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TODAY at the Al-Ahram
Squash Open |
Mon
19-Sep, Day THREE:
Round One : Perry and Tayeb surprise as Egyptian men dominate
...
Qualifying
complete, we're on to the main draws with sixteen first round
matches to be played today, twelve at Le Lido and four in front
of the Pyramids tonight.
Two big upsets in the women's matches as Sarah-Jane Perry
beat fifth seed Camille Serme for the first time in ten
attempts, and wildcard Nour El Tayeb gets the better of
fourth seed Nouran Gohar in a tough five-setter.
In the men's draw the big upset saw 'Lucky Loser' Zahed
Mohamed grind out a five-game win over Borja Golan, one of
seven Egyptian winners including top seed Mohamed
Elshorbagy who came from a game down to avenge his recent
Hong Kong loss to Cameron Pilley.
[1] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
11/7,
11/4, 11/4 (23m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 3-2 [Q] Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/8, 11/3, 14/16, 10/12, 11/6 (48m)
[8] Alison Waters (Eng) 3-1 Victoria Lust (Eng)
11/9, 7/11, 11/4,
11/4 (50m)
[wc] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 3-2 [4] Nouran Gohar (Egy)
2/11, 12/10, 5/11, 6/11,
11/7 (57m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (Egy) 3-0 Joshna Chinappa (Ind)
11/8,
11/2, 11/7 (29m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-2 [Q] Tesni Evans (Wal)
9/11, 11/5, 11/4,
13/15, 11/7 (57m)
Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-1 [5] Camille Serme (Fra)
11/4, 5/11, 11/6,
11/8 (42m)
[2] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 [Q] Fiona Moverley (Eng)
11/8, 11/7,
11/9 (28m)
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Cameron Pilley (Aus)
9/11,
11/7, 11/9, 11/8 (60m)
[6] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 [wc] Youssef Soliman (Egy)
11/1, 9/11, 11/4,
12/10 (55m)
[7] Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-1 [Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy)
11/5, 5/11, 11/7, 11/6 (43m)
[4] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-0 Fares Dessouky (Egy)
11/6, 11/9,
11/6 (40m)
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy) 3-1 [Q] Greg Lobban (Sco)
10/12, 11/8, 14/12,
11/8 (69m)
[5] Tarek Momen (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Mohamed Reda (Egy)
11/4, 11/5, 11/3
(19m)
[LL] Zahed Mohamed (Egy) 3-2 [8] Borja Golan (Esp)
10/12, 11/8, 5/11,
12/10, 11/6 (102m)
[2] Omar Mosaad (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Karim Ali Fathi (Egy)
11/4,
11/6, 11/6 (46m)
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En Bref #2 : Le Lido City View |
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[7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-2 [Q] Tesni Evans (Wal)
9/11, 11/5, 11/4,
13/15, 11/7 (57m)
TESNI “THE GRIT” NEARLY GETS AMANDA “THE
FLASH” TO ONE HOUR
What
a great performance from trimmed Welsh Tesni today. She played a
superb first game, her lines and depth were spot on, she was
hitting extremely hard and outplayed the American for most of
the game, 9/5, only to see Amanda coming back 9/9, but a good
construction of rallies give Tesni the advantage on the last 2
points 11/9.
Amanda is not impressed, and quickly levels it 11/5, while
continuing with the momentum in the 3rd, Tesni is now tired –
the two qualifying matches in her legs maybe – and we look like
a 3/1 is on the cards, 11/4 in the 3rd.
And
then here comes the Tesni “The Grit” Evans, who after a bad call
at 9/5 down, a not let that is just a simple let, gets all fiery
and claws back to 9/9. When Amanda gets match ball, it seems
it’s all over, again.
But 4 match balls won’t be enough, and it’s the Welsh that get
the last laugh, on her first game ball, 15/13.
The 5th is not a formality, and although Amanda is dominating,
fooling Tes a few times by sending her the wrong game, finding
great deep shots and hitting very hard, Tesni is always in the
rear mirror, never out of touch.
