Shabana and David Head 2007 World Squash Awards

Upon hearing of her Lifetime Achievement Award, Heather McKay (top) said, “I am honored to be the first female recipient of this award.   I had no idea that when I had my first hit of squash I would be lucky enough to travel the world and make friends worldwide.” Nicol David (below) and Amr Shabana were the WISPA and PSA Players.
Upon hearing of her Lifetime Achievement Award, Heather McKay (top) said, “I am honored to be the first female recipient of this award. I had no idea that when I had my first hit of squash I would be lucky enough to travel the world and make friends worldwide.” Nicol David (below) and Amr Shabana were the WISPA and PSA Players.

Egyptian Amr Shabana and Malaysia’s Nicol David were named as Players of the Year at the 2007 World Squash Awards last month at a star-studded gathering. Featuring top players past and present as well as leading squash figures from around the world, the 2007 Awards were held at the RAC Club in Pall Mall (London, England) to honor the sport’s most distinguished contributors.

Shabana, 28, from Giza, near Cairo, maintained his grip on the PSA World No. 1 ranking throughout the year, winning the Windy City Open and Tournament of Champions at the beginning of 2007. He rounded off the year in sensational style by reeling off four PSA Super Series titles in a row—the Saudi International, Qatar Classic, Hong Kong Open and then the World Open in Bermuda, to bring his career PSA trophy haul to 20. It was his second consecutive Player of the Year honor.

During a year in which she established a 50-match unbeaten run, Nicol David surprisingly faltered in the World Open in Madrid.  But the plucky 24-year-old from Penang came back stronger than ever to win both the Qatar Classic and Hong Kong Open—and bring her 2007 WISPA World Tour title tally to eight, marking her best ever year. However, despite being taken close by World Open winner Rachael Grinham, David clinched the WISPA members’ votes as Player of the Year for the third year in a row!

The 2007 Lifetime Achievement award was made to Heather McKay, AM, MBE, the distinguished Australian who won 16 consecutive British Open titles between 1962 and 1977. Considered by many to be the greatest female player in the history of the game, and possibly Australia’s greatest-ever sportswoman, Heather dominated the women’s squash game in the 1960s and 1970s. She lost only two matches in her entire career (in 1960 and 1962), and was unbeaten in competitive squash matches from 1962 through to 1981, when she retired from active open squash.

Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 3.37.33 PMScreen Shot 2014-11-20 at 3.37.07 PMOther award winners: Shelley Kitchen (WISPA’s Most Improved Player); Ramy Ashour (PSA Young Player of the Year); Camille Serme (WISPA Young Player of the Year); and a Special Services Award to veteran squash correspondent Dicky Rutnagur.