Amr Shabana, the four-times world champion, admits he could be forced into retirement with the 35-year-old struggling to recover from a chronic back injury.

Shabana, who is Egypt’s first world No 1, said he is in the “crossroads of his career” having missed the final three months of the season with a bulging disc and muscle tear in his back.

Despite his serious injury problems, Shabana was still able to put on a show in the Axis Squash Challenge at the Devonshire courts on Saturday night, losing 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8 to Colombia’s Miguel Rodríguez.

“I’m in a transition period at the moment,” said Shabana, who first injured his back at the El Gouna International in Egypt in April.

“I have three months before the beginning of the season to figure out whether I need an operation and whether I will still be on the [Professional Squash Association] World Tour next season.

“I’m not worried because whatever decision I take will be the right one.”

With a career spanning almost two decades, the left-hander said he will have no regrets if he has to call it quits, having achieved far more success than he ever imagined.

“If given the opportunity, I would like to start getting ready for the new season, but you never know when you a have a bulge and a tear in your vertebra,” he said.

“I’ve been very fortunate with my career and I’ve been in the top ten for 11 years, No 1 for three years and have won four World-Open titles.

“I’ve achieved more than I ever thought I would and if it all stops today then I will still be happy.”

Shabana said he was only at “70 per cent” against Rodríguez and therefore had to adapt his game to get through his four-set defeat against the world No 4.

“For me, turning 180 degrees to the right is not good, so I just tried to move well to the left side. I had try and hide my weaknesses,” he said.

“Being as it was exhibition game, I told Rodríguez not to kill the old man!

“I didn’t get the result I was looking for, but it was all about fun and interacting with the crowd.”

Bermuda has provided the backdrop for some of the finest moments of Shabana’s glittering career, winning the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters in 2006 at the Bermuda High School and the Endurance World Open in 2007 at The Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

“I’ve had some of the best memories of my career in Bermuda,” Shabana said. “It’s a good feeling for me to come back here.

“Winning my third World Open here in 2007 was one of the pinnacles of my career. The people, the crowd and the Island is very special.”

Rodríguez, who will represent Colombia at next month’s Pan Am Games in Toronto, finished his match against Shabana with a draw-dropping backhand shot, which involved him stepping on to the wall to gain elevation.

The 29-year-old, who is admired for his athletic prowess on the World Tour, said his “ridiculous” shot was not premeditated and just felt right at the time.

“I never practise that shot, but I sometimes do it when I’m playing with my friends just for fun,” said Rodríguez, who beat Bermuda’s Nick Kyme in the first round of qualifying in the 2007 World Open.

“I saw the opportunity and had the chance to jump and it was a ridiculous shot.”

In the women’s exhibition match, Sarah-Jane Perry defeated her England team-mate Alison Waters, the world No 5, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 13-15, 14-12.

Perry, who is No 16 in the world, said it was the perfect end to a “fantastic” trip to the Island.

“The main goal was to entertain, but naturally there’s a competitive edge,” said the 25-year-old. “We don’t like losing at anything!

In the night’s opening game, an all-Bermuda affair, Micah Franklin got the better of compatriot Kyme 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 11-1.