Category Archives: Player Profile

Allam British Open 2013 – Can Ramy make it a perfect year?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jeff
Ramy Ashour

Ramy Ashour - Photo credit to squashsite.co.uk

The main round of the 2013 Allam British Open Squash Championship is now under-way and Ramy Ashour is seeded to win.  There certainly is some very stiff competition he will have to beat though to win this year’s British Open.  Ramy has never won the British Open and if he does he will have gone a whole year without losing a match on the PSA tour.  The last tournament he lost was the British Open last year when Nick Matthew beat him.  Going a whole year without losing a match would be an incredible accomplishment especially considering how talented the current top 4 players are! Let’s take a look at Ramy’s career.

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Ramy Ashour and the Prince Airstick 130

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Jeff
Picture courtesy of Worldsquash.org

Since the start of the 2013 Tournament of Champions there has been a great deal of conversation about Ramy Ashour and the racquet he is playing with.  We have definitely seen a spike in visits to our site about him and the racquet he is playing with.  So what is he playing with?  As the title of this post would indicate he is playing with his old favourite as pictured here, the Prince Airstick 130. The picture above is old but was a good shot of him with the Airstick 130. From what I have read he is no longer sponsored by Dunlop and is therefore free to play with what ever racquet he chooses.  His old favourite the Prince Airstick 130 is what he has gone back to.  It is a great racquet.  We have a review of it here and we have it for sale here.

The first reference I found of Ramy switching back to the Prince Airstick 130 was from Twitter here.

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Control the ‘T’ Sports is Proud to Announce our Sponsorship of Mike McCue

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Jeff
Contact: Jeff Warren
Phone: 1-877-370-4661
Email: jeff@controlthet.com		 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTROL THE ‘T’ SPORTS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR SPONSORSHIP OF MIKE MCCUE

Control the ‘T’ Sports is excited to announce that we are sponsoring Mike McCue who is currently ranked #154 on the PSA World Tour, for his footwear and apparel.  Mike is a very dedicated professional squash player who trains out of Jonathon Power’s National Squash Academy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Mike’s dedication has allowed him to move up over 100 spots in the PSA rankings in the past year alone. Mike’s passion for the game and his dedication are consistent with our beliefs as a company.  Control the ‘T’ Sports was born out of our passion and dedication to the game of squash.

Mike has chosen to play in the Asics Gel-Blast 4 Squash shoes.  We think it is important to know that the choice of the Asics Gel-Blast 4 was Mike’s choice of squash shoes not what we as a corporate sponsor asked him to play with.  Mike will also be wearing Asics shirts as part of his sponsorship.

Mike McCue stated the following on his partnership with Control the ‘T’ Sports, his goals on the PSA tour and why he chose the Asics Gel-Blast 4 Squash Shoes.

“Control the ‘T’ is an independently owned Canadian company, and I think both of us are up-and-comers in our respective fields. Both of us are working very hard and are very dedicated to the sport of squash and I expect big gains for both of us over the next few years. Control the ‘T’ Sports is my first non-racquet sponsor and a good starting point for me with regards to partnerships and sponsors.

I am hoping to start making real inroads on the PSA tour this year. Ranking-wise I would like to reach the top 115 by the end of the year and get some wins over top 100 players. I am expecting to make it past the quarter-finals of $5k tournaments and past the first round of $10k’s. I would also like to qualify for a larger event. I feel like my basic game and fitness are coming into place, so I need to learn how to win matches and navigate the various scenarios you come across at tournaments. Making good on just a few opportunities can make the difference between a successful career and mediocre one.

Asics shoes are generally accepted as the best squash footwear on the market. My two favourite features are the shape and lightness; they mould perfectly to your foot and afford you total mobility (obviously essential in squash), while still feeling almost weightless. I don’t even really notice the shoes while playing, and I think this is the biggest compliment you can pay to any piece of equipment.”

Control the ‘T’ Sports is very excited to be working with Mike McCue and we wish him all the best on the PSA World Tour.

 

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For more information contact Jeff Warren by email at jeff@controlthet.com or by calling 1.877.370.4661

 

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James Willstrop – North American Open Champion and World #1

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jeff

James Willstrop NAO2012 ChampionJames Willstrop has won the North American Open and regained the #1 ranking on the PSA Tour.

James performance against Ramy Ashour in the final was incredible.  Actually it was inspiring.  Having watched the match on PSASquashtv.com I was so impressed not only with James play but with his strategy.  He came in with a plan to contain Ramy, stuck with it, played beautifully and did what most thought he would not – win.

James’ use of height was what really won him the match.  If he was under any duress at all he got the ball high and in to the back corner and really limited Ramy’s ability to attack.  Tied together with James use of height was his use of the straight ball.  High, soft and straight balls that Ramy had to let pass.  When Ramy tried to pick up the tempo James was able to deal with it when needed and would slow it back down with the lob.  His accuracy on the lob was terrific.  He managed to get it over Ramy and forced him to let it drop and did not over hit them either having them come off the back wall.

