01-Oct, Final:
 
[1] Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-2 [2] Gregory Gaultier (Fra)
                   11/4, 7/11, 7/11, 11/3, 11/3 (68m)
  

Ramy takes the San Fran title from Greg

"All squash fans anywhere could have asked for," said promoter John Nimick when asked about the final match of the 2013 NetSuite Open in San Francisco.

The event enjoyed a sold out crowd, beautiful California night and exquisite competition from Ramy Ashour and Gregory Gaultier.

Greg, the defending champion, was slower in the first game and seemingly more unfocused than Ramy but the second and third contained some of the most ferocious, first pumping, shout out finishing shots ever seen on the pro tour.

Gaultier was a tiger throughout those games. Ramy stayed close but hit several tins, looked up at the night sky and spoke to himself constantly.

Ramy pulled away quickly in game four at which point Greg managed himself physically as the game slipped away.

Gaultier came out with intensity in the earlier part of the decider and the incredible gets and rallies were welcomed by what seemed to be a partisan Gaultier crown.

But the masterful Ashour stormed to a 9-2 lead before closing 11-2 and winning his first NetSuite Open title, and extending his unbeaten run to 49 matches.

11/5, 11/9, 2/11, 11/7 (52m)

[3] James Willstrop

11/4, 7/11, 7/11, 11/3, 11/3 (68m)

[2] Grégory Gaultier

11/4, 11/1, 11/3 (25m)

[2] Grégory Gaultier

26-Sep, Qualifying Finals:

Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-1 Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy)        11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8  (64m)
Mathieu Castagnet (Fra) 3-1 Ali Anwar Reda (Egy)     11-9, 11-13, 11-4, 5-2 rtd (65m)
Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-0 Shawn Delierre (Can)                          11-9, 11-6, 13-11 (46m)
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-1 Gregoire Marche (Fra)           8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (74m)

25 Sep, Qualifying Round One:

Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy) 3-0 Muhd Asyraf Azan (Mas)    11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (31m)
Adrian Waller (Eng) 3-0 Cesar Salazar (Mex)                   11-3, 11-4, 11-8 (40m)
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy 3-1 Shahier Razik (Can)                  11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 (65m)
Mathieu Castagnet (Fra) 3-1 Chris Gordon (Usa)              9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (55m)
Alan Clyne (Sco) 3-0 Gareth Webber (Eng)                      11-2, 11-6, 11-5 (22m)
Shawn Delierre (Can) 3-0 Lewis Walters (Eng)                  11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (50m)
Henrik Mustonen (Fin) 3-0 Jeff Young (Aus)                       11-1, 11-4, 11-4 (17m)
Gregoire Marche (Fra) 3-0 Charlie Johnson (Eng)              11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (37m)

World's top two through to San Fran final

Ramy Ashour and Gregory Gaultier lived up to their billing as the world's top two as they both beat English opposition to reach the final of the PSA $70k Netsuite Open on San Francisco's waterfront.

"Tough evening," tweeted Daryl Selby after his loss to Gaultier. " Greg played exceptionally well. If you are not 100% against him you have no chance. Should be a great final."

29-Sep, Quarters Part Two:
Selby upends Barker,
Gaultier holds firm against Roesner

On another beautiful and temperate San Francisco night, the 500-seat NetSuite Open squash arena on Justin Herman Plaza buzzed with activity, anticipation and appreciation.

Daryl Selby bt [4] Peter Barker 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-4

The first quarterfinal match between 4th seed Peter Barker, world No. 7 and winner of 2 recent PSA tournaments, and good friend and fellow Tour veteran Daryl Selby started off as a standard English bread-and-butter affair.

Both players drove the ball deep on the McWIL glass court, stayed away from risky volleys or boasts and settled in for the long haul. On paper, this tactical approach has benefited Barker with a 5-3 head-to-head match advantage on the PSA Tour, but it was Selby who emerged in the 3rd game with a more focused assault to break the 1-1 deadlock and take game three easily 11-3.

Gaining momentum, Selby raced out to a 8-3 advantage in the 4th and closed strongly 11-5. In after-game comments both players affirmed the challenge of being "best mates" and yet having to focus on their individual goals.

"Delighted to play so well tonight, really wasn't expecting to," tweeted Selby "Always so tough playing such a good friend but one of us has to lose."

[2] Gregory Gaultier bt. Simon Roesner 11-7, 11-6, 11-5

The second pair of 2013 NetSuite Open quarterfinalists followed on with a dazzling display of all court fireworks. Gregory Gaultier, defending champion and world no. 2, needed his A Game as the German No. 1 and PSA No. 12 Simon Roesner was competitive from the start.

