A quiet murmuring and the repeated thwack of a ball were punctuated by the thrum of a drum, applause and increasing excitement at the semifinals of the Junior World Squash Championships.
The finest players from France and Jordan competed against each other in an intense game at the Queen Elizabeth Centre yesterday.
But Sherriff Hassaan was most looking forward to the match between Eygpt and Japan. Mr Hassaan travelled from Auckland with his family on Friday to enjoy the champs.
"I love this game, squash. It's high-performance fitness. It's very dynamic, and it's elegant," he said.
Sitting front and centre of a strong crowd, the "Egyptian-Kiwi" belted on a traditional Egyptian drum and called out between games in an effort to remind his compatriots of home.