Still, the ranking prevails, eventually, 11/6. But what a superb
start of the event (officially that is, we’ve been at it for
three days!) |

57m? It’s not a bad start…. And let me stress that I was the
match that lasted the longest of the first batch….
It’s soooo annoying, last time we played it was in San Francisco
on the glass, and I knew she was tough, even more tough on a
traditional court.
And if last time I got an easy 3/0, this time was anything but
easy. I think the court is such a level playing field, on the
glass I was the advantage, but she just run, and run, and her
shots were so good!
It was so frustrating, I was thinking she is not going to get
that one, surely, and she did.
And the next shot, I thought no way she is getting it, and she
did! So annoyingggggg! And suddenly, my lead was gone and I was
how did that happen!!!
I had multiple chances to close it out in the 4th, but I just
couldn’t… She has been knocking on the top 10 for a while now,
not long to wait now.
Amanda Sobhy |
I
tried to force it a little too much in the second, playing too
much in her racquet, but I felt like I was playing well and
hitting great lines. I went for volleys that were not there to
volley really, and picked up shots I probably wouldn’t have
picked up a few months ago.
I'm moving a bit better, I’ve been working hard on my fitness
and my movement with my coach Sue Wright.
I managed to make her play a few more balls so it felt like it
was all clicking, and hopefully, it will keep on clicking.
Last two tournaments I keep losing just before the glass court
so I'm super excited to play out there now in front of the
Pyramids.
It looks amazing so it's going to be great to play up there -
it's spectacular and when you show anyone, people outside of
squash, they just go 'Oh My God' - I can't wait.
Anyway, I HAD to win, my mum told me I couldn’t come home unless
I played in front of the Pyramids.
Sarah-Jane Perry |
Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-1 [5] Camille Serme (Fra)
11/4, 5/11, 11/6,
11/8 (42m)
FINALLY, AFTER NINE DEFEATS
Bless,
we have some readers that took seriously a joke that SJ made a
few weeks back, “nobody beats me 21 times and gets away with
it”. Let me reassure you guys, it was a joke and the record
before today’s was 9/0 to Camille
I felt my compatriot uncomfortable, stressed and worried from
the word go. Sarah Jane on the contrary had nothing to lose, the
confidence that comes with hard summer training and looking very
trimmed. Camille on the contrary is not trusting her game at the
moment. “I can say we are looking for a victory that is not
coming at the moment, and Camille is in loss of confidence at
the moment. Hence her stress today throughout the match” told me
her coach Philippe Signoret after the defeat.
Yes, I felt that Camille was trying not to lose today, and
although she played some great squash in patches, in particular
in the second where she seemed to finally move fluidly, went for
a shots and not worrying too much about the outcome of each
rally, once SJ stopped forcing it and getting silly errors in
the second, the English just was on every shot, putting just too
much pressure on my compatriot. Camille was lost at sea today,
while SJ sailed on the Nile like a native…
It’s a deserved victory for SJ, hard work is paying off, while
Camille will have to probably keep working hard with her
psychologist to try and find ways to trust her talent, physical
abilities and feel of the ball to get her confidence back, and
the delicious taste of victory. |
[2] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 [Q] Fiona Moverley (Eng)
11/8, 11/7,
11/9 (28m)
Getting into the first round is always a bit
of a exciting time, Fiona had a little time on the courts which
I found a bit trick, very different from the normal courts, very
dead. She was able to put together a few of her great shots, but
I eventually managed to get to the ball a bit early, get the
shots passed her, and I took my chances where there were there,
a bit earlier as well.
So please to get a 3/0 win, and to finally play on the glass in
front of the Pyramids, it’s my first time!!!
Nicol David |
 |
Third game was crucial, I was
struggling a bit to understand what the ref wanted me to do
movement wise, so I was trying to stay focus, and making sure
that I was focusing on my squash.
I tried to play the ball away from me, and get around him. Once
I got closer score wise, I was able to get back to my normal
game, tried to move him around as much as possible and I'm
pleased I won that third because it was the turning point.
