ramy has the best lob on tour, but I rarely saw him play it in these last 2 events.

Any other ideas on how we can change the rules to make sure there is always a match in later rounds of big events? Should the PSA invest their own funds to help Ramy get the best treatment in the world? Should they make a limit to the number of events someone can default due to injury in a year before that person is not allowed to register for anymore events that season? All I know is I want to see more of Ramy because he still has some unbelievable squash left in him if his body will let him, but I also want to see matches contested in the later rounds of major events. What lies ahead for Ramy and his future on the PSA World Tour? Let's all hope for health, many more titles and a rise back to the top of the world rankings.

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The Evolution Of Squash

I guess I'm dating myself by mentioning that when I was finishing up playing competitively I was still playing you had to serve to win a point and the games went to 9 with a set 1 or 2 at 8 all. After my last year of varsity squash the point a rally (PAR) scoring change was adapted by the College Squash Association. Once or twice a year I'll have the kids play this scoring method for a match and most of them don't like it. I don't blame them, I don't like it either, but back then it was how the game was played. The new scoring system has definitely changed the game. And although match times have gotten shorter at the amateur level, at the professional level the matches can still be nearly as long as each rally carries more importance (although I know this also has to do with how frequently they are mopping up sweat and video reviewing let decisions). The scoring, equipment and court have all contributed to the current state of the game and I'm going to discuss a few of the ways that I've noticed the change, both positively and negatively.

Back when you had to serve to get a point people generally went for more attacking play wen they were serving and played more defensive when they were returning. The idea that was you could take a bit more risk when you were serving because your opponent wouldn't actually get a point if you happened to make a mistake. It also meant that if you're serving you have at least some momentum and this is a more opportune time to play a more attacking shot. So this part of the tactics of squash has definitely changed. You'll see at the pro level players being equally aggressive when returning or serving because they can score a point at any point.

The scoring has helped and hurt beginners. It is less likely that a player will get bagled playing PAR scoring, but they can also lose a game in the blink of an eye. This is why I still encourage new squash players to play to 15. Squash is only fun when you're having rallies and you get a good workout. If a game is done in under 5 minutes it's way too short to accomplish both feats.

The scoring has changed the tactics in a number of other ways too. Currently it is much more difficult to come back in a game. Back in the day people came back from down 0-8 or 1-8 quite frequently. Nowadays you very rarely see someone lose a game when leading 10-0 or 10-1. It's simply a matter of stats in this case. The person at game ball only has to win 1 point and not 2 in a row with the old scoring method. So this can be good and bad depending on which style of player you were. If you are a slow starter you would probably do better with the old school scoring method. If you're also not as fit you're probably better suited for the current style because you find it easier mentally to push even when you're fatigued for that last point or 2 knowing all it takes is 1 good shot or lucky bounce.

Going along with the theme of fatigue is another issue that is lost on current players because of the scoring system. When you had to serve to score a point players would be more prone to lose their concentration in a match. Nowadays big points near the end of a game come up quite quickly where focus is generally not as big of an issue. You are also more likely to have adrenalin pumping to help you fight through the fatigue when the end is near. When the games were to 9 and players traded a number of handouts without scoring more than a single point it was very difficult, especially as a kid to keep your concentration for the duration of a game. Generally juniors go through more ups and downs emotionally and with their focus so the old school scoring method did not favour them for these reasons.

Many of us associate the new scoring to the more attacking style of play, but is that really the reason? Is the equipment, lowered tin and slower double yellow dot ball or glass court not more critical factors? The racquets are lighter, the grips aren't made of leather or towel and the string allows for more power and spin on the ball. Also with the wide use of video analysis and elite coaching, players are learning to add all the extra layers into their games that were probably going unnoticed many years ago. Although the scoring has made a significant change to the style of game I believe these other factors have had a larger influence.

