3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Wael El Hindi

Rob White: Just spoke with Alister about his move to New York City. You made the move some time ago yourself.

Wael El Hindi: Well, as you can see, squash is growing here. It’s on the rise. That’s why a lot of pros have moved here. I think there’s a benefit economically to coming here. And hopefully we can continue to develop the juniors here – you know, the future looks good for American squash - we have Amanda Sobhy doing great, the first American to win a world championship. And the path is changing now- it’s not just about going to good colleges – they kids are thinking world championships and trying to take squash to the next level here in the States.

RW: You do a little coaching, right?

WEH: I coach a bit when I’m not on the tour. But I tell you, a couple of weeks ago, I was at the US Junior Open. 750 juniors – the biggest junior tournament in the world! This shows you how passionate squash has become and how big it’s going to be going forward. And I believe it’s important – if we truly want to get squash into the Olympics- that it continues to grow here in the States.

RW: What do you think of the crowd’s energy at the Tournament this year?

WEH: NYC has the best energy anywhere in the world! The crowd- the people- aaah! The audience here gives the player 25-30% more energy to play than what you have in any other place in the world! It’s just by them being so very into it – they stand up and roar – this is what makes the Tournament of Champions tournament so special and why everybody wants to come and play here!

RW: Back briefly to your move to the States - did you get grief from your fellow Egyptians after the move?

WEH: No grief, but some thought it’d be hard because there are fewer training partners here. We have Alister here now – unfortunately, we had to play each other the 2^nd round and he won. But we’re still friends! (laughter) I’m very happy he made the move, and of course we’ll be training partners. And hopefully more players will make the move to come here as well!

RW: I assume the move will make travel easier in some respects.

WEH: Yes, it’s so easy to travel from New York City. Sometimes, at the beginning of the season starting in Hong Kong and Ausralia, it can be a little far. But as you can see now, the other players have to travel here, take a cab, stay in a hotel - I just take the subway! (laughter) And sleep in my own bed!

RW: It’s been a pleasure, Wael! Best of luck going forward!

WEH: Thanks, Rob!

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Ramy Ashour

I chatted briefly with Ramy Ashour, the former world #1 and top seed at this year's Tournament of Champions, following his match against David Palmer - a win in four games. We spoke about his health, his brother Hisham's play of late, and the brothers' squash academy.

Rob White: How are you doing physically? –

Ramy Ashour: I feel better, but not 100% for sure. It was a good match I think. David's giving it all, and I too. I'm very happy for the win. And I have confidence now to play in the semi-finals for sure.

RW: Congratulations on that, and to your brother, Hisham. He lost to Peter Barker last night, but how do you feel about his resurgence?

RA: I’m very happy for him! If he keeps going this way, he can reach the top 10 – easily! He just has to continue to train as hard as he’s been doing these days and stay disciplined with that. And you know, keep the confidence up.

RW: I know you’ve been asked this a thousand times, but what’s it like having a brother that’s a world class squash player like yourself?

RA: Yes, thank you. That’s why we don’t have coaches now. (laughter) We’re each other’s coach. We’re pushing each other, training together, doing drills together - we’re changing our squash. We both know a lot about squash from our experiences. We’ve seen a lot of it and been through a lot of things on the court. And back home, we have a supportive squash community and everyone just loves the game from a very young age, in all the clubs - squash is a national game, so that support makes you focus and appreciate the game of squash and want to give it your all. Me and my brother push each other out of love for each other and for the game.

RW: It’s obvious that you both love the game by your play on the court. But you’re showing your love for the game off the court as well - what’s going on with the Academy?

RA: Yes, thank you for mentioning that. It’s coming. We’re holding it back a little bit - now with the travel, it’s kind of hard. But there’s still work going on with it. Hopefully when we finish this period, we’ll be able to go back and start it up.

RW: Why is this important to you- an academy?

RA: Well, it’s a turning point in both of our lives. We have a big responsibility – it’s something we must do. We’ve been dreaming about this since we were kids, and if we succeed in doing this the way we want, it’ll be special. We want to teach younger kids – give them all of the tips and drills to be great squash players.

RW: Not a lot of athletes, in any sport, do this while in the middle of their careers -

RA: Well, it’s a personal thing. And squash is something my brother and I do very well, and it’s our way of giving back. Squash is all we know and have. We can’t work in anything else but squash! (laughter) I wasn’t very successful with my education, so…

RW: Come on! You’d work as a track star- there'd be no Usain Bolt, just Ramy!