How effective was James in executing his game plan?  How many nicks did Ramy hit? First report was none but there was one in the second game that was in back court.  Even that was not a roll out nick.  It took a funny bounce when it hit the nick and James could not get it back.  Not actually hitting the nick though could just be Ramy being off.  What really tells the tale of how effective James was how many front court nick attempts did Ramy even attempt?  I have not gone through and counted them but there were very few attempts. Why?  Simply put James hardly ever gave him the ball where Ramy could attempt it.

Congratulation to James Willstrop on winning the North American Open and on regaining the #1 ranking on the PSA Tour.  The North American Open was the first time in months where all of the top players in the world were in the draw.  James came through brilliantly and truly showed the quality of player he is.

James Willstrop is a Prince sponsored played and plays with the Prince EXO3 Rebel Squash Racquet.

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Control the ‘T’ Sports is pleased to introduce Mike McCue

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Jeff

We are very excited to announce that Mike McCue, an up and coming PSA Tour player will be blogging for Control the ‘T’ Sports.  Mike has been playing squash since the age of 10 and is currently 18-years old.  He finished his junior career as the #2 ranked player in Canada.  His current ranking on the PSA Tour is #234.  Mike trains under Jamie Hickox and Jamie Nichols at the National Squash Academy in Toronto.

Mike’s posts will focus on squash from the perspective of someone that is turning professional and trying to make it on the PSA Tour.  You can expect posts from Mike focusing on his training, training tips for other players, life as an up and comer on the PSA Tour, coverage of tournaments he plays in and other topics related to squash.  We hope you enjoy his posts!

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Jonathon Power – The master of deception

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Jeff

I am watching a match between Jonathon Power and Peter Nicol on www.psasquashtv.com and am inspired by Jonathon’s play.  He uses all 4 corners of the court beautifully to stretch his opponent out.  What I find truly incredible to watch though is his use of deception in the front corners.  Even watching the match on the computer it is difficult to figure out what shot he is going to play.  There are really three things I believe that made him so hard to read at the front court.  His body position, racquet preparation and how good he was at hitting the various shots.

Your body position in the front corners is critical as it gives you the ability to hit the drop, the straight length or the cross court.  In particular leaving yourself the straight shot is critical and what Jonathon did so well.  It is a hard shot to play and most players don’t even leave themselves the option with their approach to the ball in the front corner.  Jonathon on both the forehand and backhand would setup the same for a drop, a straight drive or the cross court drive.

Racquet preparation is equally critical to your body position.  Jonathon’s racquet preparation when he was in the front corner looked the same for the drop or either drive.  It is very important to have your racquet in a position that will allow you to drive or drop. Many players when they are going to drop have already extended their racquet out in such a manner that prevents them from driving the ball.  Likewise they will only have their racquet back when they go in to the front corner when they are going to drive.  Focus on being able to hit a drop, or the straight or cross court drive every time you go in to the front corners.  Work on making your racquet preparation look the same for every choice.

The ability to hit a quality drop, a quality straight drive or a quality cross court drive front corners is the key.  Jonathon Power was great at all three shots.  He had an amazing drop.  He could kill it in to the nick given the angle or if the angle did not present itself he would keep it hugging the side wall.  His cross court drive had the width to get by his opponent at the ‘T’.  The straight drive from Jonathon was lethal.  It is a very tough shot as your can’t pull it at all, you can’t catch the side wall it has to be very straight.  Jonathon hit the straight drive from the front corner beautifully.

Jonathon Power was terrific in the front corners and his opponents rarely knew what shot was coming.  His body position, racquet preparation and the fact that he could play any shot with such quality from the front corners left his opponents guessing as to what shot he was going to play.

 

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Gilly Lane forced to retire from the PSA Tour due to injury

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Jeff

Gilly LaneGilly Lane today announced his retirement from the PSA Tour due to injury.

Back injuries are a very difficult injury to recover from.  I have been fortunate to have never hurt myself as seriously as Gilly obviously has.  I have suffered one back injury playing squash that was incredibly painful but I was extremely lucky that I recovered from it quickly.

Gilly Lane made the announcement on his Facebook page today stating “It’s been a tough couple months struggling with this back problem and today is even tougher. I have decided to retire from the PSA Tour due to the injury I suffered in July. I think the time is right to begin to pursue other avenues and start the next phase of my life. I want to thank Tommy Berden, Lucas Buit, Floris Minnaert, John White, Natalie Grinham for their coaching and constant support. Thanks to US Squash for their backing and efforts to put us in the right position to succeed. Also LJ Anjema and Cameron Pilley for being great friends and role models and my parents and family for their endearing support. It wouldn’t have been possible without my family and I owe them everything.”