I don't know anyone that wants to see a 100 shot rally with only length hit, but a 50+ shot rally using all 4 corners is exciting and much more physically demanding. This style of play has changed the fitness requirements required to play squash. Back in the day aerobic endurance, one's ability to tolerate pain and their mental toughness were probably the most important traits of a successful squash player. Nowadays these are all still important, but speed, agility and power are much more critical. I've noticed that Gaultier and Matthew are looking a bit slower compared to some of the young guns currently rising up on the tour. No doubt that Matthew and Gaultier would still do exceedingly well at aerobic fitness tests against any other pro payer, but naturally your body slows down just a bit when you get in your mid 30's (yes I know from experience!). I feel if the tin was raised back, the scoring was changed back to 9 and the equipment was from the 80's or 90's they would still be winning almost every title. I think Nicol David would also be more successful under these more attritional conditions. Actually, Gaultier has more problems with his concentration so maybe this wouldn't help him as much as Matthew. Although these conditions may favour certain players, I'm glad that the equipment and scoring has changed as it's made squash more entertaining to play and watch.

It's easy to see that the players have evolved because of the equipment and scoring. Do we have the right balance between attacking and attrition? I wonder how the game will evolve in the next 20 or 50 years? Hopefully it stays attacking, but also remains physically demanding. It's the balance of the technical and tactical skill under extreme duress which makes the game so challenging and breathtaking to watch at the professional level. Watching a few of the hardest hitters play I do think the ball needs to slow down just a bit or the court temperature drop. I don't enjoy watching a player like Mohamed ElShorbagy win on sheer power (he would definitely still be one of the top back on the higher tin with the old scoring). ElShorbagy once had a really solid short game, but I haven't seen it on display much this season. Gaultier too relies mostly on attritional length to win. If the ball is so fast the players can't attack short when they get an opening the ball is a too quick in my opinion and we are on the verge of bringing back attritional squash. If I was ElShorbagy I would ask for a new ball at the start of every 3rd game in his matches because I can't imagine someone maintaining the pace he can create with a fresh ball.

Maybe the men should lower the tin another inch or just use a 2 dot ball on the glass court instead of a 1 dot. Just pace and athleticism takes away from creativity and the chess tactically gameplay that I love about squash. The pace has made ElShorbagy a 2 dimensional player (court coverage/endurance and pace). I see so many kids now that only focus on hitting the snot out of the ball and don't develop other areas of their game. And what's troubling is they don't know any better because they get away with it against most other juniors. I want to see the layers develop in a players game and to all be on display at the highest level of the game. It's up to the PSA and the WSF to ensure that tactics and creativity are continually rewarded at the top of the game. I understand that speed and pace are critical factors (as they should be) they just shouldn't be the only ones in my opinion. As a coach if I want a player to attack more I simply add targets or bonus points for winning or hitting the target at the front of the court. I just hope squash doesn't fall into the grip it and rip it and the best athlete always wins as opposed to best squash player. The game scoring, equipment and tin height have all attributed to rewarding attacking players and making the game more enjoyable to watch, but have they done enough? If the PSA wants to see more Superman dives they should give players more opportunities to be out op position on the court by either lowering the tin, slowing down the ball so the ball stays shorter on drops and boasts, making the court longer or wider or adjust the scoring once again!

I can't finish off today's topic without a quick mention about the rules. This is a simple way the game must evolve to improve squash from a players and spectators perspective. There is so much inconsistency between refs and left open for interpretation. The 1 obvious rule which is always taken advantage of is giving your opponent direct access to the ball. Most players appear to think that just because their opponent has hit a loose ball around the middle and they are standing around the T that their opponent must go around them. To my knowledge this is not stated anywhere in the rule book. I also can't stand when players counter drop and don't clear out afterwards. The ref often states the shot was too good, and although that may indeed be the case, who really knows if the player doesn't have any chance of retrieving it. I don't know why they haven't made it a stroke decision every single time a player hasn't made every possible effort to get out of their opponent's direct path to the ball regardless of the quality of their shot. Good players know exactly where their opponent is coming from and they can get out of the way if they were forced too or otherwise they may choose to play a different shot when they would otherwise be unable to clear their drop. So please WSF and PSA change this rule and get rid of the blocking and reduce the number of 'lets' called in our game and clean up the flow of the game. Who's with me?

