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08 May, Finals:
Omneya Abdel Kawy bt Engy Kheirallah 11/4, 11/8, 14/12
(36m)
Ramy Ashour bt Karim Darwish 3/11, 11/4,
13/11, 11/8 (54m)
Top seeds triumph in Hurghada
WISPA reports ...
Stand by to be surprised. Don’t pretend that you knew that Engy
Kheirallah had beaten Omneya Abdel Kawy on the five
occasions they have played on the WISPA Tour. Not a lot of people
knew that, as Michael Caine would say!
But what you may know is that Abdel Kawy is very much the queen of
Hurghada. She has won the Hurghada International for the last two
years, beating both Jenny Duncalf and Rachael Grinham to do so on
each occasion. The cries of Om-neya, Om-neya that ring
around the arena are testament to her popularity in these parts.
Much the same for Mr Ashour. Rah-me, Rah-me, they
clap.
Someone on high had turned up the heating as the daytime temperature
had climbed to the mid thirties; and as the light faded the heat was
only falling away slowly.
Because of the TV commitment to a soccer game three matches would
pack the programme too fully, so Amr Shabana & Thierry Lincou were
relieved of play-off duties, leaving the girls to open the very warm
evening proceedings.
The Egyptian Minister For Sport was front and centre flanked by
other VIPs, there were dozens sitting on steps or standing in the
gangways in the bleachers as the seats had all been filled.
And such was the interest in the matches that even most of the
normally crying babes in arms were silent. Yet more surprising, some
spectators had probably switched off their mobiles! They knew they
were in for a squash treat.
Omneya aims for hat-trick
Both Egyptian girls waved to the audience as their names were
announced. The live TV cameras panned out to them. Then it was time
for them to put their serious faces on.
As ever when two home players were competing the noise level was
muted. The applause initially for trademark black-clad Abdel Kawy as
she found an early rhythm and punished loose shots as she romped to
the first game against a clearly nervous opponent.
Karim Darwish broke away from loosening up to speak to Kheirallah in
the gap and seemed to have instilled greater precision from her.
More judicious in going short, she was living better with the
holder; trading longer and more evenly matched rallies. But when you
can slot three backhand volleyed returns of serve into the opposite
nick as Abdel Kawy breathtakingly did to close out the second game
what can you do?
The difference in the third was not obvious, excepting that this
time Kheirallah was flowing a little more freely and getting her
nose just in front. She reached 10/9 only to have failed to learn
the lessons of the second and find her opponent’s serve nestling in
the same nick! A match ball was saved on a stroke, as was the second
on an athletic stretching volley drop, but the third was simply too
good a straight drop. The losing run had been stopped, a third
Hurghada title in a row and a fourth in all for the lady in black.
As she left the arena with her father, the winner was smiling as
much with relief as pleasure.
As she put it, "This is the first time I have beaten her in WISPA.
Maybe I am thinking of the ranking as I am higher. But everybody
knows she is a good player and we have hard matches.
"This time when we started saw Engy was not moving, her legs were
tight so I took advantage of this. But she came back tough and I had
to work really hard to win.
"Thank God, as it was the fourth final this year and the first to
win!"
A for the runner up she was mixing delight with having reached the
final but disappointed not to have done better. "Hats down to
Omneya, she played really well. I normally play a certain way
against her but on this court I didn’t feel comfortable or
confident. I would have loved to have won but I played well to reach
the final so I am quite happy."
As for the tactics she alluded to, she wasn’t telling!
It's Ashour again
Ramy Ashour never looks very serious. He will reach middle
age with pronounced laughter lines. Karim Darwish has a more
subtle glint in his eye. Both were playing hard when their
invitation event final got underway, but each happy to indulge
themselves in the sort of flamboyant movement that is an Ashour
trademark.
Seven points had already been played before Ashour found his range
and got his first, but by then Darwish was out of sight. A new cry
seeming like praise of cancer therapy reverberated – Kee-Mo,
Kee-mo – apparently the nickname for the third seed. It was
enough to marvel at the shotmaking rather than keep count, but the
match officials were doing so and announced one all after the second
game.
In family affairs Kheirallah had returned to advise her husband
while brother Hisham was in Ashour’s corner.
Darwish did climb to 10/8 in the third but two tins meant the game
balls passed him by. Soon Ashour was a game ahead – but not before a
rally that characterised the match. Darwish hit a winner, the crowd
erupted, Ashour reached it, who knows how. Let ball because of the
tumult.
