Egyptian Teenager Adham Roshdy Claims Second Title In Assore Challenger Event 

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Johannesburg – Egyptian teenager Adham Roshdy completed a memorable fortnight in Johannesburg by winning his second PSA title in as many weeks at the Assore Challenger 6 squash tournament at Parkview Squash Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The 19-year-old defeated compatriot Seif El Shenawy in the men’s final to repeat his success over the same opponent in the first Assore Challenger 6 event at Parkview the previous week.

The match was over before it really started, with El Shenawy being ill-tempered from the outset and then conceding after one point in the second game after Roshdy won the first game 11-5.

This is the second consecutive final that he has not completed.

Nevertheless, it brought Roshdy two titles from just two tournaments in South Africa and capped an impressive introduction to the professional circuit.

“I am really proud of myself and my performances, and I want to thank my team back in Egypt for all the hard work they have put in,” he said.

Roshdy said the standard of competition in Egypt had prepared him well for the challenges in Johannesburg.

“In Egypt, we are one of the strongest squash countries in the world and we always compete against top-10 players, so that is a difference,” he said. “But there are some very good players in South Africa too.”

In the women’s final, another Egyptian, Amira Elrefaey, seeded four, claimed the title when she defeated compatriot and third seed Hana Aladdin 11-13 12-10 5-11 11-9 11-5 in a ferocious battle lasting 59 minutes.

Elrefaey said she had benefited from her experience in the first Assore event and arrived at the second tournament with greater confidence.

“This tournament was so great, and it went better for me,” Elrefaey said.

“This time I placed a lot of focus on my mental approach, and that gave me more confidence in the match.

“I am also more used to the courts and the fantastic supporters, so that helped me a lot.

“The atmosphere at these events is always so great.

“I also focused on getting a better length on my shots and trying to stay calm on court and not get too angry with myself.”

Elrefaey praised the Assore series for providing valuable exposure to South African players while also giving the visiting Egyptians a competitive environment.

“There are several very good players in South Africa, and they are very keen to learn and passionate about the game,” Elrefaey said.

“They ask us questions about how we play and, if they lose, they want to learn about how they can do better.

“They also have such good sportsmanship and really try to enjoy the game.”

Tournament director Craig van der Wath believes that interaction between the international players and local competitors is one of the most important aspects of the Assore series.

With the two Challenger 6 tournaments deliberately scheduled close together, players have been able to gain maximum competitive exposure while keeping travelling costs down.

Van der Wath said considerable effort had also gone into ensuring that the international players had a positive experience in South Africa, from handling visa and entry requirements to providing medical contingency plans and looking after them during their stay.

The visiting Egyptians have also been encouraged to share their knowledge with the next generation of South African players.

Over the past two weeks, juniors from Parkview Squash, Egoli Junior Squash and Joburg junior programmes have had opportunities to train with the Egyptians and learn about their preparation, training methods and experiences of playing in Egypt.

“Our players have a lot of talent, and after these tournaments they now have the information,” Van der Wath said.

“It is up to the players to put into practice what they have learnt and try to move up the world rankings.”

He believes the benefits of the series will extend well beyond the immediate results.

“We provide the opportunity for those players to come and compete, and we are best served by having a close relationship with Egypt because they are the strongest squash nation in the world,” Van der Wath said.

“If we align ourselves with the best, then we can also aim to become the best.”

For Van der Wath, developing South African squash is a long-term project, with the Assore series providing the platform for local players to learn, compete and gradually raise their standards.

“It’s not something that will happen immediately,” Van der Wath said.

“It’s a progression, and maybe after a few years our players will see the real benefits of this.

“It starts with how we prepare, how we train and how we practise.”

The Assore series will continue to provide South African players with opportunities to earn PSA ranking points and test themselves against international opposition, while the experience gained by the country’s juniors could prove equally valuable in the years ahead.

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