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Nicol David At The 2016 Hong Kong Open

I wrote a couple of blog posts a while back on Nicol David and I thought it was time for a new one. She's such an icon in squash that she deserves much more than 1 post! David just lost in the semis of the Hong Kong Open, but won a number of tight matches prior to this. She's such a feisty competitor and always comes prepared to leave it all on the court. I felt she was a bit lucky to come out on top against Joelle King and also went 5 in her 1st round match against Tesni Evans. The previous year of Davids career reminds me a bit of Roger Federer now in tennis. Federer still gets consistently close, but hasn't won a big event in quite some time. Is David facing similar fate? Can she get back her world #1 or is she just hanging on as high as she can for as long as she can? Has everyone else caught up or has she fallen back to the pack? Should she change her game? What can she learn from the other top ladies on tour? How has she tweaked her style and has it helped? These are some of the questions I thought would make for an interesting post so let's get to it.

A lot has been made of Nicol David holding her racquet higher up on the grip. I heard one of the commentators at the HK Open mention that Jahangir Khan suggested this and apparently he  to do this himself. Back when Khan was dominating the squash tour the racquets weighed twice as much as they do now so I don't see the relevance or similarities. Moving your grip up makes the racquet a bit lighter, allows you to be closer to your shot with a smaller swing so you should be a little more exact. While moving your grip down to the bottom of the handle gives you more leverage for power and a greater reach allowing you to get a few more balls back in play and stay a tad more central through each shot.

I assume these change were made because she feels like she has better control and touch. I watched most of her matches from this event and I don't see any obvious change in her short game. I see some good drops, but also a lot that sit up for her opponent. I feel like the style of play most of the women she struggles with are very attacking and hard hitters so I would think the extra reach would suit her well. I've played around with the height of my grip over the years and when I did hold it higher I would still be able to lower it when I felt some pressure developing in a point. Now I just hold the racquet at the bottom because I'm not very tall and I need that extra reach. I really feel like I have to run that much further from the T when I choke up on my grip so personally I don't like it. So I don't see this change helping David, unless she believes it does. Yes, the placebo effect. Wether it helps or hinders her game is irrelevant, it's how she believes it impacts her that matters. If she feels her short game is better like this it probably will be because she believes it is and confidence is a must for this area of the game. Do you think her short game was more accurate in this event? I'm sure she has a nice cushy contract with Prince, but do you think she would benefit from experimenting with some other models or even other companies if she wants to make her racquet a tad lighter Or do you think it's more about lowering her target and looking for winners as opposed to working shots?

What else could Nicol David do to try and get back her world #1 ranking? Should she play with more power and more attacking like some of the other top ladies? That's not really her game and her opponents do that better so I don't think she can completely change her style of play and do it better than people that have practiced this style their entire careers. I felt like the way Annie Au played at this event against Nour El Sherbini could teach David a thing or two. Au is very petite, but plays tactically sound squash and uses her strengths and knows how to avoid her weaknesses. She has a tremendous forehand counter drop and volley drop and relies on her accuracy to win. She lifts the ball consistently, but can also hit with a lot of pace when there's an opening. I really think continuing to polish David's volley drop and counter drop would help her immensely. I feel Au's short game was much stronger. It doesn't mean David needs to use her short game more it just has to be more accurate when she does. Currently I feel like she isn't as ruthless or fearless when she attacks short and with the lowered tin this is an area she could still improve. She doesn't use much deception compared to the Egyptian women so if you're easy to read and you're not overpowering you better be pin point accurate.

One thing that was very evident in her loss to Nour Gohar was how defensive she was playing from the back of the court. Rightly so she didn't want to get into a slugfest with Gohar. It was quite obvious how high and deep she was aiming for her length as she was intentionally overhitting all of her drives, while Gohar was letting it rip on most shots and applying pressure consistently. Maybe David felt like she needed to lift the ball and hit it that deep to give her time to get up on the T or perhaps she was trying to slowly wear Gohar down by letting the Egyptian punch herself out. I felt like later in the match there were signs of Gohar's pace slowing slightly, but I still believe the best defence is a good offence. This doesn't mean I think David should begin hitting everything harder, but simply focusing more on the depth of her drives so Gohar doesn't have so much time to set up and transfer her weight into the ball and hit it 1,000 miles per hour. from the back corners; as soon as this begins to happen you are always going to be reacting and on your heels. There were so few dying drives from David and her drops were still generally a bit too passive and sat up so I thought tactically it wasn't a good matchup for her.