It was all-court business as usual in the fourth with Darwish being
stretched into the corners, then pulled to the front, then across
the court. But he was doing the same to Ashour too. Ashour nosed
ahead to 11/8 and was aw inner again. The chanting had now become
more formal. Ashour, Ashour.
The loser summed up his evening saying "I started well but lost my
concentration in the second. I went to the front too early. You have
got to play deep first, then control before you do. Then the third
was crucial. I was 10/8 up and lost and was disappointed with that.
But still, it was a good hard match and a great event for all of
us."
The winner was focussed on the benefits. "It was a hard battle on
court. It is always tough against Karim. I wanted to strengthen my
mental aspect and now I think I am good mentally and physically
going into PetroSport. My brother Hisham and Memes (Mohamed El Said)
helped me all week so I thank them."
So, it was an Egyptian one two in both events of course. But also a
win win for squash, Hurghada and the TV audience. For everybody
concerned it was a lucky thirteenth event – with the anticipation of
a fourteenth sun soaked championship in 2011 already being talked
about.
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 Hurghada
International 2010
02-08 May, Cairo & Hurghada, $26k |
Round One
03 May |
Quarters
04/05 May |
Semis
06 May |
Final
08 May |
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)
11/4, 11/9, 11/3 (23m)
Fiona Moverley (Eng) |
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy
11/6, 11/9, 11/5 (30m)
[8] Line Hansen |
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy
10/12, 11/2, 11/6, 11/8 (38m)
[4] Raneem El Weleily |
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy
11/4, 11/8, 14/12 (36m)
[3] Engy Kheirallah |
[8] Line Hansen (Den)
11/7, 11/7, 11/7 (21m)
[Q] Salma Hatem Youssef (Egy) |
[4] Raneem El Weleily (Egy)
11/9, 11/1, 11/2 (20m)
[Q] Yathreb Adel (Egy) |
[4] Raneem El Weleily
10/12, 10/12, 11/6, 12/10, 11/7
[5] Isabelle Stoehr |
[5] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)
11/8, 12/10, 11/7 (37m)
Kanze El Dafrawy (Egy) |
[Q] Heba El Torky (Egy)
11/8, 4/11, 11/3, 11/2 (40m)
[6] Sarah Kippax (Eng) |
[Q] Heba El Torky
11/9, 19/17, 11/6 (53m)
[3] Engy Kheirallah |
[3] Engy Kheirallah
11/13, 11/9, 11/8, 11/5 (47m)
[2] Camille Serme |
[Q] Farah Abdel Meguid (Egy)
11/6, 11/8, 11/3 (28m)
[3] Engy Kheirallah (Egy) |
Nour El Sherbini (Egy)
15/13, 11/9, 11/3 (44m)
[7] Aisling Blake (Irl) |
Nour El Sherbini
11/9, 9/11, 11/3, 12/10 (48m)
[2] Camille Serme |
Nour El Tayeb (Egy)
11/7, 11/5, 11/7 (31m)
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) |
02-May, Qualifying Finals:
Yathreb Adel (Egy) bt Nihal
Alaa Bayoumi (Egy)
11/1, 11/6, 11/4
Salma Hatem Youssef (Egy) bt
Sara El Noamany (Egy) 11/8, 13/11, 2/11, 11/8
Farah Abdel Meguid (Egy) bt Nouran El Torky (Egy)
11/2, 12/10, 11/8
Heba El Torky (Egy) bt Merhan Amr Mahmoud (Egy)
11/3, 11/9, 11/7
02-May, Qualifying Round One:
Yathreb Adel (Egy) bt Lucie Fialova (Cze)
7/11 11/6 10/12 11/5 11/5 (57m)
Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (Egy) bt Salma Nassar (Egy) 10/12
11/7 8/11 11/7 11/8 (56m)
Salma Hatem Youssef (Egy) bt Irina Assal (Rus)
11/8 11/8 11/5 (24m)
Sara El Noamany (Egy) bt Haidi Lala (Egy)
11/2 rtd
Farah Abdel Meguid (Egy) bt Farah Momen (Egy)
11/4 11/8 11/6 (19m)
Nouran El Torky (Egy) bt Nada Elkalaawy (Egy)
9/11 16/14 5/11 11/8 14/12 (74m)
Merhan Amr Mahmoud (Egy) bt Mayar Aly Ezzo (Egy)
11/6 11/6 11/5 (21m)
Heba El Torky (Egy) v Salma Hany (Egy)
0/1 rtd
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Men's Invitation Event and Hurghada Schedule
Pool 1
Pool 2
[1] Ramy Ashour P2 W2
[2] Amr Shabana P2 W1
[4] Thierry Lincou P2 W1
[3] Karim Darwish P2 W2
[5] Alister Walker P2 W0
[6] Cameron Pilley P2 W0
TUESDAY
Lincou bt Walker 11/9 11/8 11/6 (31m)
