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Boston’s Symphony
Hosts
Squash Showdown
Four World No. 1s Battle for
World Champions Challenge Title, 22-Sep 2010 |
First the Vegetable, then the Sport…
WHAT:
One is a squash legend…the other a legend with squash.
Celebrity Chef Ming Tsai (right), who knows his way around
the squash court as well as the vegetable, dazzles 7-time
Boston Open champion and the North American King of the
Courts, Sharif Khan (left), with his Red Roast Duck on
Gingered Spaghetti Squash with a Sambal puree.
Both were on hand as four current and former World No. 1
squash professionals (2010 World No. 1 Ramy Ashour (Egypt),
2009 World No. 1 Gregory Gaultier (France), 2008 and 2007
World No. 1 Amr Shabana (Egypt) and fan-favorite and World
No. 1 of 2006, Jonathon Power (Canada)) battled it out for
the first-ever World Squash Champions Challenge on the floor
of Boston’s Symphony Hall. More than 1,000 people attended
the event.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Rob White Photography
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 Colleen
Turner reports
Ashour takes Showdown title -
here's how it happened ...
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Vive la France! Gaultier
Advances to the Showdown@Symphony Final
First Semifinal:
[5] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3] Amr Shabana (EGY)
11-10, 9-11, 1-0 (33m)
These guys are good!
New format; short match style, but that does not take away
from the quality of squash played on the floor of Boston's
venerable Symphony Hall. Gaultier and Shabana game with
their A-games; working each volley to its breaking point.
Each point was well played, forcing both men deep into the
corners. At 5-all, Shabana came back with two quick points,
but Gaultier came back with two sweet shots of his own to
make it 7-all. A tough no-let call from the ref tied it at
8-all. Gaultier's drop shot, just above the tin, gave him
the 9-8 lead.
Shabana returned the shot, 9-all. At 10-9, a long, leisurely
volley came to an abrupt end when Gaultier eked out the
point to bring it to 10-all. A quick shot to the lower wall
and Gaultier took the first game, 11-10.
The second and final match saw Shabana scoot up a quick four
points before Gaultier grabbed his next four points to tie
it, 5-all. Matching each other point for point, it wasn't
until Gaultier hit the tin at 9-all, that Shabana took the
serve at 10-9. Four lets later, and a final no let, gave
Shabana the game. Because he won the first game, Gaultier
had a choice between best of three or sudden death. Going
for sudden death ended up taking one let and an aggressive
second volley, but a tough shot to the tin gave the game and
match to France's Gregory Gaultier.
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Ashour Assured Spot in Showdown Final
Second Semifinal:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) def. Jonathon Power (CAN)
10-11, 11-4, 1-0 (21m)
Jonathon Power earned a hearty round of applause upon
scoring his first point of the match, further assuring his
status as a fan favorite here in Boston. But the young, hot
and aggressive Ashour wasted no time in racking up a quick
five unanswered points, bringing the score to 8-3. Not to be
upstaged on Boston's most beloved stage, Power grabbed his
own four points, before giving the serve and point to
Ashour, 9-7. A questionable let call had Power pleading his
case to the ref, but it was obviously what he needed, as
Power tied it 10-all and ultimately took the first game,
11-10.
Game two saw Ashour playing with his usual pinpoint
accuracy, sending Power deep into the corners. At 7-2, Power
was visibly frustrated and took the opportunity to grab the
serve, but only for the single point, 8-3. Ashour wasted no
time taking the game, 11-4. With Power winning the first
game, he, too, opted for sudden death. A crazy fast volley
had Ashour begging for and getting a let. With a rare bum
shot giving Ashour the match, it was Power who won the
standing ovation.
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Power Surges to Win in
"So, You Think You Can Ref?" Exhibition
Bronze Match:
Jonathon Power (CAN) def. [3] Amr Shabana (EGY)
11-4 (11m)
The single-game, bronze exhibition match introduced the
evening's guests to the first-ever "So, You Think You Can
Ref?" mobile interactivity model.
Each player was allowed two lifelines. When used, it allowed
the audience, via text messaging, to decide for or against
the ref's call. Shabana used his first lifeline on the first
volley's out call. An overwhelming 67% agreed with the ref's
call, giving Power the lead, 1-0.
Power wasted no time bringing the score to 4-0. Tightly
working the T, he furthered his lead to 7-2. A stroke to
Shabana had Power using his first lifeline and with the
audience agreeing, he saved the point. Shabana's fourth
point was a deadly lob into the left corner just above the
tin, starting what appeared to be a run. But an out ball
gave Power a 9-4 lead. At 10-4, Power easily put out the
lights out on the "So, You Think You Can Ref?" exhibition
match, winning 11-4.
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Ashour Takes First Showdown@Symphony
Final:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) def. [5] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
10-11, 11-7, 11-9 (31m)
The final match of the evening saw Ashour and Gaultier come
out fighting. It was Ashour who took a small lead at 8-4,
but Gaultier came back to bring it to 8-all. Two more quick
points had him leading by one, but there's a reason Ashour
is number one, 10-all. But even with a last burst of effort,
Gaultier ultimately took the first game, 11-10.
