A Squash Mystery in Egypt: Is There Something in the Nile?

It is one of the most compelling mysteries in sports.

Twenty years ago, Egypt could point to a handful or two of great squash players in its history, and the last time it had produced a worldbeater was in the mid-60s, when A.A. AbouTaleb won the British Open three years in a row.

Today, if victory were cake, these people would be gluttons. The top four men in the world rankings are Egyptian, and five more are in the top 20. Since 2003, an Egyptian has won the men’s world championship 10 times.

The dominance of the Egyptian women may be even more impressive, given how few played the game at the turn of the century. Four of the top five female squash players are Egyptian, including the world No. 1, Raneem El Welily, and reinforcements are on the way: The girls’ junior national team has won the world championship seven years running.

Source: The New York Times

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