Darwish bt Pilley 11/6
11/4 11/5 (35m)
WEDNESDAY
Ashour bt Walker
11/6 11/4 11/8 (30m)
Shabana bt Pilley
11/8 6/11 11/3 11/8 (50m)
THURSDAY
Ashour bt Lincou
11/8, 11/7, 7/11, 11/3 (54m)
Darwish bt Shabana
11/7 11/4 10/12 11/3 (46m)
FRIDAY Rest Day
SATURDAY
Men's Final Ashour bt Darwish 3/11, 11/4, 13/11,
11/8 (54m)
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06-May, Semis:
Double delight for the Darwishes
When Karim Darwish
exited the show court after beating countryman Amr Shabana to
boisterous applause he was asked why he was so popular, having been
similarly lauded onto court before the match. ‘Actually, they love
both of us but they like the winner even more!’ he grinned.
There is so much to like about both players – their manner,
personality and sublime skills; and at the Hurghada International
this year there has been an extra ingredient, a relaxed approach.
The men’s event is a six player invitation rather than a ranking
tournament, and while theirs was a pool match it was effectively a
semi final as both had beaten the third musketeer Cameron Pilley.
Risks were taken, anticipation given full rein, shots flowed. But as
he can do, silky Shabana can also feather the tin; while Darwish
maintained the structure of his game. Perhaps the best illustration
of this came in the second where Shabana moved into a 4/2 lead, then
failed to secure another point. He later squandered two game points
in the third, but did win that one before subsiding in the fourth.
Darwish confirmed the spirit of the encounter saying "Yes, it was
more relaxing, more like a training match – but I always give 100%
in a practice match too! Tonight I really wanted to win and it is
good to have made the final."
After him came his wife. Engy
Kheirallah not only followed him onto court but wanted to join
her husband on finals day. And while she lost a tight first game to
bustling second seed Camille Serme, the tide slowly turned in her
favour. Her long drops on both sides worked well, overhead she was
strong, while the Frenchwoman wilted.
At the end Serme’s body was clearly becoming unwilling to follow
instructions and Mr & Mrs D were through. Kheirallah was ecstatic.
"I have never done really, really well in Hurghada and I am so happy
to be in my first final here. Today my length was much better and I
was really focussed and alert,", she said.
Then she revealed another element colouring the match. "She beat me
at my own club in front of my friends in a WISPA tournament so today
was revenge day. It was special,", she said with a frission of
humour, complimenting her opponent in the next breath saying how
amazing her improvement had been.
Serme affirmed what had been clear to see. "I played worse than
yesterday as I am so tired. It was one match too much and I am
mentally exhausted,", she added, referring to the rigours of the
European Team Championship which immediately preceded the Hurghada
week.
The remaining Frenchman, Thierry Lincou, could not overcome Ramy
Ashour in their match – a highly entertaining exhibition of
counterpunching. A series of ‘Anything that you can do………..’ was of
the highest order; it was just that Ashour’s order was the slightly
higher!
That was all that distinguished them. Oh, and the Lincou soccer
socks, sans shin pads.
Karim Darwish had talked about giving 100% - Lincou always delivers
in that department. Even as Ashour was hitting nicks with outrageous
ashouredness (which may enter the squash vocabulary!).
And with a home winner guaranteed in the all-Egyptian semi between
top seed Omneya Abdel Kawy and fourth placed Raneem El
Weleily it was a night for Team Pharaoh, with all four finalists.
Abdel Kawy had gone short too early in the first, letting El Weleily
loose at the front, but as soon as that was sorted her steadiness
amongst the flicks and early reading took the holder through.
