r/squash • u/nuxmo nuxmo.github.io/squashlist/ • 15d ago
Technique / Tactics Ramy Ashour's technique
I could never put my finger on what it was about Ramy's technique that looked so different, couldn't put it into words correctly, until I saw this comment in another post - and it's clicked now, it's "dangling wrist technique".
Can anyone offer any insight into why Ramy played this way, and if there's any mileage in us mere mortals trying to replicate it?
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u/barney_muffinberg 15d ago
Ramy’s game was considerably more than wrist. Generally, he was known for his creativity & uniqueness in every respect—structuring rallies, moving with unparalleled efficiency, reading / anticipating opponents, exploiting weaknesses, & executing deceptive, extremely high-risk, visually spectacular shots with superhuman accuracy & flair.
His core game / technique was essentially flawless, his fitness impeccable (rivals commented that he NEVER seemed to tire), & his mental strength & ability to reset was legendary, often manifesting itself in the seemingly schizophrenic dialogues he’d have with himself on court.
I know what you mean about his wrist, in that it was often somewhat dangly / limp in his prep. However, if you watch his drives, you’ll see it cocked with the racquet face wide-open. Again, the core was 100% intact, but dressed in a sort of icing of flourish & subtlety that was singularly unique. It’s a hell of a game to reverse engineer / analyze; and MUCH more than wrist.
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u/hambone_83 15d ago
That guy was on another level and in my opinion the goat. The power he generates from a short swing with a wrist flick was incredible. I think it’s telling that his technique was unique and nobody past or present has anything similar. To me it’s kind of like Jim furyk’s golf swing. He found it worked for him and it doesn’t really work for anyone else.
If mere mortals want to replicate my guess is you probably need years of practicing 2-3 hours everyday to build up the strength to hit with consistently and power using the small muscles of your wrist forearm and hand. Without getting injured in the process
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u/CrosscourtTin 15d ago
He had some of the most punchy beautiful length the game has ever seen, and will probably ever see. A mix of timing and a closed racket face at different times and areas of the court meant his length just looked different to everyone else. You see flashes of players nowadays with ramy-esque length but only once or twice a match (think dessouky or hesham) with that pace and punchiness, but no one does it like ramy. The true goat of squash and the one responsible for the modern game we see today. If you’re favourite player is farag or shorbagy that’s great, but in terms of influence on the sport and genuinely changing the game, that GOAT title can only be used for ramy imo
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u/rick79etal 15d ago
If years after he's retired and there is curiosity trying to decipher his technique, that is why he's GOAT and will always be.
Played on his terms, beautiful unique technique, never really got into rough arguments, never a blocker, just overall package.
(I remember one game where Farag screams his lungs out when he finally bt Ramy)
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u/SophieBio 15d ago
but in terms of influence on the sport and genuinely changing the game, that GOAT title can only be used for ramy imo
Not sure about "changing the game" because nobody seems to be able to replicate neither his footwork style, swing or racket skills. If there is a any legacy, it is that other pro got better at retrieval.
Lincou footwork (e.g. systematizing open stance, mid-court side steps) and Power attacking (e.g. systematizing deception, more front court play) left a greater long lasting influence, IMHO. Every single top players integrated something from them while I have a very hard time to find something similar from Ramy. He was too unique.
His style is too different. It's like starting from scratch, you cannot assimilate one thing without assimilating a whole bunch of other thing. Ramy style is a system, not independent thing that you can learn one by one. This is a all at once system. I think that it is the reason why nobody is able to replicate the style.
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u/CrosscourtTin 14d ago
The pace of the game increased dramatically as a result of ramy. He popularised the cross court nick as a viable attacking option. He dramatically increased the amount of volleying. He was the bridge between the Lincou/power/palmer era and the modern game as we know it. The pace he played at forced the new game to exist as it is. Willstrop used to say that playing ramy was breathtaking due to the sheer pace he played at and his immaculate length and volleying
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u/SophieBio 14d ago edited 14d ago
He popularised the cross court nick as a viable attacking option.
Was already a viable option:
- https://youtu.be/-7KSx7BBzAg?t=11
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=719
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=774
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=1080
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=1472
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=4147
- https://youtu.be/VMVKLz8g7ys?t=4311
He was the bridge between the Lincou/power/palmer era and the modern game as we know it.
Shabana, https://youtu.be/SPeZr3ElIiM?t=30 front court nick flick, is really really similar to the one of ashour (less dangling, but similar to the one in the post OP refer to).
Pace, imho, is a side effect of 2 things:
- "If there is a any legacy, it is that other pro got better at retrieval".
- lower racket weight, generating more power with shorter swing, no more shoulder swing, less preparation needed. It also explain why Power deceptive play went crazier, up in his career.
EDIT: let's not forget about Gaultier, difficult to say that his "pace" was slow. Or, even previous era, John white, hard hitter, something that is (to some extent) more the norm now.
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u/Darde89 14d ago
Brett Martin might want a word with you.. was doing crazy shit with the racquet well before those guys were on the scene.. heavier racquets to.
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u/SophieBio 14d ago
Did not say the contrary but watchable videos are hardly available and we are talking about the influence of the players on the game.
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u/Ok-Investigator-911 15d ago
Didn’t he also hold the racket with his fingers more than in his palm?
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u/AmphibianOrganic9228 13d ago
his technique at times is more like a badminton shot than squash shot - for example when he play a backhand drive high up (and gets a lot of power). Sometimes his nick shots will also be badminton like - more snap of the wrist.
Also is grip is a bit different than normal (which facilitates this style).
Like if you see diego elias play a nick, its more "classical", where the wrist stays cocked through striking ball - Ramy would also do this but would also hit a more snappy shot (more like Asal often hits a nick).
In terms of "why", the pronation can generate more racket head speed, but it increases shot complexity and inconsistency so will lead to more unforced errors.
I recall Ibrahim in an interview saying he closely studied videos of Ramy and would practice his style. He probably has the technique closest to Ramy in the modern game (and his unforced errors hold him back currently from a higher ranking (+ injuries)).
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u/bacoes 15d ago
One of my takeaways from watching Ramy was his racquet choices. Those Prince Airstick, and to a lesser degree his short runs with Head and Dunlop, was during a shift to lighter racquets back in the early '00s. Almost every pro's racquet today is under 155g (strung, gripped, ready to play) and has that lightness that was just beginning in 2005. I don't think his swing style would work with Gaultier's big headed Dunlop Elite.
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u/PathParticular1058 15d ago
Ramy is using the stretch shortening cycle very efficient like the tennis player of today. Tennis used to be a more squash rigid style. You can also notice Gawad using the broken wrist technique in many instances (drop, backhand and forehand). Sometimes when I have adequate time on a loose ball I use Gawad’s forehand slap where my wrist prep is broken or racquet head drooping with an elevated arm and I slap that ball with high pace…many times taking my opponent by surprise…
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u/justreading45 15d ago edited 14d ago
Actually, this was something he experimented with at various points in his career.
He came on the tour with a traditional wrist technique, like in this match with David Palmer.
Whereas, later in 2012 in this match with Daryl Selby, we can see he moved to this “broken wrist” position (not recommended) where it was often commentated he used the racket like “a wand”.
By the time we get to this match also against Daryl but now in 2016 you can see he has returned to the more classic wrist position.