Shabana Celebrates Saudi Success In Year-End Event

Egypt's Amr Shabana, who kicked off the year with victory in his first tournament, rounded off 2006 in fine style when he clinched the Saudi International title after beating Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in straight games in tonight's final of the PSA Super Series Platinum event in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

It was the 20th PSA Tour final appearance for both players, but the fifth title of the year - and the 14th of his career - for the 27-year-old world number one from Cairo who took 44 minutes to quash Gaultier, the No7 seed, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4.

Gaultier, the 23-year-old from Aix-en-Provence who has had a meteoric rise up the rankings this year - starting at 12 and finishing at four - was appearing in his third successive PSA final after upsetting third seed Thierry Lincou and No2 seed David Palmer in the previous two rounds.

"I think Greg had a harder route to the final than I had. I was fresher and also more determined than he was, I didn't have the pressure," top seed Shabana told the official website www.atcosquash.com afterwards.

Gaultier was surprisingly upbeat after the match: "I'm disappointed, of course, but not that much. It's a positive result and a great end of the year."

Shabana's Saudi success moves him into third place amongst current players in the list of PSA title-holders, behind David Palmer with 19 titles and Thierry Lincou with 18. The Egyptian's next appearance will be at the World Squash Awards at the RAC Club in London on Friday (22 December) where he is one of the nominations for PSA Player of the Year.

Final:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [7] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 (44m)