Amr Shabana


Amr Shabana is a former professional squash player from Egypt. He won the World Open in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009, and reached the World No. 1 ranking in 2006.
He represented the winning Egyptian team in the 1999 Men's World Team Squash Championships held in Cairo and the 2009 Men's World Team Squash Championships held in Denmark. Shabana's accomplishments in professional squash lead many to regard him as one of the greatest players of all time.

Career overview

The talented left-hander from Cairo first showed his promise when he was the runner-up in the British Under-14 Open in January 1993. Four years later he reached the final of the British Under-19 Open, where he again lost to Faizy.
A PSA member since 1995, Amr claimed his first Tour title with the help of Bryan "Griffin" Knight in July 1999, winning the Puebla Open in Mexico. Seven days later he grabbed his second, the Mexico Open, again by beating Australia's Craig Rowland in the final.
Amr Shabana crowned a remarkable year in 2003 when, as ninth seed, he forced his way through a star-studded field in the World Open in Pakistan. He dispatched title-holder David Palmer, the third seed, in five games in the third round. He then went on to take out Palmer's Australian teammate Anthony Ricketts in the last eight. After defeating Karim Darwish in a four-game semi-final, Shabana clinched the historic title by beating Thierry Lincou in the final 15–14, 9–15, 15–11, 15–7, to become Egypt's first winner of the sport's premier title.
But after a disappointing following year, in which his only final appearance was in the British Open Squash Championship in England, losing to David Palmer in four games 10–11, 11–7, 11–10, 11–7, Shabana stormed back to the top of his game in 2005. Over a short period, he acquired a new coach, Ahmed Tahir; a new manager, the former Egyptian international Omar Elborolossy; and a wife, Nadjla. "All I have to worry about now is playing my matches – everything else is looked after for me now", said Shabana. And the effect was plain to see as a week after winning the Heliopolis Open in his home town Cairo, the seventh-seeded Shabana beat David Palmer and James Willstrop, before defeating Anthony Ricketts in the final to claim the St Louis Open crown in the United States.
The next event saw the in-form Egyptian brush aside all opposition in the Hungarian Open in Budapest, winning his third title in as many weeks after beating Grégory Gaultier in the final. But the World Open in Hong Kong confirmed his renaissance beyond doubt. Seeded five, Amr crushed fourth seed Lee Beachill in the quarters, Peter Nicol in the semis, and, in his third successive straight games victory, powered past David Palmer 11–6 11–7 11–8 in the final to become the first player since the heyday of the Khans to win the World Open title for the second time.
The new year brought continuing rewards for Shabana with victories in the Canadian Classic in January, followed by the Tournament of Champions in New York in March, and the Bermuda PSA Masters in April – bringing his PSA Tour title tally to 12, and then in April 2006, Shabana became the first Egyptian player to reach the world number 1 ranking.
In 2007, Shabana was crowned world champion for the third time in five years at the World Open in Bermuda and later in January 2009, Shabana's 33-month reign as World No. 1 was ended by his countryman Karim Darwish.
In 2014, Shabana became the oldest professional to win a World Series title by defeating Grégory Gaultier in the finals of Tournament of Champions.
On the 27th of August 2015, Shabana announced his retirement from competitive professional squash.

World Open">World Open (squash)">World Open final appearances

4 titles & 0 runner-up

OutcomeYearLocationOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner2003Lahore, Pakistan Thierry Lincou15–11, 11–15, 15–8, 15–14
Winner2005Hong Kong David Palmer11–6, 11–7, 11–8
Winner2007Bermuda Grégory Gaultier11–7, 11–4, 11–6
Winner2009Kuwait Ramy Ashour11–8, 11–5, 11–5

Major World Series">PSA World Series">World Series final appearances

British Open">British Open Squash Championships">British Open: 1 final (0 title, 1 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2004 David Palmer14–16, 11–7, 13–11, 11–7

Hong Kong Open">Hong Kong Open (squash)">Hong Kong Open: 4 finals (4 titles, 0 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner2006 Ramy Ashour13-11, 3-11, 11-5, 13-11
Winner2007 Grégory Gaultier11-13, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11
Winner2008 Grégory Gaultier11-9, 13-15, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3
Winner2009 Grégory Gaultier11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 5-2

[Qatar Classic]: 3 final (1 title, 2 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner2007 Grégory Gaultier11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5
Runner-up2008 Karim Darwish11-4, 11-5, 11-3
Runner-up2010 Karim Darwish8-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6

US Open">United States Open (squash)">US Open: 4 finals (2 titles, 2 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2006 Grégory Gaultier11-5, 7-11, 11-4, 11-9
Winner2009 Ramy Ashour11-7, 11-2, 7-11, 12-14, 11-8
Winner2011 Nick Matthew11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-4
Runner-up2014 Mohamed El Shorbagy 8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3

Career statistics

Listed below.