The game was physical and both players asked for interpretations of "minimal interference" a few times, but the end result was a credit to both.

Roesner played with flair and risk, while Gaultier controlled the T and the access to the front and sides, showing how both incredible racquet skills and canny court positioning can keep "aspiring" players on their heels.

28-Sep, Quarters Part One:
Willstrop Eases by Anjema,
Ramy and Richards Rumble

It was a contrast in competition, but not in game scores as both top seeds Ramy Ashour and James Willstrop progressed 3-0 to the semifinals of the 2013 NetSuite Open in San Francisco.

Before an enthusiastic and sold out crowd, the opening night of glass court competition of the 2013 NetSuite Open at the outdoors arena in downtown San Francisco, backed by views of the renowned Ferry Building and Bay Bridge, brought out the best in the world's No. 1 and No. 3 players.

[3] James Willstrop (Eng) bt Laurens Ans Anjema (Ned)
              11-2, 11-1, 11-5 (36m)

The world no. 3 from England tore through the first two games as Anjema later admitted by saying: "I was having difficulty getting my eye on the ball."

But the third game was much more hotly contested by the two veterans as Anjema seemed to settle into the court conditions.

Despite several stoppages for mopping and cleaning, mostly due to Anjema's prodigious physical effort, Willstrop pulled through after an equal contest for the first six points to a decisive win.

[1] Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt Tom Richards (Eng)
              11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (44m)

Ashour and Richards painted a beautiful and highly respectful 44 minutes of awe inspiring squash.

Seemingly elevated by both the intensity and fairness Richards brought to the court, Ashour opened the jewel box and showed San Francisco and the cameras  the gems the current World No. 1 owns.

The match generated extraordinary applause and gasps and Richards was nearly as good as his opponent throughout.

Asked whether he had fun on the court tonight, Ashour said:

"Well it was nice to play Tom since we know each other from 13 years old and, yes, well, we could hit some special shots while still focusing on the win."

27-Sep, Round One:
Seeds through in San Francisco

Round one of the Netsuite Open, in four clubs in the Bay area, saw all of the seeded players safely through to the quarter-finals.

Top seed Ramy Ashour beat qualifier Alan Clyne in straight games, although the Scot rued missed chances in the first game: "From being 10-5 up in the first it went a bit downhill," he tweeted.

Defending champion Gregory Gaultier, the second seed, eased past compatriot qualifier Mathieu Castagnet in straight games, while England's third and fourth seeds James Willstrop and Peter Barker also booked their quarter-final places.

There was further English success as Tom Richards, returning to action after a long injury layoff, overcame fellow Englishman Adrian Grant in the longest match of the day, a 74-minute tussle in which any of the four games could have gone either way.

Quarter-final action moves to the glass court at Justin Herman Plaza.

Richards' reward is a meeting with Ashour, who is on a 46-match and 8-tournament winning streak unbeaten run, Gaultier meets Germany's Simon Rosner in a repeat of their recent European Individual final, Willstrop takes on Dutchman Laurens Jans Anjema, and Barker meets fellow-Englishman Daryl Selby.

26-Sep, Qualifying Finals:
Qualifying complete

The main draw of the Netsuite Open was filled out as Alan Clyne, Adrian Waller, Mathieu Castagnet and Henrik Mustonen claimed their places in the PSA $70k event's last sixteen in a European clean sweep.

First round action takes place at four clubs in the Bay area, before moving to the glass court for the quarter-finals.

25-Sep, Qualifying Round One:
NETSUITE OPEN QUALIFYING SEEDS
FLY THROUGH ...

The seeds held sway during the first round of 2013 NetSuite Open Qualifying in San Francisco for the PSA 70 International squash championship. Held at three different venues in downtown San Francisco and almost concurrently with the massive jubilation of the city at USA's come from behind 9-8 America's Cup victory by Team Oracle over Emirates NZ, the squash matches unfolded along expected lines.

At the University Club, seed #8 Ali Anwar Reda suppressed veteran Canadian tour player Shahier Razik 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 in 65 mins. Following on, French rising star Mathieu Castagnet, seeded #4, turned aside American Christopher Gordon 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 in 55 mins.

At the Olympic Club, the PSA Tour regulars tore through the Locals. #6 Henrik Mustonen defeated Olympic Club Pro Jeff Young 11-1, 11-4, 11-4 in 17 mins and Scotland's #3 seed Alan Clyne dispatched Los Gatos California squash pro and Welsh star Gareth Weber 11-2, 11-6, 11-5 in 22 mins.

At the Bay Club, famous for hosting the North American Open and other previous PSA tour titles, the four match evening started off with a decisive win by Canada's #7 seed Shawn Delierre over England's Lewis Walters 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 in 50 mins.