I've worked hard on my core over the summer and on my fitness to
develop. My flexibility and core at the end of last season was
poor so it's thanks to my fitness coach Ali, who’s done a great
job with me, that allowed me to get back on my feet.
It was only the first round, but I swear I never felt pressure
like today's match. With the chance to play at the Pyramids on
it was the most pressure I ever had.
I'm glad I'm through and I can wait to play on there now - it's
a dream come true.
Karim Abdel Gawad |
[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy) 3-1 [Q] Greg Lobban (Sco)
10/12, 11/8, 14/12,
11/8 (69m)
KARIM FINALLY ON TOP WHILE GREG BREAKS
HIS SCOT HEAD
I
managed to arrive at the crucial point of the match, 1 game all,
and 9/6 for Greg, with a few heated rallies, a few discussions
I’m told but nothing too out of the ordinary apparently. A few
contacts at the end of that third, with Karim getting very
close, 8/9, but it’s Greg that gets the two game balls, 10/8.
He’ll get 4 overall, but they won’t be enough, and as often, his
opponent takes that turning point of a game on his first
attempt, 12/12, a superb backhand drop shot with a nick out of
nowhere and a stroke – not please Greg was.
The
4th is close at the start, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, Karim seems
to find some stupendous shots that even Greg’s amazing
legs/retrieving can’t save, 8/5. At that point, Karim plays a
glued backhand drive, in desperation, the Scot dives, fails to
catch the ball, but as he slides on his tommy, finds the wall
with his skull!
Self inflicted injury, poor mite is getting look at by the
paramedics, court is cleaned – no, not of the blood, of the
sweat – and play resumes, with Greg still on every shot and very
determined to take it to a 5th, 7/9, but Karim gets his first
match ball, he’ll take the match on his second, 11/8, as Greg’s
shot at the front is called not up – a fact strongly denied by
the Scot who will feel frustrated for sure. |
[8] Alison Waters (Eng) 3-1 Victoria Lust (Eng)
11/9, 7/11, 11/4, 11/4 (50m)
We
just played in China, I won 3/2, but we both agreed it was a
scrappy match, but it’s so hard, she is an English girl, we know
each other very well, we both want to win very badly.
I only managed to
settle in the 3d, I got my short game going, and that help me
relaxing in the fourth, once you get going, your game seems to
get in place.

In the fourth, I think she got a bit
frustrated and made more errors in that game than she did the
whole match. So I just focused on keeping on doing what I was
doing…
I can’t wait to play in front of the Pyramids, what an incentive
for a win in a first round!
Alison Waters |
[LL] Zahed Mohamed (Egy) 3-2 [8]
Borja Golan (Esp)
10/12, 11/8, 5/11,
12/10, 11/6 (102m)
A LOT OF NOISE
I didn’t get the chance to see any of the match, but I can tell
you I could hear it from the other side of the venue!!!! Zahed
bless him was very vocal, I saw the ref going down to talk with
the players. It lasted a very long time, there were for sure a
lot of decisions. Boy am I glad I do not have to explain what
happened of there!!!
Yesterday
I was getting ready to go home, I was on the shuttle, I knew
that would be a lucky loser, and somebody told me I was back in!
And now I'm into the quarter-finals. I wasn't happy yesterday
with my result, Karim played better, he deserved to win for
sure, he kept his focus better than I did. so I was very happy
to have a second chance and I wanted to prove to my mum, my
father and my coaches that I could win.
Beating Borja in 5 is not easy. Last week he beat Gaultier, so I
knew he was in good form. I had to play well to win. It was a
difficult match but I'm really happy to come through it.
Yes, there were a few discussions between the ref and us. I just
wanted him to be fair, and I don’t feel he was, I wanted him to
be consistent, but I really didn’t understand his decisions or
the line of refereeing he took. And I’m sorry I shouted, I was
just trying to win so badly. I wanted to win so badly.