Really when it comes down to it it's tough to change your game more than minor bits when you are in the later stages of your career. If there's any chance of David getting her #1 ranking back I feel she's going to have to really focus on being a bit more proactive and attacking. How much she can change is unclear, but I wouldn't make any drastic changes just subtle refinements. I think there are so many hard hitting and strong attacking players it's tough to win by lifting the ball consistently. I can see on 1 hand that David would be difficult for the other women to beat because she is very consistent with what she does and doesn't make many unforced errors, but I also get the feeling her opponents also feel quite comfortable in the rallies as they are able to dictate a large portion of the points.

Nicold David has definitely brought a large group of players up to her level and now some appear to be just slightly ahead of her. She has won the Hong Kong Open 10 times straight until this one so it's not fair to say her play has declined much or at all, but she isn't winning 90% of her events anymore so it's only normal to ask some questions and analyze why.

I love watching the clash of style when she plays an attacking player. She is in excellent condition and stays very focused, but will that be enough to win more titles? In the next couple of years she will start to slow down and her game will have to evolve if she is going to continue to stay near the top of the game. Does this mean she will play at an even slower pace, become more proficient at attacking or maybe more sneaky and wise? Time will tell. I'll always cheer for her as she's done so much for our sport and to improve the standard of the women's game, I just hope we get to see her win a few more big titles and have an opportunity to get the world #1 spot back! Jonathon Power did this at the end of his career, so it can happen in the later stages of your career. She definitely still has a shot at every event she enters, it's just the increased depth means it's only getting tougher. Good luck Nicol!

By the way I'm taking Amanda Sobhy in 5 and Ramy Ashour in 4 tonight! Don't forget to check out my new squash merch store at SeriousSquashShop.com

2016 Hong Kong Open: Pilley vs ElShorbagy

Just a few thoughts on the Hong Kong Open and in particular the Cameron Pilley victory over Mohamed ElShorbagy. I feel like there have been so many upsets and close calls of top seeds falling for a number of reasons. The glass court they are using is not forgiving if you are even just slightly off your mark. I've seen more simple unforced errors from top players including whiffed return of serves, a lot more crosscourts than normal and some really loose drives and so on. It was surprising how consistently players are crosscourting on a backhand return of serve; they must have some trouble with the left wall on the glass court. Of course it's the first event back so some of the players are probably a bit rusty and haven't had a competitive match in some time. I also think the players must struggle a bit on this court.

Another reason I think there have been some upsets and really close calls is because a lot of players have been focusing on their fitness training during their time away from matchplay. Of course this also will have included a break and some time away from the game. It's a very short off season for the top players and for them to have 2-3 weeks off and then put in some off season base training they simply haven't had time to get back into tip top match play form.

I feel this is really what happened with ElShorbagy. Pilley was able to handle the pace of play and ElShorbagy was quite heavy on his attacking shots. He put a number of boasts into the tin and left his drops way too high while Pilley was much more exact with his short game. Still the match was anyones game. There were a number of poor decisions by the refs and an incorrect call giving Pilley one of the games. I was worried near the end of the match that a simple let could be a no let or stroke. I'm sure the players had a few sighs of relief on some of the calls.

I'm guessing by watching the match last night that ElShorbagy did not spend his off season polishing his short game and nor should he. But the fact the Pilley beat him last time they played and ElShorbagy was #1 and this was a tough 2nd round match for him I could see how this put extra pressure on the world #1 and wouldn't help his short game. If you leave a drop or boast a few inches too high you'll get killed at this level and that's what happened. Pilley had a pile of winners on both drops off the bounce and the volley. I feel it really shows how difficult it is to fire on all cylinders all year round. And to top it off the court is one of a kind and difficult to play your best on. It certainly makes for some interesting matches though.

Besides the superior attacking play there were a number of other things that really stood out to me about Pilley's tactical play. I noticed how straight he played from the front left. He never crosscourted unless he really had too because he know ElShorbagy was waiting to pounce on it. There are certain times he was under quite a bit of pressure and was able to hit a great straight drive and reset the rally or even reapply the pressure. The other thing I noticed is how good he was at hitting crosscourts from the back of the court when the ball gets slightly behind him. There were lots of instances where I thought the ball was too far behind him and he would be forced to play a straight drive and ElShorbagy would be waiting to pounce on it, but he was able to flick it (even on the backhand) and get sufficient pace and width on it. I found this a pretty amazing skill. I know I sure can't do that!

