"I reached a point when I didn’t want to play." - File photo

NEW YORK: Egyptian squash great Amr Shabana continued his brilliant start to the year on Saturday before admitting that last month he almost quit the sport.

The 32-year-old four times former world champion said he suffered a career crisis while withdrawing from the PSA Punj Lloyd PSA Masters in Delhi five weeks ago — although there was no sign of it in the first round of the Tournament of Champions World Series event at Grand Central Station.

Shabana was near his brilliant best in an 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 triumph over his room-mate Ali Anwar Reda, which he concluded with a trick shot shimmy and a winning drop shot with his second swing.

It was a crowd-pleasing way to start the 2012 PSA Tour and confirmed the spectacular revival he made with his capture of the 2011 World Series title in London a fortnight ago.

However, Shabana said he seriously considered retiring after 2011. “I reached a point when I didn’t want to play at the end of last year. I said to myself I am either going to have to find a reason to go on playing or retire. I have found it, but it is a process. I have to find a reason every day to play.”

Results: First round: Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-5, 16-14, 9-11, 11-5; Nick Matthew (ENG x1) bt Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7; Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-7, 11-3, 11-8; Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY x7) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5; Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Hisham Ashour (EGY) 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9; Gregory Gaultier (FRA x3) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 11-4, 11-9, 11-9; Amr Shabana (EGY x5) bt Mohamed Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 11-7; Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4.—AFP