I didn't expect to be the lucky loser and I'm so happy - now I'm
playing on the glass court. It was God's will…
Zahed Mohamed |


 |
I
was so scared of being bageled in that first game, like I was in
the Words by Amanda - she was playing so well and it was hard to
get into the match. I kept telling myself before the match,
Nour, you’ve got to get into the match quickly. I just couldn’t.
What is the key today is that I've been working on my attitude
and to keep pushing regardless of the score. I kept pushing -
which is Ali's main advice to me, stay positive, keep pushing
and the squash will come.
She started to make errors and I was back in it. Then I started
to find my range.
She's the one to beat at the moment. The pressure was all on
her, can you believe it - she's up there at No.4 and playing so
well, the Hong Kong Champion, but I knew I had the squash and
the work to beat her. She doesn't give an inch, other players
when you push them, they sort of give in, she doesn’t - I just
stuck in.
I
know, I dived once, Fram, I’m not proud of it, but I dove on my
left shoulder, so it’s ok, isn’t it??
It's a very good day. It's a dream come true to be on the glass
court, hopefully I can play well and keep playing well. I
remember going there in 2001 and it was so exciting - I can't
believe I will now be there but I have to treat it just like
another venue, like another event… Not going to be that simple….
Nour El Tayeb
I was watching Nour, so I wasn’t really preparing for my
match as we were playing at the same time nearly. The intensity
wasn’t to start with, luckily I didn’t lose a streak of points
to start with.
So happy to reach the quarters and get to play in front of the
Al-Ahram, and it’s double happiness because Nour is playing as
well.
I love married life Fram, it’s just so much easier, we enjoy it
a lot. And if last year we had a very stressful time for
different reasons, it strengthen our relationship too. And if we
are double stressed because we both do the same job, we are also
double helping each other… Let’s hope we can keep things going
like that Inshallah….
Ali Farag |
[wc] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 3-2 [4] Nouran Gohar (Egy)
2/11, 12/10, 5/11, 6/11,
11/7 (57m)
FROM BEING BLOWN OUT
TO WINNING IN 5
Incredible match I only managed to see a few shots of, but I
know that: Nouran blew Nour out of the first game, 6/0, 11/2.
Didn’t look that good for the newly wed.

In the second, it took a few game ball for Nour to level it to
1/1, she was up 10/8 to take it 12/10.

Nouran just blasted her way through the second, Nour didn’t much
of the Missiles coming off the Wadi Degla’s racquet, 11/5, but
out of nowhere, Nour just found the squash she had before her
shoulder surgery.
And Nouran, with all the pressure that comes from being the New
Kid On the Top of the Rankings, just couldn’t find her magic and
stop Nour today..
 |
[7] Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-1
[Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy) 11/5, 5/11, 11/7, 11/6 (43m)
RAMY BACK TO NORMAL,
OMAR NEARLY THERE
It was a good match to watch. As often,
all the top players will tell you, players bring their A game
when they are playing against the top 5 players, and today was
no exception.
Meguid’s game has evolved so much that he could change name,
nobody would think it’s the same player I noticed – in a bad way
– in the Sky Open back in 2008. Instead of using his energy and
body to block and push his opponent, he now uses his physicality
and feel of the ball to ask real questions to his opponent, and
that produces excellent matches indeed.
A
first game sees a very relaxed Ramy, 5/1 up quickly, only to see
the volleying from our Favourite Dentist making its toll, 5/5.
But Ramy relaxes the body and the arm, and finds no tins and
plenty of winners, 11/5.
Match ain’t over people, at all. Starting with his usual “let’s
test the tin see if it’s going to hold the whole tournament and
hit it as hard as I can” string of errors, Ramy makes 3 mistakes
to start the game, all credit to Omar that suddenly speed up the
pace, stepped up the court – I can feel Abbas advice there – and
basically will dominate Ramy the whole game, 4/0, 5/1, 11/5 on a
tin on a return of serve and a stroke.