Last thing about this battle which I have already hinted at is the pressure of the outcome. Pilley had no pressure and was able to play more freely while ElShorbagy carried all the pressure and was playing to win. The only time Pilley looked tight to me was near the end of a couple of the games where he started thinking about the finish line. You could tell he was being much more cautious and was lucky that ElShorbagy was playing pretty cautious the entire match. You don't get away with playing cautiously at this level. It really was a great demonstration on how pressure or the lack of can influence how you play. If we focus simply on the result and maintaining our record or seeding we normally won't be at our best. Although anyone that saw Raneem El Weleily must also see that this can go the other way too! She's too talented to be out in the 2nd round, but she just looks like she is out there playing just for fun and lacks the intensity and consistency. Either way I would never bet for or against her!

A whole post about the HK Open and I haven't even talked about Ramy once yet! I haven't seen his 2nd round match yet, so maybe I'll have another post to write about this event soon. Stay tuned and please check out the Serious Squash online shop at SeriousSquashShop.com

Serious Squash Wristband: Pick The Winners Of The Hong Kong Open

I'm having a SeriousSquashShop.com contest for the 1st event of the year! Select the winners and finalists of the HKO for the men and women with game score and you could win your wristband of choice. Only 1 entry per person. You can email your selection to info@serioussquash.com or leave a note below. You must get your picks in before the start of the 2nd round in 24 hours from now (the 1st round is already half done).

Here's a link to the draws: http://www.squashsite.co.uk/hk/draws.htm

Good luck to all of you!

Wee Wern Low Interviewed By Serious Squash

Last June for part of my holidays I went to Malaysia and watched the Penang Junior Open. One of the things that amazed me at this event was that Wee Wern Low was there helping out for the entire event. Unlike most 3 day tournaments here in North America, the Penang Junior Open runs for the whole week! It was really cool to see a top professional player spend an entire week helping to run a local junior event with hundreds of kids.

'I strongly believe that kids should play a variety of sports' 

Almost a year later I had an idea that if Wee Wern Low was so generous with her time to help out for an entire week at the Penang tournament maybe she would be willing to be interviewed by me. When she agreed I was excited and surprised, but after reading her responses and getting to know her better I see why I shouldn't have been. As you'll find out she is very loyal to her coach and it's refreshing to see someone pave their own way to success.

'The sport is so competitive and everyone wants to do well and the ones to beat are the Egyptians'

In the interview we talk about Penang, the rivalry between Malaysia and Egypt, young kids specializing in squash, college squash vs. professional squash, her new company and website plus her favourite drills and updates on the healthy of her knee. 

'I personally believe it is who you work with, not where you are that is vital. I came back and chose to work with Aaron again, at a very high risk that I may lose my funding for choosing to work with a local unknown coach. It was a risk we both took, and we both worked very hard to show everyone that it is possible, all we needed was a chance to do it'

It's easy to root for a good hearted, humble person that has overcome obstacles and is chasing their dreams. If you need any further reasons for jumping on the WWL bandwagon this interview should do the trick. She is playing in the qualifications at the HKFC International next week and by the sounds of it she is almost back to 100%. We can expect to see her climb back up the rankings shortly! Enjoy the interview.

           

Did you play any other sports as a kid?

I played many sports as a kid and even in school. I actually represented my school in athletics, table tennis, badminton and even floorball. I was very active and I love sports. But squash was the only sport I took lessons.

How old were you when you started playing and how did you get into squash?

I started squash at the age of 8, as a hobby/weekend activity. As a kid, I was pretty active and didn’t like to sit still so my mum gave me an option of picking up squash or tennis, I picked squash and never looked back since… It was then that my parents were divorced and she encouraged me to get into sports.

Do you think young kids should play multiple sports or be allowed to specialize in one sport such as squash?

I strongly believe that kids should play a variety of sports. It will help them develop many skills set and keep their interest alive. With that in mind, they will be able to pick out which sport is best for them and grow from there.


A question about the juniors coming up in Malaysia, do you believe their goals are mainly to follow in our footsteps and play professionally or get into an American university?

I think we have a mix of both here in Malaysia. There are some who are very passionate about the sport and trying to make it in the professional world and there are some who wants to use squash as a ticket to the US, which is not a bad thing. More players are leaving to the US recently and that gives hope to players who aren’t exactly at the top a very good incentive to keep training and get to renowned university instead.