Following on before the full house crowd, Egypt's Marwan Elshorbagy, the #1 seed in Qualifying, knocked out Malaysia's rising number three Muhd Asryaf Azan 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 in 31 mins. Newly transplanted English pro Charlie Johnson was no match for Qualifying seed #2 Gregoire Marche as the Frenchman won handily 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 in 37 mins. Lastly, #5 Adrian Waller of England ran through Cesar Salazar of Mexico 11-3, 11-4, 11-8 in 40 mins.

World’s Top Three head
NetSuite Open Draw
10 of the World’s Top 20 Players to Appear in San Francisco

The NetSuite Open Squash Championships’ main draw field will boast the top three ranked squash players in the world – two-time World Champion and No. 1 Ramy Ashour, defending champion and No. 2 Gregory Gaultier and No. 3 James Willstrop – when the world-ranking tour event returns to an all-glass portable squash court on San Francisco’s South Lawn of Justin Herman Plaza September 25-October 01.

In addition to the world’s top three players, the field for the PSA $70k tournament boasts 10 of the top 20 players in the current World Rankings.

"The NetSuite Open has a world-class field that is worthy of one of the sport’s top tournaments," said Evan Goldberg, NetSuite’s co-founder, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Board. "I’m really proud that San Francisco and its great squash community is becoming one of the top stops on the PSA World Tour."

The 12-player main draw represents eight countries, including top ranked American player Julian Illingworth, who is currently ranked 35th in the world. The field also owns a collective six world championships  in Ashour – two - and Amr Shabana – four.

"The international diversity of the field speaks very well to squash and its global reach,” said John Nimick, NetSuite Open tournament director. “Squash is truly an international sport, one that we hope will be added to the 2020 Olympic games."

Egypt's two-time World Champion Ashour, who many consider to have the talent to become the best squash player of all time, will put his 41-match unbeaten streak on the line when he makes his first NetSuite Open appearance.

France’s Gaultier looks to defend his 2012 NetSuite Open title, when he defeated England’s Nick Matthew. Britain’s Willstrop, who attained the World No. 1 spot in 2012, recently won the final match of the 2013 Men’s World Team Squash Championships to give England the title.
 

The "Glass Cube returns to SF waterfront

Having captivated squash fans at the great Pyramids in Egypt, New York’s Grand Central Terminal, the Field Museum in Chicago, Boston’s Symphony Hall and the Hong Kong Harbor, the “Glass Cube” with its two-way glass will bring a new – if only temporary – architectural look to San Francisco’s waterfront September 25-October 1 for the 2013 NetSuite Open Squash Championships.

The NetSuiteOpen became the first international professional squash event on the West Coast to use the iconic portable glass court when it made its Northern California debut for the 2012 tournament on the South Lawn at Justin Herman Plaza.

The 18,000-pound, 32-by-21 foot court made by McWil Courtwall has walls of half-inch tempered glass with a special ceramic frit dot fired into the interior surface that allows the players to see a colored, nearly opaque wall while spectators outside the court view through clear glass.

 
“I can’t think of a better view: the best squash players in the world competing on San Francisco’s beautiful waterfront,” said Evan Goldberg, NetSuite’s co-founder, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Board. “This year’s view will be even more spectacular for our fans since we’ve repositioned the court to have the Bay Bridge and its amazing light show in the background.”

"The McWIL Courtwall all-glass Show Court uses a patented one-way viewing system on three walls to provide perfect ball visibility to the players while enabling both the public and reserved seat ticket holders to experience world class squash from all angles,” said David Carr, Founder and President of McWIL Courtwall.

The “Glass Cube” will become world renowned if squash is selected for the 2020 Olympic Games, as it will allow the host city to create a unique venue quite easily. It has such fan amenities as an electronic scoreboard, a 42- inch TV, two 50-inch LCD screens and a six-speaker sound system.

The NetSuite Open field boasts the current top three squash players in the world – two-time World Champion and No. 1 Ramy Ashour, No. 2 Gregory Gaultier and No. 3 James Willstrop.

Sanctioned by the Professional Squash Association, the PSA International 70 NetSuite Open is one of the top 15 professional tournaments in the world as determined by prize money. With a $70,000 purse, the winner will earn $11,300. Gaultier defeated England’s Nick Matthew in three games to claim the 2012 crown.

The early rounds, comprising two rounds of Qualifying and the First Round (final 16) of the Main Draw, will be played across courts at Stanford University, the Bay Club San Francisco, the Olympic Club and University Club. The Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Championship will be played at Justin Herman Plaza.

Some 400 reserved seats are available for the NetSuite Open, ranging in price from $30 to $250.