After a rest day tomorrow when attention turns to a street pop
concert in the ever-expanding downtown of Hurghada, battle will be
rejoined on Saturday evening close to the Red Sea.
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05-May, Quarters part two:
Egypt & French dominant in Hurghada
What a tantalising Hurghada mix. Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana,
flair personified – though not playing each other at this point.
Young unseeded Alexandrians…..and at 14 years of age you don’t get
younger than Nour El Sherbini in events…..trying to knock
established players off their pedestals. And all played on a clear,
warm evening in front of banks of hubbling, bubbling noise, TV
cameras panning, and so many more atmospherics besides.
Interestingly, while the wonderfully energetic and fervent Egyptian
crowds are a joy to behold, they only really find their voice when
there is an overseas opponent for their guy or girl. There is more
of an enthralled silence when two of their own compete. And this was
the case when two daughters of Alexandria contested the first
Hurghada International quarter final of the evening.
The experience of Engy Kheirallah having to handle the highly
talented and mobile Heba El Torky. There was no more than a wafer
between them in the first game as Kheirallah took it. The second was
just as tight, and though Kheirallah trailed at 7/9, 9/10 and 10/11
her squash brain was operating with sensible shot selection; and she
not only got back but had game balls of her own. El Torky was
buzzing around the court though. Had it not been for a clutch of
injudicious tins on her game balls, the 19 year old may have
levelled. Phlegmatically Kheirallah plugged away, and yet another
backhand drop gave her a big game.
Mrs Darwish managed to maintain her momentum in the third despite El
Torky’s battling and closed out in 53 minutes.
Despite expectations the winner was self critical. ‘I didn’t think
my length was the best and she played some really nice shots and was
relaxed. On this court if your length is not good and your
opponent’s shots go in you can be in trouble. I was really happy to
get away with the second’.
The last of the semi finalists – Kheirallah’s opponent – turned out
to be second seed Camille Serme, despite the voluble crowd
backing for Nour El Sherbini. The prodigiously talented fourteen
year old also exudes a composure that belies her years. She walks
around the court with a joyful exuberance, but purposely too. Then
when the rally begins the maturity of her play is impressive. Bet
against her retaining her World Junior Individual title in Cologne
next month at your peril!
As for Serme, her fellow WISPA members knew a thing or two when they
voted her Most Improved Player for 2009. Her rise has been steady
and a few days ago she celebrated reaching the WISPA top ten. But
she was finding the Alexandrian hard to handle. They traded the
first two games, with the precocious Egyptian pouncing on anything
less than a good length from her opponent. But then Serme surged.
The pressure from her solid driving and slotted volleying took her
to an easy game and the likelihood that she would wrap up the match
swiftly. But the fourth reverted to the earlier pattern with both
players chasing the rallies – with El Sherbini reaching 10/8 game
ball and the crowd reaching a crescendo. A traffic stroke saved it
for the Parisian and a drop saved the second. She then reeled off
the two points required to ensure that the top four seeds had
survived.
Serme, smiling broadly told the media "I was very nervous to start
with and I didn’t know why so I became even more nervous! I had to
find a god length as she has some very good shots."
As for El Sherbini, the follow on from this experience is some
school exams then training for the World Juniors. "I am happy
because I played better than last time I played her. She is better
than me; she is a professional and it is not easy to play on the
glass court, but I played okay," she said – and seriously
understated the quality of her own game.
So now the top half sees Abdel Kawy take on El Weleily and
the two winners tonight, Kheirallah & Serme facing off for the other
final berth.
In the men’s invitation event extravagantly talented Ramy Ashour
gave a masterclass while relegating Alister Walker to the bottom of
pool one. Other players hold rackets, with Ashour it looks like an
extension to his arm. His control is breathtaking, him movement
exhilarating, and nobody plays more balls so close to his bootlaces.
Englishman Walker is no slouch but for all his effort and
rat-a-tat-tat rallying he was simply out gunned.
There are some other fine Egyptian male players, indeed a wonderful
national squash history that only in the last ten years has so
comprehensively embraced women; but when next up is Amr Shabana you
know that there is more artistry in store. Opponent Cameron Pilley,
a resolute Aussie who can play at the highest level but retain a
smile on his face, went the same way as Walker, consigned to bottom
place in the other pool but not before snatching a game and keeping
the four times world champion on court for 50 minutes.
