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Voting Closed
The Photo of the Year will be announced in Squash Player magazine
issue SP201, March |
Steve Line, Squash
Player's globetrotting photographer, has chosen his top 10 photos from events he
covered in 2019. Fans can pick their favourite and vote for the Photo of the
Year here. |
Click on
photos for larger view |
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1.
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Joel Makin (WAL) -2018/19 World
Championships, Chicago,
3rd round. Squash is the most athletic of sports and here Ghosal twists
in mid air to retrieve a forehand after being wrong footed by Makin. A
perfect example of how the camera can reveal a split second of dramatic
action that would be lost to the naked eye. |
2. Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Paul Coll (NZ) - 2019 British Open,
Hull, 3rd round. It is not always the striker that makes the picture.
Here Coll makes every effort to leap out of the way to clear the ball
…..but unfortunately fails to do so and a stroke is awarded against him.
One of squash’s attractions for the photographer is how it continuously
provides an interaction between the 2 opponents, something no other
racket sport offers. |
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3. Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v Camille Serme (FRA) - 2019/20 World
Championships, Cairo, Quarter-Final. Hammamy, the current World Junior
Champion, is providing an increasing threat to the more established
players on the tour. Here she shows her delight at beating the 3rd seed
in her home city in front of the pyramids….and the photo encapsulates
the story by contrasting the elation of the winner with the
disappointment of the unfortunate loser. |
4.
Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT) – 2019/20 World Championships, Qatar, 2nd
round. Qatar has been hosting a major squash tournament since 1992 and
has been nurturing their talented home grown player, Tamimi, at the
event since 2010. This year it hosted the World Championships and Tamimi
achieved his first ever win in his home event by beating Greg Marche and
then followed it up here by a victory over Mathieu Castagnet – the
delight of the local crowd and Board members is plain to see.
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5. Paul Coll (NZ) v Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) - 2019/20 World
Championships, Qatar, Semi-Final. The first thing a newspaper editor
will ask for is an emotional shot so as to grab the reader’s attention.
Coll here is a picture of joy as he secures a win to be the first of his
countrymen to reach a World Championships Final since Ross Norman in
1986 - the diagonal angle of his body adds to the dynamic nature of the
picture. |
6. Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
v Raneem El Welily (EGY) – 2019 World Tour Finals, Cairo,
Semi-Final. The speed of the ball in squash means that the players are
constantly improvising their play, with between the legs and around the
back shots becoming increasingly commonplace. Here El Tayeb attempts a
very awkward variation of the latter and the camera captures just how
well she executes it. |
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7. 2019/20 World Championships (Pyramids), Giza pyramids, Cairo, Final. Ever
since the court was put in this position in front of the Giza pyramids
in 1996 and 1997 and the photo was used in numerous newspapers and
magazines around the world a number of Egyptian promoters have tried to
replicate it, but none have managed to obtain permission to get it back
to THE location. Well, judging by the reaction of promoter Amr Mansi and
the Vice President of sponsors CIB, Hussein Abaza, they were absolutely
delighted to return to this premier location and again provide the best
ever backdrop in world sport. Majestic! |
8. Jenny Duncalf
(ENG) v Raneem El Welily (EGY), 2019 British Open, Hull, 2nd round.
Playing opponents over many years, with all the associated shared
experiences and emotions, builds up an intense camaraderie that is
unique to sportmen and sportswomen. Here former world no. 2 Jenny
Duncalf ends her glittering career against world no 1 Welily and their
genuine respect and friendship is so apparent in this lovely photo. |
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9. Miguel Rodriguez (COL), 2018/19 World Championships, Chicago,
3rd round. A Photo of the Year collection wouldn’t be complete without a
diving shot and who better than the King of Divers, Miguel Rodriguez.
His total commitment to flying through the air to reach the ball at full
stretch has provided some of my top photos and this ranks with the very
best. Many thanks Miguel! |
10. 2018/19 World
Championships, (Chicago) Union Station, Chicago. The greatest marketing tool
for squash is the ability for the main show court to be sited in exotic
locations around the world, be it Grand Central Station, the Giza
pyramids or Hong Kong harbour amongst many others. At almost a century
old Union Station is one of the grandest in the US. With the evening
session in play the ceiling lights reveal just why it should also be
added to the list. Beautiful! |
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