Third is crucial, and mental side of things start to play its
normal role. And it’s in Omar’s head that the battle is
happening. Suddenly putting too much pressure on himself, trying
to finish the point too early and force it whereas he was just
patient and fast the game before, Omar makes far too many
errors, 4 in 5 points. That gives Ramy a nice little gap, 8/5,
another tin will give Ramy game ball, 10/7. At that point, I’m
not sure what happened, I got a bit confused with the ref bless
him, they had a long day believe me, we got from Let to No let
and finally stroke. I know it sounds confusing, but I’m sure
it’s making sense in the wash, that made it game for Ramy, 11/7.
Omar was still in the match in the beginning of the 4th, but
Ramy was by then relaxed and confident enough to try out a few
winners that found the point, 3/3, 8/4, 11/6 on a tin…. |

Last time we played in a serious match was in …
2000? For the final of the Egyptian Finals I think and I won I
think 3/2, very tough. Today was no different.
He played extremely well indeed today. It takes a lot out of you
to beat anyone - you have to be 100 per cent mentally and
physically focused. There is no gap between the players,
everyone plays so well now - every match is tough on Tour now
days.
The name of the tournament and prestige of
the tournament is special and especially after doing well in
Hong Kong - it's on your minds.
You know, when I was in the Olympic Campaign with Nicol, that
image of the Al-Ahram was on the first page of the program. It’s
iconic, and every Egyptian player thinks the same about this
tournament - there is so much energy in this area, because of
the Pyramids.
When I was a kid I used to go there. I didn't have a ticket one
time and I remember crying to the security guards to try and get
up there.
I remember the goose bumps, I remember watching the Barada’s,
and the Power, and the Peter Nicol, and the atmosphere of being
up there but I only played there once, I lost against Greg in
the quarters, after beating Beach in a very long match at the
Stadium…
Ramy Ashour
|
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[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 3-2 [Q] Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/8, 11/3, 14/16, 10/12, 11/6 (48m)
I am getting married on the 1st October, and
the preparations have been keeping very busy. I was fine
throughout the match, but in the fourth, I started to try and
play every point like I had to win it right now, with a nick.
That’s when you make errors, obviously, that’s not a good game
plan at all. I think I also felt the whole preparation of the
wedding suddenly catching up with me, and I thought I just
couldn’t physically finish the match – my fitness coach is going
to kill me. And maybe that’s why I went for shots instead of
being patient.
But from 6/6 in that game, she made an error, I got a stroke,
and that seemed to give me just a bit of an edge that I had to
carry on…
So happy I’m finally playing in front of the Pyramids, last time
I only play at the Stadium, and it was 16 years ago, I do not
remember it at all, it’s allowed isn’t it? It was such a long
time ago!
But hopefully I’ll play better in front of Al-Ahram than I did
today, against Nour….
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
 |
[1] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
11/7,
11/4, 11/4 (23m)
A QUICK AFFAIR
A very straight forward affair, Rachael slipering a few times,
fighting a bit with the bounce on the left back corner, not able
to adjust her lobs as she wanted, opening volleying opportunity
for the young girl who was born the last time Rachael played on
that court, 1997!
Nour looked in control from beginning to end, the games were
short, 7, 7, 6minutes, still a few nice rallies, but the winner
was never in doubt tonight.
 |
The
minute I heard the tournament was on, I got so excited.
The only time I came here, was for a match of Shabana with my
club in 2006.
But I never ever came to visit the Pyramids.
So when I was trying to hit the ball at the start I was trying
to focus on my squash, and not on the Pyramids just behind.
We both were a bit scared as the court was very slippery, so I
was trying to play perfect shots at the front, or deep at the
back, then I didn’t have to run!
And I could see she was the same, afraid to run.
We both tried and got used to the court, it got better as the
match advanced, but I tried and avoid any loose shot as she is
so good at killing them!
Nour El Sherbini |
 |

No, the match in Qatar didn’t arrive in my head in the third,
but I came in my mind before the match, and although she played
really, really, really well that day, my performance at that
moment was not my best squash, so I was hoping I wouldn’t
reproduce the same scheme twice…
The fact that the pressure is off me as people focus on Nour and
Nouran more is not solving my problem. I’m still looking at me.