The match was a delight, but to hear Pilley’s comments on playing
the left-handed maestro puts the qualities of Shabana into
perspective. "I haven’t played him for four or five years and it is
a pleasure. He is so smooth. Any half loose ball and he puts you
under so much pressure. He can put a ball on a penny. He is just so
accurate."
Next, Mr Accurate plays Karim Darwish for top spot in pool two,
while Ashour has to beat Thierry Lincou to take pool one.
Three Egyptian men, three Egyptian women. A Frenchman and
Frenchwoman in the way of a clean sweep by the home players. More
excitement to come by the Red Sea.
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04-May, Quarters part one:
Humdrum in Hurghada ?
How very tedious. Who would want to go to a Red Sea resort where the
sun reputedly shines every day of the year. That was the unenviable
prospect awaiting the quarter finalists in the WISPA Hurghada
International event who had jetted down from Cairo following the
first round matches in Cairo.
There they were joined by the six invited guys who would be
competing in a round-robin event rather than a PSA registered event
this year.
As the sun blazed into the glass court set in the promenade again
the players had morning looseners. But with the heat on their limbs
stiffness was not an issue.
Then later, as the sun was giving way to stars the players assembled
to meet the Governor of the Red Sea, Chairman of Al Ahram Group and
a raft of VIPs who support Hurghada squash – now in its’ thirteenth
year.
Formalities over and they and most of the completely full seating
were ready to cheer the Egyptian players to success. Thus it was
somewhat muted as Frenchwoman Isabelle Stoehr moved into a 2/0 lead
over Raneem El Weleily. She had been 8/10 down in the first before
levelling as her serve drifted into her opponent’s body and then
completing a quartet of rallies to get home 12/10. It was similarly
close in the second, with El Weleily’s superb court coverage being
interspersed with enough opportunities to help her opponent along.
Then the ‘let it flow’ light bulb came on and the 21 year old
Egyptian breezed through the third to the increasing delight of the
spectators. But as the fourth unfolded it seem to be flickering
badly, before seemingly about to be extinguished at 10/6 match ball
down. But as so often, the finishing line is more difficult to cross
when the brain says be careful.
A combination of deft shots and a deceptive frame brought El Weleily
level and then to a cacophony, two games all.
The initiative was hers now but at 9/4 up in the decider it was El
Weleily’s turn to let her opponent back in. Stoehr had climbed to
7/9 before the majority of referees gave the thumbs up to an El
Weleily pick-up that was doubtful at best. Stoehr was aggrieved, a
rally later she was out, but it was not that decision which cost her
the match, it was the batch of missed match balls in the fourth that
did for her.
Afterwards it was El Weleily who was most concerned about the
pick-up. An impeccably fair player she was at pains to apologise to
everybody if it had not been good, as she had thought. ‘If it was
down I am really sorry’, she repeated. But, asked about the end of
the fourth she explained, ‘I thought I was going back home in my
head! It has been a lot of pressure, especially being the first
match and I should have played my game from the start not near the
end. She is a very good player and I have never beaten her before so
pressure’.
Stoehr was also quizzed by the media about the squandered match
points. ‘I kind of stepped back when I got to match ball instead of
keeping attacking. In the 5th I was down physically and mentally,
then I said that it is the last game and to push hard. She is a very
good player and I knew it would be hard with the crowd.
I am disappointed but there have been good things about the last two
weeks. I feel fine even though I have had the Europeans and
travelling here’.
The match of the evening was over.
The other quarter in the top half, pitching one v eight, was more
straightforward. Omneya Abdel Kawy, top seed and queen of the court,
did her deft stuff against an improving Line Hansen. Once the Dane
settled into the experience she was not about to cave, going short
herself effectively and keeping well in touch in the second and
third games before succumbing, though never close enough to threaten
the progress of the world number six.
‘It was nice to play here, but I was never really comfortable. I was
struggling to read her’, said Hansen afterwards. How many others
have said the same thing after competing against the extravagantly
talented Egyptian.
Meanwhile, the top two men’s seeds, Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana
begin their outings in the three man pools tomorrow, so it was left
to the second rated players to give themselves a chance to ensure
second in their pools and a shot at top spot by disposing of the
third placed guys. Karim Darwish did just that against Cameron
Pilley.
The Australian was experiencing Hurghada for the first time – and
enjoying himself. ‘The atmosphere was great, and the Egyptian crowd
really get into it. You feel the heat on the court but he ball dies
well. If you hit a good length it pays dividends’ he said.