How old were you when you decided you wanted to play professionally?

I completed my O Levels education back in 2007. Prior to that, I was already receiving calls and emails from top universities in the US inquiring if I would like to represent the University on scholarship. Nevertheless it was a hard decision to pick squash over a degree… I decided to take the plunge after winning the British Junior Open Under 19 at the age of 18. No Malaysian has won the Under 19 title since Nicol back in the 90’s and no one has won since I did. The British is the most prestigious junior tournament in the World and winning that meant that I was among the top players in the World at my age. It was the same year that I won my third Asian Junior Title, again a feat no one has achieved except Nicol.


What was your first international junior tournament, what did you learn and how did you do?

I think it was the Australian Tri Series at that point in time and I think I managed to win a couple of those. But I took my first beating at the British Juniors Under 11, losing to a much stronger Egyptian and I was a scrawny 11 year old. I have a long history at the British, making the semis or finals without fail since 12 but I never quite manage to win it until I was 18!


Do you have any tips for young girls dreaming of following in your footsteps?

Surround yourself with a good team because they are the people that will be by your side throughout your career. A good team does not necessarily mean a well-known coach with track record or so on, a good team consists of people that are willing to spend countless hours with you, make sacrifices alongside you to help you achieve your goals…but NEVER forget your team when you have made it, they have earned it just as much! This may sound cliché, but nothing comes easy, hard work does pay off.

What do you think of the PSA lowering the tin for the women's game? And has this changed how you practice and play in matches?

I think it is quite interesting to see how everyone is dealing with it in their own way and how they change their approach to the game. Unfortunately I have not played much on it as I have been out injured but I look forward to playing more on the lower tin.

You've had a tough setback with your knee injury. How are you feeling? And do you feel like you are ready to make a big push back up the rankings?

It has been nothing short of a challenge… This is by far the worst injury I have sustained, my first and hopefully last surgery ever! Its been tough, not being able to do what I love doing. I was on a wheelchair for days, followed by learning to move about on crutches, walking on my own to running and finally stepping back on court. It’s been a long process to say the least! I am still not 100% pain free but I am getting there. I just can’t wait to be able to play my best again. The first half of 2016 was for me to test my knee and keep fixing it because there will be complications along the way. I will make my big push in the second half of 2016.

When you play a match do you have a specific tactic for each opponent or do you focus on playing your game?

I would say a mix of both. Of course I will try and implement my game as much as possible because that is what I am good at but there are always exceptions to the rule depending who I am up against.

It's no secret that your goal is to be world #1. What quality do you posses that will allow you to achieve you goal?

I am a very consistent player and I never give up. Since breaking into the Top 10, I have not lost my ranking up until my injury. As for not giving up, I have played matches to the point of cramping on court, was even hospitalized once for full body cramp because I refuse to give up.


What is the strength of your game and what is your favourite shot?

I have a very strong basic game that I can always fall back on if nothing else works! Of course I am adding new elements to my game but that does not always work..yet! I am also a pretty good mover on court which enables me to cover most of the court quite well. My favorite shot would be backhand counter drop 

When I was in Penang last year for the Penang Junior Open it seemed like the Egyptians and Malaysians have a big rivalry at the junior level at the movement. Is this a new trend or was it like this when you were a kid?

This has been going on for me personally since I was 11! There are so many Egyptians and they are all good! But I think the rivalry has grown over the years… The sport is so competitive and everyone wants to do well and the ones to beat are the Egyptians.


Was it a difficult decision to stay in Penang to train for your professional career? And did you ever consider moving anywhere else?

I was actually based overseas when I was 18 for a year. Again, it comes back to the team I mentioned earlier. Many, actually most didn’t believe I could make it to the top 10 in the World if I didn’t leave Penang to work with a ‘better’ coach and sparring partners. Aaron Soyza has coached me since I was 12, groomed me to winning almost every junior title but still no one was willing to give him a chance to take me to the top 10 in the World and I was asked to leave the country to find a better base, so I did for a year. I personally believe it is who you work with, not where you are that is vital. I came back and chose to work with Aaron again, at a very high risk that I may lose my funding for choosing to work with a local unknown coach. It was a risk we both took, and we both worked very hard to show everyone that it is possible, all we needed was a chance to do it.


What is the funding like in Malaysia for professional squash players?

