Egyptians dominate World Squash Awards
By NATHAN CLARKE in Hull
The 2014 Men’s World Champion Ramy Ashour, the talented maverick from Cairo who returned to action following a six-month injury lay-off to win the World Championship, has been crowed the PSA Men’s Player Of The Year at the annual World Squash Awards dinner which took place during the 2015 Allam British Open in Hull last night (May 16).
Ashour twice returned from injury to defeat World No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy in breath-taking finals during the course of the 2014-15 season, also triumphing in the El Gouna International, during what was a remarkable year for the injury-plagued superstar.
“It’s an honour and a pleasure to be nominated and selected as the Men’s Player of the Year,” said New York-based Ashour, who could not attend the dinner due to an ongoing Achilles tendon injury.
The PSA Women’s Player Of The Year award was won by dynamic Egyptian World No.2 Raneem El Welily, who capped a breakthrough year in which she finished runner-up in the 2014 Women’s World Championship by winning the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions and the 2015 Windy City Open.
“I’m very, very happy to win this award,” said El Welily. “It’s been a great year and I’ve achieved so much that I didn’t think that I would.”
Young Egyptian Fares Dessouki, who broke into the top 20 for the first time in his career this month, collected the PSA Young Player Of The Year award.
American Amanda Sobhy, who broke into the top 10 this year while still a student at Harvard University, picked up the PSA Women’s Young Player Of The Year award.
There was also special recognition of the double-handed former world No.2 Peter Marshall, who picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment to squash.
2015 World Squash Awards, Hull, England.
Men’s Player Of The Year – Ramy Ashour (EGY)
Women’s Player Of The Year – Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Men’s Young Player Of The Year – Fares Dessouki (EGY)
Women’s Young Player Of The Year – Amanda Sobhy (USA)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Peter Marshall (ENG)
Picture s from Squash Mad archive