RA: No way! (laughter)

RW: What would you be doing if you didn’t have squash?

RA: Man, I honestly don’t know. I’m thankful – so thankful to God for having squash and for being able to perform at this level. And to keep striving – man, I’m just very thankful for the game - not just for me, but everyone around me and associated with the game. Everyone that’s given me their time and effort and support – my parents, my manager, my brother - everyone! The promoters – John Nimick has done such an amazing good job here with this wonderful tournament – they’re trying to take the game to a new level. And, of course, my sponsor, Ziad Al-Turki - the guy is doing a huge effort trying to raise the game. Everyone’s trying to raise the game – I’m so thankful for it all!

RW: Talk a bit more about the future - any Egyptian superstar juniors in the pipeline?

RA: Man, we have a lot! We have bags of juniors! (laughter) No, really, bags of them! It’s amazing how kids just go on court and are doing tricks without learning them – they just come up with it naturally!

RW: Not naturally – they see you and your brother do what you do on the court!

RA: No, no, thank you - I don’t think so – I think it’s in the genes! (laughter)

RW: This has been a pleasure – best of luck going forward, Ramy!

RA: Thank you so much!

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Gilly Lane

I was able to track down Gilly Lane as he was dashing to the airport to head to Detroit for the Motor City Open PSA Tournament. Gilly was defeated in the qualifying draw at this year's Tournament of Champions by Chris Ryder. Gilly and I spoke about the loss, his mental approach to the game, and his development going forward.

Rob White: G-Lane!

Gilly Lane: Hey, how’s it going!

RW: Are you going to be able to get out with the snow?

GL: We got nothing here in Philly!

RW: Lucky you! Though I guess that’s something you have to deal with on the regular – delays and such.

GL: Yeah, its kind of one delay after another – inclement weather, broken down plane, just usual in the life of an athlete. It’s just one of the things you just learn to do – having been on the tour for four years now, you get kind of used to having these types of things being thrown your way. The first year you learn how to deal with them - you go through your routine and then something throws it off, and you learn to adjust. And over the years, you get used to it - weather delay, match delayed for whatever reason – you just have to be ready for anything and everything. All of the guys are used to spending so much time in airports, we’re used to dealing with it all at this point.

RW: We missed you at the TOC this year – what happened there?

GL: Well, you know, Chris (Ryder) played really well. You know, he’s been having a lot of good results lately- he's had some good wins lately. He just went five games with Razik and almost made the 2^nd round this year. He’s a good player – I kept him on court for 54 minutes, so it was good. He played really well, and sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the guy and say he was much better on that day and well played, and you learn from it and move on.

RW: That’s a very mature attitude to have. That’s something we all should learn – sometimes the other guy is just better that day.

GL: Yeah, exactly. I’m pretty tough on myself- the hardest person on myself is me and sometimes that’s actually a negative in terms of moving forward. But you have to accept that on some days, guys are just going to be better and you can’t beat yourself up over it. It’s definitely one of the things I constantly work on because I consider myself a very competitive person. So, trying to take those losses and turn them into positives is important to me. And at these tournaments, especially the Tournament of Champions, you’re getting the best of the best. You’re playing the best players in the world, on the biggest stage in the world. Everybody’s coming to play – there are no easy matches. You learn from the loss and use it for future tournaments.

RW: Well said. You’re a Philly guy!

GL: UPENN!!

RW: UPENN – great school. Do you go back and visit the school, the squash program, and coaches?

GL: Yeah, I’m actually now part-time assistant and helping out with the squash program. So, I’m helping with the recruiting, and getting the players in the right frame of mind before they play - I’m at the matches when I’m around. Of course, playing is my number one objective; I’m still around the team and program quite a bit.

RW: That’s great. I spoke with Ramy about the Academy he and Hisham are starting back in Egypt and they have their own reasons for doing that. I think it’s a great thing- a selfless thing, especially when you guys are still in the prime of your squash lives- to give back in some way. It’s a great way to honor the game.

GL: Thank you. Absolutely. That’s very important to me. And for me, specifically, I had such a great experience in college at Penn. I love the place so much, and now I have an opportunity to give back and kind of maybe make a mark, or a difference, in the program. I’d like nothing more than for the guys to have the same experience I had at the school. I had a great four years – I loved every second of it! And being part of a college team is also great as well. I want everyone to have the same experience I had.

RW: How’s the training going- you’re recovering from an injury? And what do feel you have to do to break through to the next level?

