Ramy Ends Home Hopes In Swiss Rollercoaster

Egypt's world champion Ramy Ashour triumphed in a frenetic rollercoaster of an encounter with home favourite and world No.20 Nicolas Mueller during the second day of first round action at the 2015 Grasshopper Cup, the PSA International 70 event in Zurich.

In front of a sell-out crowd at the city's Puls 5 venue, Ashour - who beat world No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy last week to win the El Gouna International in one of the greatest matches of recent times - got off to a lethargic start, showing signs of rustiness following his four-month injury-absence pre-El Gouna as he struggled to find his rhythm on court.

Sensing his opportunity, Mueller pounced, producing some of his best ever squash to race into a two-game lead to leave Ashour staring at a first round exit before he produced a miracle comeback to win 3/2 after a thoroughly enthralling 69 minutes.

"I think I was on my fourth or fifth wind by the end of that match - but I just kept on digging and digging," said Ashour.

"Nicky was playing amazingly well, which he always seems to do against me, and the crowd were all fully behind him as well but I'm proud of how I managed to stay positive and push to get the result.

"I had a brutal tournament in El Gouna last week and coming here was not easy but the promoters are doing an amazing job looking after the players and I'm really happy to be in Zurich for the first time and delighted to win today."

The turning point in the match came in the third game, when at 9-9 Ashour upped his level to save the match and grasp a foothold and deliver a hammer blow to the local hero.

Mueller lifted himself again in the fourth and again found himself just two points away from glory, levelling the game at 10-10, but again it was Ashour who won the crucial points and the maverick Egyptian then upped his game again to storm to a 6-0 lead in the fifth.

In a see-saw encounter Mueller brought it back to 5-6, but he couldn't find the killer blow and saw his hopes of recording a huge upset vanish as the 27-year-old from Cairo came back to win in dramatic circumstances.

Ashour will now face compatriot Omar Mosaad in the quarter-finals in what promises to be a bruising all-Egyptian encounter.

Grasshopper Cup image courtesy of Irena Vanisova