I’m the problem, and I’m the solution. My coaches and my husband
are here all the way with me, but you know me, there is that
huge wall that needs to be knocked down, every time.
They are doing what they can, it’s not easy for them, it’s
certainly not easy for me.
The setting here is beautiful, I’m trying to focus on the
matches one by one, and remembering that the last times I played
in Egypt, it didn’t go too badly. So I’m focusing on that….
Raneem El Welily |
[3] Raneem El Welily (Egy) 3-0 Joshna Chinappa (Ind)
11/8,
11/2, 11/7 (29m)
REVENGE TIME
Last
time they played was in Qatar in November 2015. Raneem just had
reached the world number one status, the first one to knock out
Nicol for 10 years, and the pressure on her was ENORMOUS.
I remember that match. I was told she was 2/0 down, rushed to
the glass court, she then played a very good third, but Joshna
was just too strong and in confidence by then to let such a
chance slip away.
Today,
revenge time was on the cards. I could see in the body language.
Joshna didn’t put a foot wrong, but oh my lord Raneem was on the
war path, every shot would end into a winner really. 8 m first
game, 11/8, 4 min the second game!
Joshna was bound to have a reaction, and she did. Hitting the
ball much harder, she found her targets beautifully at the back,
and Raneem suddenly had less time on the ball and had to cover
much more ground. 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 6/6 7/7… Seesaw battle,
and the Indian really in control and looking very good…
It looked like a fourth at least was on the card. Was Joshna
strong game going to unsettle the former number 1? It was very
close indeed, but confidence came flowing from the Egyptian
racquet at the business end of the game, and Raneem scored 4
points in a row, after some huge and very disputed rallies. 11/ |
 |
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Cameron Pilley (Aus)
9/11,
11/7, 11/9, 11/8 (60m)
CAMERON JUST A BIT SQUASHED OUT AT THE
END
May
the Gods of Squash bless our Cameron, who just made a Squash
Marathon. Since the end of August, he played the World Doubles,
then straight to HK, taking out Mohamed then in the first round
then off to China, only to rush to Pontefract for the European
Club Champs, arriving this morning early to play tonight against
World number 1.
And he nearly got him again!!!!
Nervous my Mohamed was, I can tell you. When he starts looking
at the state of the floor, hitting several tins in the first
game, mistiming his shots, he is not focusing, and if you add
the look on the floor, that means, nervous as hell. And when you
start hearing Mrs Shorbagy going “Yalla Mohamad” several times
in a row, then you know it’s serious….
Still, it seems fine to start with, 3/1 for the Alexandria Man,
5/2, but Cameron taking his chances, long rallies, the
Australian digging in to retrieve great attacks, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8
annnnd 9/9. At 10/9, Cam finds a superbly glue straight drive
that get Mohamed a let. The Egyptian is hungrier than that, goes
for a review hoping for a stroke, and gets a no let. Game
Cameron. Mohamed is stunned….
Second game is very close up to the middle of the game, 2/2,
3/3, 4/4, 5/5, 6/6 7/7, there I can see the Squash Marathon
getting into Cameron’s legs bless him, Mohamed is over him like
a rush, the crowd is delighted when his man closes the game 4
points later, 11/7.
But the 3rd is again a bit threat to Mohamed. Again away
mentally, not focusing enough, Mohamed cannot prevent Cameron
from finding superb angles, and finds himself down, 5/2, 7/4 and
to be honest at that point, I thought 2 things. 1, that was
could have a huge upset here. 2. That Basma Shorbagy would march
straight to the chair of Mohamed at the end of the game,
whatever this outcome.
My second point was spot on. Again, at the business end of the
game, I could see Cameron getting a bit flat, combination of the
tiredness and the huge work Mohamed made him produce, 7/7, 8/8,
10/8.