GL: Well, I had an early taste of success. Broke into the top 50 early – had a career win against Peter Barker, who, at the time, was world #7. But that was just one match - I have to string a few more together. Lately, I’ve had the hamstring issue from September to December, so coming back from that. I was in Amsterdam and training five hours a day, five days a week and it’s given me my base for how I train now. Now I’m working with John White – he’s my new coach - and I’m trying to take knowledge from what he’s accomplished – and he’s done a lot, obviously – he got to World #1. So, trying to implement things he’s taught me into my game. And you know, sometimes you‘ve got to take a few steps backward to go forward –

RW: Tell me about it!

GL: (laughter) - and I think that’s kind of the process I’m in now. I’m ranked #59 now, and that’s not a negative thing. I'm looking forward to continue working with John and seeing where I’ll be six months from now. He’s been there and done that, and I'm just taking everything he has to say in and using it in my game.

RW: Where do you get this maturity and level-headedness from?

GL: Well, my parents brought me up well – I think they taught me well! (laughter)

RW: I think they’ve done a great job. I appreciate you taking the time before you head out to Detroit! Safe travels and best of luck there and down the road!

GL: Thanks a lot!

Tournament of Champions - Day 3 Photos

Tournament of Champions - Day 2 Photos

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Alister Walker

Behind the scenes at this year's Tournament of Champions, I sat down with Alister Walker following his 1st round victory over Wael El Hindi. Over tea and biscuits (chocolate-chip cookies), we spoke of his recent move to New York City, the theater, and his recent comments on England Squash.

Robert White: You’re a New Yorker now!

Alister Walker: Yes! Living up in Harlem!

RW: Talk about the move – was it you wanting a change of pace, a lifestyle change, something else- something spiritual?

AW: I don’t know that I can put it all down to spiritual reasons, but it was certainly a case where I wasn’t happy. I left Botswana where I was born and lived until I was fifteen, then moved to England - my dad’s English, so I’ve always had a great affinity for England. I’m a citizen – I’m a national, but it’s never really been home to me. So I felt I need a change where I could be stimulated mentally and physically, and New York City made too much sense. I’m living with my cousin in Harlem, and Harlem has a lot to offer and suits me – there’s a huge African heritage there, and I love the cultures and being able to eat all of that delicious food! New York City made sense, but Harlem makes even better sense.

RW: Any similarities between Botswana and Harlem?

AW: Well not right now - it’s freezing cold right now! (laughter) Ask me in the summer and I might give you a totally different answer! But, just to walk down the street and hear African people and see the way they laugh and that sense of humor, yeah, there’s things about Harlem that’s quite homely.

RW: And in terms of squash, does this move to NYC represents a jumpstart or re-boot, so to speak, of your squash career?

AW: Well, it coincides with the new year nicely, and I’ve been able to put a few things that bothered me last year behind me, and being able to be some place new, with new energy – so, we’ll see! In terms of training, it’s great - there’s enough players here to get a good hit with, and there’s always top players from the Tour coming through the city quite regularly. I think people in Europe, for a long time now, though that you’d move to the States when you finish your career - you know, you sort of wind down and you ‘re looking to get into coaching – but that’s certainly not the case for me. So, I’m in a situation where I may be the first to move here with, what some would say, are my best squash years coming up.

RW: The City has a lot of distractions- how are you dealing with those?

AW: Well, I like to go out and have a god time, but I’m not the type of personality to go out partying or drinking through the night. But, truthfully, I do need to get out and spend more time away from squash circles! The music scene’s unbelievable up in Harlem! – and in all of the city, obviously. So it’ll be nice to be able to enjoy myself socially, without doing anything detrimental to the squash - listening to live music and things like that.

RW: What’s better? Broadway or the West End?

AW: (laughter and a long pause) To be honest, I love them both! But I’m not going to be diplomatic (laughter) - I am going to choose one, so I’d say the West End still for me. But to be honest, I haven’t sampled enough of the Broadway theater district, so I might have to get back to you. I think it’ll be tough to beat the London Theater with how old it is and how much history there is in those theaters.

RW: Switching gears now, you made headlines a few weeks back when you made some strong comments on squash development in the UK. It didn’t seem to me to be mean-spirited, but rather stated matter-of-factly, but it drew some attention. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/squash/8209526/England-Squash-lacks-integrity-and-barely-deserve-world-champion-Nick-Matthew-says-US-bound-Alister-Walker.html)

AW: Well, certainly, a lot of people obviously don’t like what I said, but a lot of people do like what I said very much. And simply put, I don’t want to be a part of it, but I wish them all the best.

