Ramy Ashour is promising “a different kind of squash” for the sold-out crowd when he takes on Ryan Cuskelly in an exhibition match tonight at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association courts in Devonshire.

The Egyptian world No 1 flew into the Island yesterday and will be flying back to New York tomorrow, a typical schedule for a player who spends about ten months of the year on the road.

“When Patrick Foster spoke to me about coming here I didn’t hesitate because of what I’ve been hearing about it for the last ten years,” said the 28-year-old who has been seeing the world through squash. “The first big event I heard about here was in 2006, 2007 and I was injured and couldn’t play.

“That was my mom and dad’s vision, for me and my brother to go around the world and see it through something we love. They achieved that. I’ve been playing squash since I was six years old.

“For the last two years I’ve been in New York but I go back to Egypt because my parents are still there.”

Within hours of arriving in Bermuda, Ashour was on the court practicing ahead of tonight’s match.

It is that sort of dedication that has taken him to the top of the sport after winning the World Junior Championships at the age of 16, the youngest player to win the title.

Two years later he won the junior title again, this time becoming the only player to win the championship twice.

Ashour was only getting started, as his first major professional title came in January 2007 during the Canadian Classic when he beat David Palmer in just 32 minutes. That was followed later in the year with victory at the Kuwait Open when he beat Amr Shabana.

After winning both the Saudi International and the PSA Masters in 2009, Ashour went on to become the world No 1 in January 2010. At only 22 years he was the youngest player in 26 years to achieve the feat.

“It was exciting and overwhelming and I didn’t know how to react to that kind of pressure and attention,” he said.

“When I dropped down and got back to world No 1 again I felt more comfortable and wanted to stay there more.

“You have to capitalise on what ever confidence you have and not truly rely on what you already have.”

In 2012 Ashour reached the final of every tournament he played in, becoming the first player since Jansher Khan to do so.

He went on to win the Australian Open, Hong Kong Open, US Open and Qatar PSA World Championship.

Despite hamstring problems in recent years, which he now says is behind him with proper management, Ashour continues to establish himself as one of the greats of the sports, achieving a remarkable feat in 2013 when he won 49 matches in a row.

The unbeaten run finally ended when he lost to Nick Matthew during the 2013 World Championships.

And though he took six months off the court because of injuries, he returned for the 2014 Qatar PSA World Championship and claimed this third world title.

“Injuries teach me a lot on a personal level and it keeps my feet on the ground,” he said. “You see things differently.

“With the hamstring injury, I took the decision that it is never going to be there again.

“I have to do maintenance, always, making sure I do the things I’ve been told to do. [Compared] to winning it is a very, very small cost.

“It had been happening on and off for the last six years, but I went to Germany and they fixed it.”

Ashour played Cuskelly, the world No 16 player, two months ago at the British Open, which Ashour won.

“You can expect to see a different kind of squash as exhibition are normally different from real matches,” Ashour said. “You get more pressured playing, but in exhibition you are more relaxed so can produce even more fancy squash.

“I’m looking forward to an entertaining match, one that I can enjoy, and if I enjoy it the people will enjoy it. Ryan is a great player and we’ll put a good show on for the people.”

Foster, the BSRA’s director of squash, is expecting a real treat from two of the world’s top players.

“It’s a huge boost for squash, we’ve very luck in Bermuda that we’ve had many of the great players coming here and they continue to return,” he said.

“It’s great for our kids to be given a chance to see them. Ramy’s a bit special, and every now and again somebody comes along who raises the game and he’s that guy. He’s our Roger Federer of squash. He does it differently and raises the level for everybody else.

“For me this is my first time meeting him and I’ll get to see him live, so it is a treat on all counts. We’re excited to have him in Bermuda and can’t wait to see him on the courts.”

The exhibition match will be the highlight of the Axis Squash Challenge which involves 16 adult teams of four and eight junior teams, which sees the finals this afternoon.

Micah Franklin, the Bermuda champion and world No 173, will face fellow Bermudian Noah Browne, the world No 287, in the opening match of the night at 7pm, with Ashour and Cuskelly on afterwards.