Ashour & David Celebrate Tour Double In Doha

Just six days after winning major Tour titles in Kuwait, Egyptian Ramy Ashour and Malaysia's Nicol David established a remarkable double by claiming the men's and women's trophies, respectively, in the Qatar Classic at the Khalifa Squash Complex in Doha.

"I didn't think anyone could win these two tournaments back to back, but he's proved me wrong, he's a great player," said Australia's World Open champion David Palmer after his four-games defeat by Ramy Ashour, the 19-year-old World Junior champion from Cairo who has created massive waves in the sport over the past few months - including now three victories over the former world number one from New South Wales since October!

Seeded four in last week's Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open - the richest tournament of all-time - Ashour swept through the field to win the world's biggest prize, clinching the title with his first ever defeat of compatriot Amr Shabana, the world number one.

After a five-game semi-final victory over England's British Open champion Nick Matthew in Doha which took 82 minutes, the teen sensation faced Palmer, the experienced No2 seed who was celebrating his 44th appearance in a PSA Tour final.

The 30-year-old Australian took the opening game - but Ashour fought back in fine style to win the next three to record a notable 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 win in 66 minutes.

Incredibly, the title marked his third PSA Super Series title triumph this year, after successes in the Canadian Classic and Kuwait Open.

"I'm so proud to have won these two tournaments," said a beaming Ashour to www.squashsite.co.uk afterwards. "When you go on court for the 14th day and it's your second final in two weeks, you feel a bit loose - you have to search for the motivation to win, which is what I was doing in the first game.

"The third game was the toughest, we were both diving, but I knew if he took that one it would be much harder for me, so I really pushed - and then in the fourth I knew I could go for my shots."

Palmer, winner of 20 PSA Tour titles in his career to date, more than any other current player, added: "I made a good start, and at 6/2 in the second I needed to push on, but when he broke his strings it seemed to affect me more. I lost my length and my position on the T. I know that from 2/0 up, I could have gone on to win.

"He got a couple of lucky bounces at the end of the third, and in the fourth he was too good. I was tired, but it wasn't fatigue, it was more the speed that we were moving around the court that affected me.

"Now I'll go to do some training and come back looking to win some title later in the year."

Spurred on by a vociferous Malaysian contingent of the crowd, world number one Nicol David embarked on her bid to beat Australian rival Natalie Grinham for the fifth time in a row in the women's final - knowing that her previous three meetings with the world number two had each taken more than 90 minutes to resolve!

Grinham raced to a 6-0 lead in the opening game - but the 23-year-old from Penang came back to take the game to move 1/0 up. The 28-year-old Queenslander repeated the theme in the second game - but this time held on to her initiative to draw level.

After an evenly-balanced third game won by the favourite, David raced to an 8-0 lead in the fourth - ultimately converting the match-ball to record her title-winning 9-7, 2-9, 9-7, 9-2 victory in 69 minutes.

"I was struggling to find my game, but she came out really strong, she was on right from the start. I was just sticking in, and started to find it towards the end of the first," said the Malaysian after her 48th successive international match win, and her tenth title in a row.

"You never know how you'll play at the start, but I try not to think about it, when I find it I'll find it, and that's what happened. At 5/7 in the third I found my focus, it just suddenly clicked and I said to myself that now was the time to go for it.

"It's great to win the Qatar Classic for the first time - and to have so many people from Malaysia supporting me here, and in Kuwait, gives me a real boost."

Grinham was far from downhearted: "I'm disappointed to lose, but not with how I played. It was only in the last game, when she started with two or three lucky shots which gave her some confidence and then she just stepped on it and it got away from me.

"I totally changed my game-plan for the second, and that worked. Until the end of the third, I thought I was controlling the match, so it's disappointing I couldn't continue it. But I know what I was doing right. I know I've got the game and the fitness and the tactics to beat her.

"I'll get her next time!" concluded the Aussie.

Men's final:
[3] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] David Palmer (AUS) 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (66m)

Women's final:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) 9-7, 2-9, 9-7, 9-2 (69m)