RW: And I’ve seen you interacting with the English players this week- you seem to have remained very close to them.

AW: Yes, all of the players - I have good relations with them still. And the coaches I get along with. So you know, not much has changed. I just don’t want to be a part of the program. I thought they handled some things poorly, and I hope they don’t make those mistakes again.

RW: You singled out Nick Matthew in your comments…

AW: I gave him some props!

RW: You guys are very close friends.

AW: Yes, Nick and I get on well. Obviously, I’ve learned some stuff from him over the years, and he’s learned an awful lot from me! (laughter)

RW: I’m sure he’ll the same! Or the exact opposite!

AW: Joking aside, he had an amazing year last year. He won the PSA player of the year in 2010 – and deservedly so - I don’t think anyone can argue with that. It was his time, and it still is his time. He’s still the player to beat. You can’t fault the guy- because he’s been working hard his whole career since he’s been a young boy in the juniors, and it’s all come together at the right time.

RW: Is it harder to play him? You guys may meet in the 2^nd round this year.

AW: Yes, it definitely is. I once read that he said it’s a bit like a marriage...which I found a strange parallel (laughter). But it’s definitely something there that is different when you play your mates. And while you respect all of your opponents, when you see somebody train day in day out, and you been part of it as we have for each other for a few years now, there’s a sort of understanding of one another which make it more difficult. But, we’re big boys, we put that aside as soon as we step on the court.

RW: You mentioned coaching earlier – will you do any coaching here in the city?

AW: Not totally. I’m currently focusing on my game. There’ll come a time, obviously, when I’ll do some coaching, but it’s not going to be a primary part of my life. But there will be a little bit going on.

RW: I had a great time talking with you- all the best!

AW: Thanks, mate!

Tournament of Champions - Day 1 Photos

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Amr Shabana

I caught up with Amr Shabana, a two-time winner of the Tournament of Champions, as he was watching Day 1 action from this year's tournament.

Rob White: Talking to you makes me recall your watch against Alister Walker last year and of, course, that you’re a two-time winner here - what is it about New York City that brings out your best?

Amr Shabana: Well, for sure, there’s a lot of positive energy in New York City and in the Tournament as well. It’s the first big major of the year – played in Grand Central Station which is such a monumental place with so much history. And so many people come by the court every day. The American crowd loves their squash, and of course, I’ve won the tournament twice, so it’s very easy to play here.

RW: You’re a veteran of the tour - talk about the challenges of staying at the top as you’ve done.

AS: It’s all about getting your mind and body in check. I was unlucky the last couple years with injuries that put me out for most of thepast two seasons. My knees, slipped disc in my back – it’s been a terrible last two years for me. But I feel my body is coming around again and I’m able to perform now how I want to perform. So everybody has to watch out now! (laughter)

RW: I hear that! Talk some more about New York City – do you find time to enjoy yourself here?

AS: Yeah, it’s a great deal that you can “switch off” after your match and find so much to do here. I have my wife here with me this year – she came with me back in 2007 and now she’s back with me again. So we’ll shop a bit, eat well, go sightseeing – it’s a great city.

RW: And does your wife here watching you provide added pressure when you play? It does for me when my wife watches me!

AS: Well, you’re more focused for sure. Simply having her here to take care of little things for me – make sure I eat , for example, and just take care of me. It’s always a pleasure to have her watch me play!

RW: One last question – what are your thoughts on the scoring format at the World Series Final last week?

AS: I think the format works better, definitely, when you have to play matches every day. Obviously, when you have the top eight players in the world, it’s asking a lot for the crowd to sit through four best of five matches over that amount of time. Best of three makes it fast and exciting – I think it was the right format to use for the top eight and the PSA should stick with that in that 8-man format going forward.

RW: Thanks for your time, Amr!

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with David Palmer

Fresh off the court after his straight game win over American #1, Julian Illingworth, in the 1st round of the 2011 Tournament of Champions, I caught up with David Palmer cooling down on the bike.

Rob White: Congratulations on your win, David. Julian gave you all you could handle tonight.

David Palmer: Yeah, it was a pretty solid match. It wasn’t the best I ever played - wasn’t the worst. It was a good solid match and I did enough to win. I used my experience when I needed to and sort of felt I was in control of the match, and glad I was able to close it out in 3-0.