Virtually matching each other point for point, it was at 7-6
that Ashour went on a pair of two consecutive two-point runs
to take the game, 11-7.
The final game of the match had the charming French man
taking the lead at 6-3. But a sloppy return shot by Gaultier
gave Ashour the serve, a couple points, a broken string and
the chance to knot the score at 6-all. Then it was a game of
cat and mouse. Ashour was up 8-7, but a shot to the tin and
it was 8-all. Ashour grabbed two quick points to make it
10-8.
But Gaultier would not go down without a fight. He came
within one, but Ramy Ashour showed a full house at Symphony
Hall just why he is the squash world's number one player.
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BOSTON – In what promises to be
a fast-paced and vibrant event, Boston’s venerable Symphony
Hall will host the squash world’s inaugural World Squash
Champions Challenge competition.
Set for Wednesday, 22nd Sep 2010, “Showdown@Symphony”
will bring together 2010 World No. 1 Ramy Ashour
(Egypt), 2009 World No. 1 Gregory Gaultier (France),
2008 and 2007 World No. 1 Amr Shabana (Egypt) and
fan-favorite and World No. 1 of 2006, Jonathon Power,
to compete in a short match shootout for the sport’s first
“World Champions Challenge” title.
Symphony Hall will be configured much like a boxing arena
with the all-glass court placed up on a stage in the middle
of the floor and VIP tables seating 700 surrounding it. An
additional 1,100 tickets in the two balconies will also be
available.
 John
Nimick, founder of Squash Engine, Inc., and producer of
the squash world’s iconic Tournament of Champions held in
New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, explains, "
‘Showdown at Symphony’ offers both squash fans and non-fans
a spectacular opportunity to experience the very best the
sport has to offer. Squash as it is played today by the
world’s best players is a dynamic and compelling sport.
‘Showdown’s’ intense short match, elimination tournament
format, coupled with the glorious surroundings of Boston’s
historic Symphony Hall, ensures a superb evening all around
as the four World No. Ones battle for the new title."
Nimick notes, "Between Ashour’s fast pace and nicks,
Gaultier’s gamesmanship, Shabana’s all-court style and
Power’s veteran presence and creative shot choice, this may
well be one of the most exciting things we've ever done with
the sport of squash, let alone here in Boston."
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SquashShowdown.com |
The Players
With his razor sharp vision on the court, outlandish kill
shots and engaging personality, Egypt’s Ramy Ashour
currently is the brightest light in squash. At just 22, he
reached World No. 1 this past January 2010, the youngest
player to achieve this distinction since the era of the
Khans from Pakistan.
Known affectionately as “Rubbery” to his friends, France’s
Gregory Gaultier moved to the top of the squash world
rankings in November 2009. He is just the second French
player to become World No. 1.
The talented left-hander from Cairo, Amr Shabana,
first reached World No. 1 ranking in 2006. He holds four
World Open titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009). His victory in
2003 was the first World Open title won by any Egyptian
player. He accomplished the honor dispatching squash greats
David Palmer, Anthony Ricketts, Karim Darwish and Thierry
Lincou. Along with Palmer, Shabana currently holds 26 Tour
titles, more than anybody else on the current tour, although
some assert his 16 Super Series wins versus Palmer’s seven,
mark him as the better player.
Even four years after his retirement from the rigors of the
international pro tour, fans and experts still consider
Canada’s Jonathon Power to be one of the greatest
shotmakers in the history of squash. Winning a total of 37
titles, 14 of which were Super Series, Power was always a
crowd favorite, in part because of his fevered outbursts and
often heated verbal exchanges with referees. Without a
doubt, Jonathon, who last reached World No. 1 in 2006, but
continues to represent Canada in international squash, has
potential to be a strong performer at the “Showdown.”
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The
Format
The evening promises to be energizing, festive, social and
fun. Ordinarily a self-contained unit, an additional two
feet of flooring will raise the all-glass show court off the
flat floor of Symphony Hall, lending more of a “stage” feel
to the event. Four-seat Pops tables will surround the court
and all floor guests will enjoy a fabulous complimentary
menu to further enhance the evening. Nimick notes, “Between
the 700 potential VIP guests on the floor and the 1,100
seats that are available in the Hall's two balconies, we
could set a single session attendance record for squash in
the USA.”
“Showdown at Symphony” is being played in a format created
by Squash Engine, Inc., specifically for this and future
showdown-style events. The four players must have achieved
World No. 1 status or won the World Open.
The competition will feature semifinals and 3rd place
playoffs played to two games with the winner of the first
game earning the choice of selecting either a one- or
three-point tiebreaker, if the match is knotted 1-1 in
games. The final will be played best of three games, with
the winner earning a prize money bonus.
The winner in Boston will have the opportunity to defend his
title at subsequent short format World Squash Champions
Challenge events.
Nimick shares, “Pro squash is growing in leaps and bounds
around the world, as are the demands and opportunities for
the top players, so we are thrilled to attract such an
outstanding group of squash stars for the maiden ‘Showdown’
here in Boston.” |
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