PSA Titles (30)

All Results for Amr Shabana in PSA World's Tour tournament

No.DateTournamentOpponent in finalScore in finalMinutes played
1.July 4, 1999Puebla Open Craig Rowland11–15, 15–7, 15–7, 15–9Unknown
2.July 11, 1999Mexico Open Craig Rowland8–15, 15–7, 15–4, 15–13Unknown
3.January 23, 2001El Ahly Open Karim Darwish15–12, 15–12, 17–1557minutes
4.June 29, 2003Spanish Open Karim Darwish15–13, 13–15, 15–14, 8–15, 15–131 h 24 min
5.December 21, 2003World Open Thierry Lincou15–11, 11–15, 15–8, 15–141 h 13 min
6.September 12, 2005Helioplis Open Karim Darwish11–10, 2–0 Unknown
7.September 20, 2003St. Louis Open Anthony Ricketts11–10, 11–8, 11–756 min
8.October 2, 2005Hungarian Open Grégory Gaultier6–11, 11–2, 11–7, 8–11, 11–51 h 6 min
9.December 4, 2005World Open David Palmer11–6, 11–7, 11–840 min
10.January 14, 2006Canadian Classic Jonathon Power11–9, 11–8, 11–537 min
11.March 3, 2006Tournament of Champions Nick Matthew11–6, 11–9, 11–440 min
12.April 8, 2006Bermuda Masters Peter Nicol9–11, 11–6, 11–7, 2–11, 11–81 h 5 min
13.October 22, 2006Hong Kong Open Ramy Ashour11–10, 3–11, 11–5, 11–1048 min
14.December 20, 2006Saudi International Open Grégory Gaultier11–7, 11–9, 11–41 h 13 min
15.January 23, 2007Windy City Open Anthony Ricketts11–8, 11–8, 11–1053 min
16.March 2, 2007Tournament of Champions Anthony Ricketts7–11, 11–3, 8–4 26 min
17.October 28, 2007Saudi International Open Ramy Ashour11–5, 11–5, 1–11, 11–950 min
18.November 3, 2007Qatar Classic Grégory Gaultier11–4, 8–11, 11–6, 11–552 min
19.November 11, 2007Hong Kong Open Grégory Gaultier10–11, 11–3, 11–6, 11–10 1 h 1 min
20.December 1, 2007World Open Grégory Gaultier11–7, 11–4, 11–642 min
21.April 27, 2008Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open Ramy Ashour11–9, 11–7, 13–1152 min
22.November 23, 2008Hong Kong Open Grégory Gaultier11–7, 13–15, 8–11, 11–2, 11–31 h 16 min
23.August 1, 2009Malaysian Open Nick Matthew5–11, 11–9, 11–6, 11–451 min
24.September 6, 2009US Open Ramy Ashour11–7, 11–2, 7–11, 12–14, 11–857 min
25.October 18, 2009Hong Kong Open Grégory Gaultier11–8, 9–11, 11–3, 5–2 48 min
26.November 7, 2009World Open Ramy Ashour11–8, 11–8, 11–550 min
27.October 7, 2011US Open Nick Matthew11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-451 min
28.January 8, 2012World Series Finals Grégory Gaultier6-11, 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 11-81 h 31 min
29.January 6, 2013World Series Finals Nick Matthew4-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-757 min
30.January 24, 2014Tournament of Champions Grégory Gaultier11-8, 11-3, 11-442 min

Note: = retired, min = minutes, h = hours

PSA Tour Finals (Runner-Up) (11)

No.DateTournamentOpponent in finalScore in finalMinutes played
1.May 17, 1998Italia Open John WhiteUnknownUnknown
2.May 3, 2003Pakistan Circuit Karim Darwish12–15, 7–15, 2–6 22 min
3.November 6, 2004British Open David Palmer11–10, 7–11, 10–11, 7–111 h 29 min
4.January 25, 2005Windy City Open John White7–11, 8–11, 4–1140 min
5.January 30, 2005Dayton Open Peter Nicol6–11, 10–11, 2–1128 min
6.November 16, 2006US Open Grégory Gaultier5–11, 11–7, 4–11, 9–111 h 1 min
7.April 11, 2007Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open Ramy Ashour3–11, 5–11, 10–1234 min
8.February 16, 2008Canadian Classic Ramy Ashour2–11, 9–11, 11–8, 8–1138 min
9.April 20, 2008Hurghada International Ramy Ashour10–11, 11–9, 7–11, 11–9, 10–111 h 17 min
10.October 31, 2008Qatar Classic Karim Darwish4–11, 5–11, 3–1129 min
11.October 18, 2014US Open Mohamed El Shorbagy11–8, 9–11, 3–11, 3–1145 min

Singles performance timeline

To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only once a tournament or the player's participation in the tournament has concluded.
Note: NA = Not Available
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