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TODAY in Alex - Thu 4th, Day
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The competitors with Amr
Mansi at the opening ceremony at Qaitbai Citadel -
site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world ... |
Qualifying at the Sporting Club,
it's Egypt 5 France 3 ...
World Class squash came to Alexandria today with qualifying at
Alexandria Sporting Club. There was just a single round, so
today's eight winners booked themselves a place in the $100k
main draw, and are just one more win away from a match on the
glass court by the sea at the Bibliotheca.
There was heavy home interest in today's matches of course, many
of them playing on their home courts - in fact there were 13
Egyptians and three French playing today, we had three thrilling
five-setters, and the final score was Egypt 5 France 3 !
Alexandria International Qualifying:
Yathreb Adel (Egy) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy)
11/4, 11/8, 11/2 (21m)
Nadine Shahin (Egy) 3-2 Hania El Hammamy (Egy)
4/11, 12/10, 11/6, 8/11, 11/5 (61m)
Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-2 Nada Abbas (Egy)
10/12, 9/11, 11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (67m)
Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-1 Mayar Hany Mohamed (Egy)
11/7, 9/11, 11/5, 12/10 (52m)
Cyrielle Peltier (Fra) 3-0 Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (Egy)
11/6, 11/1, 11/1 (20m)
Zeina Farid Mickawy (Egy) 3-2 Nouran El Torky (Egy)
11/6, 4/11, 11/8, 6/11, 15/13 (51m)
Kanzy El Defrawy (Egy) 3-0 Rowan Reda (Egy)
11/4, 11/5, 11/2 (22m)
Laura Pomportes (Fra) 3-0 Menna Nasser (Egy)
11/4, 11/2, 11/5 (20m)
Updated Main Draw
GALLERY - Welcome to Alexandria |
En Bref #1
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Yathreb Adel
(Egy) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy)
11/4, 11/8, 11/2 (21m)
A solid Yathreb in the first
game, immaculate length didn’t give her opponent much changes to
get into the match. But in the second, Hana really got her teeth
in, showed us how good she was, putting Yathreb under a heck of
a pressure, even taking the lead for the first time at 8/7.
The Bristol based Adel felt the danger, got her length deep in
the back corner, forcing two tins at crucial times, allowing her
to get a comfy lead at 2/0. Third, a bit of a mountain to climb,
Yathreb closing it nicely in 21m.
 In
the first game I guess she took a little while to get used to my
pace, but then in the second, she got into the game better, she
was stronger, she was more aggressive, and stopped me volleying
in the T area. I was playing short lines, and gave her
opportunity to attack. I’m lucky that she made a few unforced
errors at the end of the game.
In the third, I played tighter squash, varied my shots by
playing more crosscourt, she was not expecting it as I had
played a rather straight squash up to then. I started going for
my shots, and it worked pretty well.
I don’t mind whoever I’m playing tomorrow. The only thing I want
is to finish the season on a high, so I’ll just play my squash,
enjoy it and see where it takes me….
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Nadine Shahin
(Egy) 3-2 Hania El Hammamy (Egy)
4/11, 12/10, 11/6, 8/11, 11/5 (61m)
A very intense match between
those two Egyptian players who each other’s game very well, and
so do the families… The match was not only between the two
players, but also between the families, the refs, and the
players! A lot to handle for those young ladies.
We do forget. That’s what they are, young kids. They may hit the
ball so hard, so cleverly, they are so strong physically, so
determined, that we think they have the maturity that goes with
it. But they are still little girls. And it’s not an easy thing…
 Intense
is the word that summarise the match really. Intense parents,
intense referring – having to be strong and assertive out there
– intense players.
I guess the second was crucial, as I feel Hania got a bit tired
in the 5th, and mentally, she needed that 2/0 lead. She still
got the match back on track in the 4th, but the power imposed by
Nadine, and the mixing of her attacks and angles forced Hania to
do a heck of a lot of work, who paid the bill in the 5th.
Important to note that Nadine has changed her behaviour on court
since the last time I saw her in the World’s qualifying in
Cairo. She was far too aggressive then, playing the player, not
the ball, shouting during the match, not pleasant. This time
round, she really played a powerful, but restrained squash. Yes,
still a few too many contacts, but nothing to compare to her
previous style. Well done Nadine for that…
Also to be noted that Hania got penalised for talking to her
family in the 5th, 7/3 conduct stroke 8/3 for coaching and
talking to her support group. Once again, we need to remember
those girls are just that, girls. And they are playing junior
squash sometimes, where you look for your parents support at all
times.
I guess that’s part of the growing up process, having to let go
of that look to the first row, and having to find that
strength/answers within oneself. Not easy transition, but that
has got to take place…
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I was lucky today, I played a young Egyptian, that never truly
believed in her chances, and lost her heart little by little.
I’m very happy to get away with a quick 3/0, it’s quite warm,
I’m not used to those conditions, so it could have been tricky
for me. Delighted to get fresh into my first ever big
tournament’s main draw!
