F. D. Amr Bey
| Nickname(s) | F.D. Amr Bey |
|---|---|
| Country | Egypt |
| Residence | United Kingdom |
| Born | 14 February 1909 |
| Died | 23 November 1988 (aged 79) |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Turned Pro | Never (amateur) |
| Retired | 1938 |
| Plays | Right Handed |
| Title(s) | Champion (1933–38) |
|
Abdelfattah Amr Pasha |
|
|---|---|
| 3rd Egyptian Ambassador to the Court of St. James's | |
|
In office 24 July 1945 – 30 October 1952 |
|
| Monarch | Farouk I |
| Preceded by | Hassan Pasha Nashaat |
| Succeeded by | Mahmoud Fawzi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 February 1909 |
| Died | 23 November 1988 (aged 79) |
| Nationality |
Egyptian (by birth) British (by naturalization) |
| Other political affiliations |
Pro-British |
| Occupation | Squash player |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Abdelfattah Amr (Arabic: عبد الفتاح عمرو) (14 February 1909 – 23 November 1988), better known as "F.D. Amr Bey" or simply "Amr Bey", was an Egyptian diplomat and squash player. He won the British Open men's title six consecutive times (1933–38), and is considered the first truly dominant squash player in the sport.
Amr's full legal name in Arabic is Abdelfattah Amr. "Bey" is not a name but a nobiliary title, similar to the British title of "Sir". On 20 November 1943, Amr was given the higher-ranking title of "Pasha", one of the most important in monarchical Egypt. The title of "Pasha" supersedes that of "Bey", which is why Amr is sometimes referred to by the pseudonym Amr Pasha.
Amr was born into a prominent family from Abu Tij in Asyut Governorate, which is situated in Upper Egypt. He moved to England in 1928 as an Egyptian diplomat. He had never practiced squash before, his main sports at the time being tennis and polo. He represented Egypt in tennis at the Davis Cup. Amr was introduced to squash while in the United Kingdom, and he took to the game quickly.
The British Open men's title was only recently inaugurated at the time Amr emerged on the scene, but it quickly became the most significant title in the game and came to be viewed by many to be the equivalent to a world championship for the sport. The men's final at the time was played under a "challenge" system, with a challenger taking on the defending champion in a best-of-three-legs match-up, with matches being played at both the two players' respective squash clubs. In 1933, Amr took on Don Butcher, who had won the title in 1931 and 1932. The first match of the tie was played at Butcher's club, the Conservative Club, with Amr winning 9–0, 9–7, 9–1. The second leg was played at Amr's club, the Bath Club, which Amr won 9–5, 6–9, 9–2, 9–1 to capture the title.
No challenger emerged to take on Amr in the British Open final in 1934, so he retained the title by default. Butcher challenged Amr again in the 1935 final, with Amr again winning in two matches – 9–4, 8–10, 10–8, 9–0 and 9–6, 6–9, 9–2, 0–9, 9–5.
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