By Adnaan Mohamed
Adham Roshdy has turned Parkview Squash Centre into his personal launching pad, with the 19-year-old Egyptian teenager claiming his second PSA title in as many weeks at the Assore Challenger 6 in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Roshdy defeated compatriot Seif El Shenawy in a final that barely had time to find its rhythm. After taking the opening game 11-5, Roshdy watched El Shenawy concede after one point of the second game, bringing the contest to an abrupt end.
It was an unusual finale to an impressive fortnight. Roshdy had beaten El Shenawy in the previous week’s Assore Challenger 6 final too, making the Egyptian teenager the undisputed king of Parkview.
“I am really proud of myself and my performances, and I want to thank my team back in Egypt for all the hard work they have put in,” Roshdy said.
His back-to-back titles offer a glimpse into the depth of Egypt’s squash system, where young players routinely sharpen their games against elite opposition.
“In Egypt, we are one of the strongest squash countries in the world and we always compete against top-10 players, so that is a difference,” Roshdy said. “But there are some very good players in South Africa too.”
The women’s final provided considerably more fireworks.
Fourth-seeded Amira Elrefaey survived a 59-minute Egyptian duel with third seed Hana Aladdin, winning 11-13, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 11-5.
The match was a squash rollercoaster, with momentum changing hands like a loose ball in a frantic netball circle. Elrefaey eventually steadied her game and her emotions to claim the crown.
“This tournament was so great, and it went better for me,” she said. “This time I placed a lot of focus on my mental approach and that gave me more confidence in the match.”
Her adjustment was tactical too, with greater emphasis on length, composure and court discipline.
“I also focused on getting a better length on my shots and trying to stay calm on court and not get too angry with myself.”
The real prize for South African squash may extend beyond the trophies.
Tournament director Craig van der Wath sees the Assore series as a bridge between local ambition and international expertise. Two Challenger 6 events were staged close together to maximise competitive exposure while limiting travel costs.
The visiting Egyptians have also worked with juniors from Parkview Squash, Egoli Junior Squash and Joburg programmes, sharing insights into preparation, training and life on the Egyptian squash circuit.
“Our players have a lot of talent and after these tournaments they now have the information,” Van der Wath said. “It is up to the players to put into practice what they have learnt and try to move up the world rankings.”
That, ultimately, is the Assore series’ bigger swing.
“We provide the opportunity for those players to come and compete, and we are best served by having a close relationship with Egypt because they are the strongest squash nation in the world,” Van der Wath said.
“If we align ourselves with the best, then we can also aim to become the best.”
For South African squash, the scoreboard tells only part of the story. The lessons absorbed between rallies could prove the more valuable result.
“It’s not something that will happen immediately. It’s a progression and maybe after a few years our players will see the real benefits of this. It starts with how we prepare, how we train and how we practise.”
The Assore tournaments have provided ranking points, international competition and a front-row seat to Egyptian excellence. The next move belongs to South Africa’s players.