We are fortunate to have our government providing us with funding to compete overseas, taking care of our flights/hotels/food etc. It was Beng Hee, Nicol and Azlan who paved the way for the younger generation as they were the ones who excelled in the sport and made it one of the core sports in Malaysia.


Now that you are healthy, is there anything specifically that you're currently focusing on in your game

I have missed out on so much, I don’t really know where to start to be honest. Match fitness is key and that comes with playing tournaments, my reaction time, all the reflexes and split second decisions, reading the game… I have not used all those for a year now! It takes a bit more time but it is all coming back to me.


Who do you train with?

I train with Aaron Soyza every morning and in the evenings I will do drills, condition stuff with the other state and national players in Penang. We have a good group of juniors who train daily and we also have foreigners who is based here in Penang every now and then. Again, I am very fortunate to have Aaron working with me since I was 12…he goes to the gym with me, runs with me even up to today.


What is your favourite drill or condition game?

I like open drills and condition games because it is more match related rather than knowing exactly where the ball is going every time. For feeding with my coach, we tend to do straight drive or volley, and he can boast or cross at anytime and I have to be ready. Condition games, second bounce behind the line but anything on the volley option.


Besides visiting the Nicol David International Squash Centre and eating at the night markets what else is a must do for travellers visiting Penang?

It depends what the person’s interest are. We do have a nice heritage area with small cafes, street/mural paintings for those who like art. We also have a nightlife area for those who like that. But for me personally I like spending my time on the beach, having coffee with friends watching the sunset.


It was really warm in the Squash Centre when I visited. Is it challenging when you go to a tournament and play on colder courts? How do you adjust?

I normally go to tournaments at least 3 days prior to my first match to get used to the conditions but coming from Penang, playing in colder places are actually less taxing on the physical side. I think it is harder for those who train in the cold and having to play in the heat. Of course there will be some adjustments such as how high and how hard to hit the ball but that all can be adjusted in a number of days.


It was pretty scary being a taxi in Penang yet somehow I didn't witness a single accident! I have to ask. Do you own a scooter?

No I do not own a scooter and I don’t have a bike license either. I only have a driving license. My coach owns a scooter and he uses it pretty frequently because traffic can get quite heavy especially during the holiday season.


Do you have any idea what you want to do after your squash career?

Since I was out injured, I used that time to set up my own company and website www.weewernlow.com. It is a website that aims to solve a problem of disconnect between my fans and sponsors. On top of that I want to challenge and change the current sports endorsements legacy system. This website is for me to lead by example and educate sponsors of my value worth and why they should endorse me. The typical events appearance, face on billboards and print ads, always seem to be lacking because I could never justify to them my value. Now with this website I could show them why it is worth in endorsing me and mainly help them justify their ROI in me. Not to mention as I grow my fans, imagine the potential value I could create to my sponsors! And for my fans, a reward system that gives back to them for every share or post they make is something I could never do before. There’s also an extension of an online shop where my fans can purchase items/goods that I endorse at a special rate using the points they earn. This is a proven return on investment and a win-win situation between sponsors and fans. Eventually I will want to help other athletes secure endorsements under my very own management company.

Thanks so much to Wee Wern Low for agreeing to this interview and giving such insightful answers. She's an amazing role model for so many of us players, fans and coaches. From reading her responses you can truly feel the passion she has for squash and for becoming the very best she can be. It's also refreshing to hear her tell the story of choosing what was right for her and finding her own unique path for success. She gives a lot of credit to her team and it must be a pleasure to work with such a wonderful human being. Go Wee Wern Low!

2016 Canadian Senior Squash Nationals Report

Here I am once again doing a report of a Canadian National Championships. This time it's the Seniors and although I didn't compete in the tournament this year I have a lot of thoughts about the event. Let's get right to it.

Here's a link to the draws if you'd like to see the draws and the results: http://squashcanada.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draws.aspx?id=A1F701B8-E54A-48A9-BDA2-39A174B90DAA Many of the Open matches were streamed online and I was able to watch a few of the matches including the finals on Saturday. Yes that's right, Saturday! I saw a couple of the mens quarter final matches too. This is where I feel the event needed to be spread out a bit more. Win or lose, everyone who played in the quarters on Friday had to play again a few hours later. It's not surprising that there was a default in one of the matches. These are the toughest matches of the event and they were played on the same day within a few hours of one another.