RW: Do you find that when you play the younger guys now, you rely more on your experience. Of course, you’re in great shape and you have great athleticism, but I assume you call on that experience more now during tough situations.

DP: To a degree, yes. Of course, I’m a bit smarter at this stage of my career, though not as fast and fit as I used to be. I’m 34, nearly 35, so, I have to be a bit smarter. But it frustrates me sometimes because I love to play fast, but I know to play my game I have to be more careful these days - I have to sort of pace myself. And I thought I did that tonight. In the past, I probably would’ve pulled away in the 2^nd and won much easier, but I was just trying to pace myself tonight. And I know Julian’s a pretty fit guy, too. I saw him last week from two-love down and nearly beat Olli (Tuominen) in five, so I’m really happy to get through 3-0 and put myself in a good position going forward.

RW: You’re still in amazing shape, but how has your training regiment changed over the years?

DP Well, obviously I’m not working as hard. Body can’t take the amount of training that I used to do. (laugh) Obviously, I was one of the fittest guys for a long time. I still feel deep down I’ve got to be smart about my training, and look after the body – it’s more about trying to protect my body. It’s tougher because the game’s getting so much faster with guys like Ramy and all the young guys playing incredibly fast- it’s not easy. So, it’s about keeping my body strong and injury free, but still try to keep up with them. But I’m hanging in there.

RW: You reside in FL, but you spend quite a lot of time in New York City -

DP: Yes, I’m full time in Florida but I’m up here 4-5 times a year. I love New York City – it’s a fun place, and the tournament of Champions has always been one of my favorite tournaments.

RW: Do you find time to enjoy the city when you’re here or is it all business?

DP: Obviously, I’m a bit more relaxed than I used to be, so I do enjoy myself when I’m here. I have plenty of friends around that I see when I’m here, and I’ve got my two families that I coach up here this weekend – their kids who I coach are playing in the junior event, so we’ll be watching them obviously. I try to pick and choose my times to relax, but I try to socialize a bit more than I used to, but stilly try to make the most of what I have now in the tournament. And I’ll see how it goes on Sunday!

RW: Well, thanks for your time, David, and best of luck going forward.

DP: Thanks, been my pleasure.

Run to the Roar

Few books I have read in my life have stirred such a strong emotional response in me. In part because of my love for the game, in part because I know many of the key characters, and in large part because I can relate to the human drama that is woven into the book from start to finish.

It can be very hard to do the right thing when it comes to those you love. And it can be hard to follow your dreams, especially when those dreams take you to the other side of the world, far from the comforts and protections of everything and everyone you know so well. Both of these themes are familiar to me and are addressed again and again in the book.

'Run to the Roar' is a book by Paul Assaiante, Trinity head squash coach, and James Zug, acclaimed squash writer. It is a wonderful roller-coaster of joy and despair, triumph and tragedy. It neatly summarizes the events of one day in February 2009 when Trinity played Princeton in a College Squash Association finals in Princeton, New Jersey. Assaiante dedicates a chapter to each player.

In addition to the outcome of each match is a back story about the Trinity student, his character, his relationship with Paul and how he came to be there on that day. The tension escalates throughout the book and culminates in the final match played by Trinity number one, Baset Chaudhry. The epilogue mentions an even more infamous match played by Chaudhry against Yale's Ken Chan which ended on every sports channel on TV - the infamous outburst at the end of the match. But this particular moment is a non-event in the book. It is first mentioned on the last page. So if you are looking for gore, look elsewhere.

This is a story of pressure, passion, courage and victory. This is a human story and is less about squash and more about what it takes to successfully lead a bunch of young men to overcome their fears and achieve greatness in sport.

You may be interested to know that I sat next to Chaudhry recently at a tournament dinner and I can tell you with certainty that his outburst was completely out of character and he should never by judged by it. He was nothing but polite and respectful and humble. In fact, I would go as far as to say that he has a very sweet and charming way about him. But you also get the distinct feeling that he is a very determined and serious young man. The book will tell you more.

I encourage you to buy 'Run to the Roar' (get it at Amazon.com) and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading the book and that it moves you the way it did me. And after you finish it you will feel like you know Paul Assaiante and the players on his team of 2009 very well, and you will like all these characters very much. Furthermore, no matter your college affiliation, you will inevitably come to respect Coach Paul for what he has achieved. It is a special story that will be told for generations to come.

Read more from Brett at www.brettssquashblog.com