Inside the Middle East - Blog
October 5, 2008
Humiliation On The Squash Court


--BY CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh

It is not everyday an 'ordinary Joe' plays sport with an athlete who is top of his or her game. So we at CNN were pretty excited not only to meet AmrShabana - squash's world champion and world ranked #1 since 2006 - but also for a chance for me to join him on the squash court.

I'm athletic. But I haven't swung a squash racket, well, for about as long as Shabana has been the squash's Best Player on Earth. Needless to say,I got spanked.

I think I may have scored one point, but only because Shabana had pity on me. Not that I remember, as I was too busy running around the court chasing after the ball to keep track.

Egyptian squash players are pushing to dominate the squash world rankings. Shabana goes for his fourth world championship title in Manchester, England this month. This week, two other Egyptians join Shabana in the upper echelon of the Professional Squash Association's World Rankings.. .clinching three of the top six spots for the first time.

Find out why Egyptians are so goodatsquash, by watching my story "Egypt's Squash Mania" on CNN.

After crashing into the squash court wall (more than once,) I tossed all shame aside and (breathlessly) suggested to Amr and the film crew that we take a breather for a few digital still photos. We'd post more snaps of Amr and I "in the game" - but the images are out of focus and blurry. Apparently the guy holding the digital camera was laughing too hard to hold the camera still.

Shabana goes for his FOURTH world title at the squash championships in Manchester this month. Is Egypt poised for world dominance in the sport? Tell us what you think...
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