Worlds Update: Ashour Overpowers Hesham in All-Egyptian Affair

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Defending champion Ramy Ashour made a winning start in his bid to win a fourth World Championship crown after a 3-0 victory over maverick shot-maker Mazen Hesham in round one of the 2015 PSA Men’s World Championship in Bellevue, Washington.

The World No.4, who beat Mohamed Elshorbagy in last year’s final, had the upper hand for the majority of a topsy-turvy match which flowed between some sublime rallies and unforced errors.

Hesham was in red-hot form after reaching his first ever PSA World Series semi-final at last week’s Qatar Classic but was out of sorts in this encounter after a number of tins allowed Ashour to take the match in straight games by an 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 margin in just 26 minutes.

“I enjoyed that but I’m not sure I’m going to enjoy it in the future,” said Ashour.

“He is going to get a lot better and is getting better with every tournament. I had to focus on everything. I’ve been seeing him play.

“I’ve not been playing much so I have been watching more. I think he’s a very good player and I think he is going to be one of the best one day.

“We’re very similar, he does a lot of quick stuff and it’s refreshing to see someone like that.”

Ashour has suffered yet another injury-ravaged year and his appearance in Bellevue marks just his fifth PSA World Tour event of 2015.

‘The Artist’, who captured last year’s World Championship crown after six months out through injury, insists that he has tried to maintain a positive outlook.

“It’s as [Mohamed] Elshorbagy said yesterday, sometimes you have tests of character with certain things,” the 37-time PSA World Tour title winner said.

“That’s what happened with me. I think I kind of adapted with the whole thing. You just go with the flow and you try not to force it.

“This gives you more of a space in your head so you can find more solutions. There’s a lot of mental stuff. I’ve been trying to work on that and trying to stay positive.”

The mercurial Egyptian is set to face yet another compatriot in Mohamed Abouelghar after the World No.32 saw off Canada’s Shawn Delierre to reach the second round.

Result – First Round: PSA Men’s World Championship 2015
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 (26m)

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