Theirry Lincou did similarly against England’s Alister Walker. In an
entertaining match characterised by reaching volleys and variety in
most exchanges, the former world number one set himself up for a
showdown with Ramy Ashour tomorrow evening.
But first, the tedium of spending the day on the Red Sea Riviera.
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03-May, Round One:
French pair recover,
Egyptian pair upset ...
The French pair of Camille Serme and Isabelle Stoehr but the
rigours and final disappointment of Saturday’s European Team
Championship final defeat to Netherlands behind them and survived
tricky encounters to reach the quarter finals of the Hurghada
International.
The carrots for winning extended beyond ranking points and prize
money as it meant that two hours later they would be on their way to
Cairo Airport to catch a flight to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
To do so, Serme, celebrating her elevation to ten in the world, had
to reverse her WISPA Creteil final defeat against Nour El Tayeb. She
did so. Meanwhile Stoehr fended off the challenge of another young
Pharaoh, Kanzy El Dafrawy.
Though Denmark’s Line Hansen was presented with a less fully
formed addition of the Egyptian junior conveyor belt in 15 year old
Salma Hatem Yousseff, England’s Sarah Kippax and Irish number two
Aisling Blake were not so fortunate. Kippax was unable to get to
grips with the physicality of Heba El Torky who has a
tendency to bounce off her opponent if unchecked. Her talent is
certain though, and a place on the plane was hers.
"I am very, very happy to have won," she exclaimed. "Sarah is a very
good player and I really had to focus very well to make a good
match," she added.
"I have now missed five exams, and maybe more by the time I get
home!" said the pharmacy student.
Blake was always likely to find the extravagantly talented Nour
El Sherbini a handful; and with the World Junior Champion on
home turf exploiting the travel weary Irish girl she made it five of
the last eight having (EGY) after their names. "I knew she was a
talented player but I am still disappointed," said Blake.
The top Egyptian trio of Omneya Abdel Kawy, Engy
Kheirallah and Raneem El Weleily were comfortable
winners.
Because there is a men’s invitational this year there was no male
skirmishing at the splendid Shooting Club. The six invitees will
join the women’s top eight on the glass court at the Promenade in
Hurghada tomorrow.
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Happy Frenchies
we're off to Hurghada!
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Qualifying complete in Cairo
To the West of Cairo large tracts of desert are becoming highly
desirable new suburbs. The area called 6th October (which
commemorates the start of the strike in 1973 which resulted in lands
lost to Egypt in the Six Day War being returned to the nation), is
one of these.
And a feature of it is the Cairo Shooting Club. It sprawls
over many acres and not surprisingly offers shooting (one of the top
few sites in the world), tennis (11 courts), no less than five
swimming pools, two soccer pitches, plus basketball, volleyball,
gyms, seven cafes, four restaurants and much more besides. All
proudly listed by Sports General Manager Hassan Souka. Oh,
and ten squash courts too.
The qualification was a primarily Egyptian affair; and when Czech
Lucie Fialova and Russian Irina Assal were trampled upon
by young hungry locals it became a wholly domestic draw.
So many of the next generation of Egyptian stars was on display to
add to the current top liners and burgeoning talents of Nour El
Sherbini, Nour El Tayeb and Kanzy El-Dafrawy who
were already embedded in the main draw.
The match of the first round saw 14 year old Nada Elkalaawy
hold a 10/8 lead in the decider against pocket dynamo Nouran El
Torky, three years her senior. The younger El Torky sister
pulled it out 14/12 after 72 minutes to join her sister Heba
in the last round.
 But
experienced top seed Fialova came unstuck against another 14 year
old, Yathreb Adel, who went on to beat Nihal Alaa Bayoumi to
reach the main draw.
Assal’s conqueror, Salma Hatem Youssef, a more elderly 15
year old, then beat fifth seed Sara El Noamany to claim a
main draw place, as did seventh seed Farah Abdel Meguid, who
not only towered over Nouran El Torky, but dominated her on the
court.
It was left to elder sister Heba to take the family name into the
main draw which is also played at the Shooting Club before the
quarter finalists jet down to the Red Se resort of Hurghada to play
out the event on a glass court, where six of the world's top men
join in for an invitation event.
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Andrew Shelley & Hassan Souka
The four Qualifiers
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