There
a weird moment, Cameron goes for a crosscourt drop shot very
close to the tin, sounds good from where I am, but Mohamed
thinks it’s down, stops play, while the Ref thinks Mohamed’s
shot is not up and calls it. Mohamed thinks the ref has called
Cameron’s shot down, it’s all a bit confusing as Mohamed goes
off court, thinking he won the game 11/8. It’s only “partie
remise”, as Mohamed will win the next point, 11/9…
Apologising to Cameron at the start of the 4th for their few
words – no offence taken seems to say the Laid Back Australian –
Mohamed will control the game quite comfortable, Cam making 3
crucial errors in a row from 3/1 to 4/3, and that gives a huge
boost of confidence to the Egyptian. Nothing will stop him from
getting his win and revenge, 10/5 match ball, or will it?
Cameron lets go of the arm, and start stringing the points, 6,
7, 8.. But it stops there, 11/8….
A whole country exhales… |

I was really nervous throughout the match, I was
nervous at the start, in the middle and at the end..
In Hong Kong, he was playing a super squash, and I really had to
play my A game to beat him.
My squash was better in HK, but I was not sharp enough mentally,
whereas this time, he wasn't playing his best and he almost took
me out!
It made me even more nervous, because I was aware that he was
not playing great squash, and still I couldn’t beat him.
But if my squash was not that good today, I was much sharper
mentally, and that shows how important the mental side of things
– my strong point – is crucial in a match.
The last two times he beat me he was playing incredibly well, he
plays at such a high level against me I can't understand how
he's not top ten.
Today, in Egypt against him was tough. When I saw the draw and
saw I was playing him first round, I thought I could have had an
easier draw!
I wanted to win today however it took, it could have gone to 5,
12/10 or last three hours, I just wanted to win. I'm happy about
that.
I have to recover quickly now and focus on the next match and
realise this is only the first round because normally when I
feel like that after a match, it’s a semi or a final!
Mohamed Elshorbagy
 |
THE HAMMER
IS BAAAACK
It hasn’t been an easy few weeks for the Hammer of Thor, but
adversity, Omar is used to it, and just fights his way through
with dignity and strength.

Today, he played a solid squash against a patient and clever
Karim Ali Fathi who was never out of the game. Hossam, Karim’s
fitness coach and Mohamed Abbas, his coach, will be proud of
their player as he shown today how mature and hard worker he can
be.
Now that he has graduated, Karim I’m sure is going to climb up
the rankings, as he played a solid, patient and strong squash,
cleverly trying – and even succeeded at times – to frustrate his
opponent.
They both produced some attritional squash at times, far from
the fast bam wam typical Egyptian game, the length of the game
tell the story, 11/4 first game in 12m, 11/6 again in 12m, and
11/6 in 14. As for the errors, 6 in total for Karim, 4 for the
Hammer.
As you can see, a hard game of squash, with Mosaad just a bit
stronger physically at crucial points…. |
[2] Omar Mosaad (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Karim Ali Fathi (Egy)
11/4,
11/6, 11/6 (46m)
My
last victory was 5 months ago in April in Gouna, after that, I
lost all my matches…I was preparing for my new season, after
getting a good rest I really needed, got a cold, then as I was
recovering, got a bug in my stomach, and as the result the mix
cold/bug, I got three antibiotics in a row! Needless to say my
body was shuttered. I was out for 3 weeks, and couldn’t go to
Hong Kong.
I tested my mental and physical state in China, and got two more
weeks of training before this event. So tonight was very
important test for me, we prepared it well with my coaches,
Mohamed, Islam, Shabana and my fitness coach.
I
think I played very well today, I was afraid of getting tired in
the second and third, but I think I used my experience to get
safely through.
Karim played very well, he did some great qualifying, and beat
Zahed in a strong performance, Zahed that got the Lucky Loser
spot, managed to beat Borja, and that I now play in the quarters
after a day of rest tomorrow.
I played the last Al-Ahram in 2006, I lost to Ricketts in the
Stadium, never managed to play in front of Al-Ahram, so I’m
truly happy I now get the chance…
Omar Mosaad
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