The event started on Wednesday and I think it would have made more sense if they had 2 matches on the Wednesday or Thursday where the top seeds wouldn't have had their most challenging matches. Either that or they could extend the event to finish on Sunday. Anyways, that's just a little thing that only influenced the top 8 men, but I'm sure they weren't too happy about that. All credit to Andrew Schnell in the final, but he certainly seemed much fresher on Saturday than Shawn Delierre who has a history of playing long, gruelling matches. If Squash Canada wants the best squash to be played in the finals I think they either need to limit the draw size or adjust the match scheduling. Okay, time to move on!

In total there were 281 entires which sounds like a great turnout, but when you look at it a little closer this is what bothers me the most. Zero women signed up for the age divisions until the 50+! In the men's 30+ only 4 did! There were 30 events in total so filling up a good size draw for each event is always going to be a challenge. But my biggest pet peeve is how many of the top ranked Canadian Toronto based players did not even participate. Only 21 of the top 50 ranked men in Canada played and far fewer of the top ranked women! Which also makes me wonder how they are still ranked up there. There are lots of ex tour players living in the Toronto area who are retired and don't compete anymore. How do we keep these players participating? It's difficult for them to not have the same results and to perhaps lose to the next generation, so how can we change that? Can we add a Legends Division, like the event they have in Bermuda and have some money offered for ex PSA players to come back and play in it? What if they only played 1 match per day in the Open division and just made the event 1 day longer?

I know some people will have their own reasons; I wasn't there this season either so I may sound like a hypocrite. I've only been playing once or twice per month as I'm awaiting a small kneed surgery in June, but I still wish I had played. I can see how people in similar positions like myself end up finding perfectly logical reasons not to play. Work, families, injuries or just being out of shape are all popular reasons people miss the event. For many these reasons are justifiable as squash has taken a back burner to the rest of their life. But squash was or still is a big part of many of these peoples lives yet they still fail to participate.

I feel that the main culprit here is our ego. Any squash player who has been successful and played at a high level has too much pride to play just to play. Some say it's our competitive spirit, but we know our best squash is well behind us so we avoid competing like it's the plague. Is this something we can avoid for the future generation by focusing on trying our best, having fun and concentrating more on the love of the game? As I've been out of competition for a couple of years I realized how much I miss just being able to compete, let alone at my highest level. So my intentions is to participate in Senior Nationals moving forwards if at all possible. Win or lose, squash is an important part of my life and we're a big family here in Canada. It would be nice to see some others take my oath and play just to play and leave their ego in the past.

Are there other ways to improve participation at Nationals? What about bringing in a show court? Use a lower tin? Attaching Nationals to some other event (like a big PSA event or exhibition)? Do we need a slower ball at the highest level so the rallies and matches are won more by racquet skill and decision making rather than physicality? Maybe lowering the entry fee for out of province players or juniors? Maybe we need to change the date of the event before the weather gets too nice? Maybe giving all of the entrants a Blue Jays game ticket for Sunday or something cool that we could all do together? Would a Legend Divisions help? Maybe competitive players should have to purchase competitive or recreational memberships which can help sort out the rankings properly and have a proper list of who is active or inactive.

Or as I already mentioned do we just need to learn how to let go of our ego and fear of failure? Is it possible to teach our kids in a way that will enable them to continue to compete regardless of age and ability? I'm trying to use a checklist with my young kids after games. The first thing I ask is if they were a good sport or not. The second was if they had fun or not and the last is if they tried their best. If a kid can learn to do all of those things maybe they can enjoy squash and competing regardless of the outcome.

In closing I also have one more reason why we should compete if we are on the fence about it. The year I won the 30+ I went with a cold and did not expect to do well. I also remember another time at university when I was sick and I was playing #1 against a top school and also has no expectations to perform well. Funny enough these are 2 of the times I've had my best results and it was when I wasn't worried about what would happen. The last time I played senior nationals I went to win and put too much pressure on myself and lost in the finals. It's funny how the more we want to win the tougher it seems to be to achieve. This is why too much winning is not healthy for any athlete and why we should focus on process oriented goals. Learn to enjoy the process and hitting the squash ball! If you've seen any of my skill challenges you'll know that I still love hitting the ball :)