On Twitter Gilly tweeted the following “Tough day as I have decided to retire from the PSA Tour. My injury has not healed in the manner I wanted it to and it’s time to move on.” He then tweeted “Looking forward to the next phase in my life.”

Good luck in the next phase of your life Gilly.

 

 

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James Willstrop – Will he reach #1 on the PSA Tour?

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Jeff

James Willstrop Kuwait Champion 2011James Willstrop is on quite a roll.  He has won his last two tournaments and has moved to #2 in the world.  This is the 2nd time that James has reached #2 in the world.  With a win in India this next week he could move to #1.

James Willstrop is sponsored by Prince and uses the Prince EXO3 Rebel Squash Racquet.

The 2012 season is really looking interesting.  Hopefully Nick Matthew and Ramy Ashour will be back and injury free.  Can James Willstrop reach and possibly even maintain a #1 position with these 2 playing injury free?  His current run has not included victories over either of them.  With the form that Willstrop has shown it seems possible though.  The control with which he has been playing has been astounding. He is moving the ball around the court with astounding precision and giving his opponents so few opportunities to attack.

I expect that Nick Matthew and Ramy Ashour are definitely going to push James harder than he has been pushed in his last couple of tournaments.  Ramy’s attack will no doubt be tough for James to counter.  The intense physical pressure that Nick plays with will also prove difficult for James.  It will be interesting if we can get all 3 of these players playing at the top of their game who will come out on top.  Will James’ precision on court be enough to contain Ramy?  Will it be enough to force Nick to let balls go past him to the back of the court to keep him from exterting his physical presence he normally does by playing so high on the ‘T’?  I definitely look forward to watching and finding out!

 

 

 

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David Palmer has announced his retirement from the PSA

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Jeff

David Palmer has been a fixture on the PSA tour for years and managed to maintain a top 10 ranking for over 10 straight years.  He bridged generations of squash. He entered the top 10 near the end of Jansher Khan’s career when Peter Nicol and Jonathon Power were the dominant players on tour. When he announced his retirement Nick Matthew and Ramy Ashour are now the dominant forces on tour. He finished his career ranked 10th in the world.  He achieved nearly every major milestone in his lengthy career.  He reached #1 in the world on 2 occasions, he won 2 World Opens and 4 British Opens.

The strength of his game in my opinion was commitment.  He committed himself to being the best he could be in every aspect of the game.  His physical training was second to none on the tour.  He has a huge physical presence on court due to his size and strength.  His endurance was equally impressive.  His belief in himself was also an amazing attribute.  He managed to win both of his World Open titles after having faced match points against. Even his swing showed commitment.  The conviction he had when he hit the ball was impressive. He was set, hit through the ball and was very still and balanced while striking the ball.

Congratulations to David Palmer on a very impressive career and all the best in your future endeavours.

Below is a video interview with David Palmer after his last match.

 

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Gregory Gaultier – The Qatar Classic 2011 Champion

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Jeff

Gregory Gaultier 2011 Qatar Classic 2011 Champion

Gregory Gaultier played absolutely brilliantly this past week capturing the 2011 Qatar Classic Championship.

He had great wins over James Willstrop in the finals, Karim Darwish in the semi-final and unexpectedly Tarek Momen in the quarter-finals. For the last year pretty much all of the super series squash tournaments have been dominated by Nick Matthew and Ramy Ashour.  With Ramy having to retire injured and Nick Matthew losing to Momen the draw really opened up.  We got see some different match ups then we have seen recently.  The seeding’s in most of the tournaments have really held true with the 3/4 seeds losing in the semi’s.  Gaultier having been outside of that seeding has quite often run into a red hot Ramy or Nick in the quarters.  With both Nick and Ramy out it was great to see Gaultier have a match with Darwish and then Willstrop.

The real strength of Gregory Gaultier’s play is his strength of movement.  He is extremely quick to the ball and then back to the ‘T’.  Part of this is his how physically fit he is which allows him to keep such a high level of movement deep in to the match.  The biggest part of this though is his leg strength.  Even stretched out he is so strong that he is able to bounce back up and recover incredibly quickly. It is quite astounding to watch.  Even when his opponent has really stretched him out and Greg has made an incredible get he is so quick to get back to ‘T’ that is very hard to win a point.

The confidence he has in his movement really allows him to be aggressive with his play. When playing at the top of his game he has no fear of bringing the ball in short with a drop or a boast as he knows he can cover the next shot even his opponent is quick in to the ball. Not being afraid to move the ball in to the front allows him to relax doing it and player higher quality shots.  This type of play really stretches out his opponents and forces them to do so much work to stay in the match with him.

Gregory Gaultier is a Dunlop player and plays with the Dunlop Aerogel 4D Elite.  It will be interesting to see if he switches to the newer Dunlop Biomimetic Elite model that is current from Dunlop.

Congratulations to Gregory Gaultier the 2011 Qatar Classic 2011 Champion!

 

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