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Coline Aumard
(Fra) 3-2 Nada Abbas (Egy)
10/12, 9/11, 11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (67m)
Cyrielle Peltier (Fra) 3-0 Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (Egy)
11/6, 11/1, 11/1 (20m)
 A
very good mental exercise for the French lady, who never lost
her focus today, although she got a bit overplayed in the
beginning by a very clever young player that I never saw before
I think.
Very fit, excellent hands, she led 1/0 and 8/1! Coline managed
to come back to 8/8, 9/9, but Nada believed she could do it, and
she did.
After that, it was a bit onesided, with Coline very assertive
and controlling the middle, but she will be happy her opponent
lacked a bit of experience. Like the French girl said, she will
be learning fast, beware!!!
It’s my fault if
we had a few too many contacts, I just wasn’t accurate enough,
and as I was crosscourting a lot, I was in her way a bit there
as well. I knew I had to get tighter.
She is such a good young player, I think she is 15. She started
physically so strongly, in the first game I thought, oh my,
where am I going with this, but actually, after that, I could
see she was getting to struggle a bit fitness wise, so instead
of slowing down like I did in the second, I actually made it as
hard as possible, and switched on the legs! I get it by a bit of
experience at the end, but if I was to play the same against her
next year, the end result would be pretty different I’m
afraid!!!
I can feel that I need a break, I haven’t been back home in the
past two months, and it’s starting to get to me. So, a last big
push…
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Mariam Metwally
(Egy) 3-1 Mayar Hany Mohamed (Egy)
11/7, 9/11, 11/5, 12/10 (52m)
 It
was a fitness match! It’s so warm out there, it was really a
question of who would keep going! She was running a lot, and she
is so fast, it was a big battle.
In the first game, I was very relaxed, but in the second, from
4/0, I seemed to fall asleep, and she took advantage of that! I
sort of woke up at 10/5, and managed to come back to 9/10, but
she played a superb boast, it was a great shot…
I won the 3rd easily, but if I was relaxed in the 4th to start
with, suddenly, out of nowhere I think I started to stress out,
not sure why! Happy to take it in the end
I don’t know who I’m going to play, but I just want to do a good
tournament here to give me confidence and energy for the world
juniors.
I have exams starting the day after tomorrow, and it’s my last
year at school, after that, I’ll be able to focus on my squash,
and I will feel free, and relieved… It’s about time I get up the
rankings, and I’m looking forward to do all the tournaments!
My goal is to be top 20 by the end of next season Inshallah!
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Kanzy El
Defrawy (Egy) 3-0 Rowan Reda (Egy)
11/4, 11/5, 11/2 (22m)
 I
didn’t know Rowan at all, she is much younger, but I was told
not to take her lightly. I wouldn’t. I know those young
Egyptians, I was one once! If you give them a sniff, if they
think they can get in there, they go for it, they are fearless,
they don’t care who they play, they just play and take their
chances. So today, I was making sure I was in control at all
times, the way I was playing, handling myself on court,
anything, I was in control.
I am sooo happy to play here, I used to train here for two
years, it’s like my second home here. Actually, I didn’t know I
was going to be in Egypt when Sharm was happening, so I didn’t
put my name, but actually, I was in Egypt! And I was sooooo
frustrated not to be playing! And I was thinking I was going to
be 3 months back home, no tournament or anything. I have been
playing very well for the last 4 months, since TOC really. So,
so happy to be able to play here, and to qualify for the main
draw. This is not nothing. This is big for me.
And I’m so happy I had only one round to play in the qualifying.
In the TOC, I had to go through 3 rounds to get to the main
draw. Normally it’s 2, and I really HATE qualifying.
I have no expectations for tomorrow, I don’t know who or when or
what. All I know is that I’m excited.
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Zeina Farid
Mickawy (Egy) 3-2 Nouran El Torky (Egy)
11/6, 4/11, 11/8, 6/11, 15/13 (51m)
Another long and intense 3/2
between not only two Egyptians, but also two Sporting Club girls
that train a lot together and know each other very well. Another
intense moment for the families, one each side of the court,
with a bit too many calls to make it a classic. But excellent
squash, long rallies, moving a lot the ball, a lot of suspense
and a true “never in doubt I know very well who is going to win
but I’m not telling you actually I don’t have clue” match!
It looked good for Zeina when she won the 3rd, but a big drop in
energy in the 4th, easy for Nouran to force a decider. A good
start for Zeina, 2/0, but close from that moment on to the end,
never more than a single point between those two great warriors,
2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, 9/9, 10/10, 11/11, 12/12,
13/13. Zeina had a first match ball, then Nouran had 3, but it’s
the young 16 years old that closes it down eventually on her
second, 15/13.
Never in doubt, as I said.
 We
practice together all the time, plus the last three tournaments
(Alexandria Brqthru, Sharm and here again), we played together.
I lost 3/0, 3/1. But I learned from playing her. And the
difference today I think is that if the previous times, I
stopped when I was tired, today, I just kept going. Maybe I am
getting stronger mentally.
She knows how to move me very well, and she is tough. I tried to
keep control of the T, volley as much as I could, and I was not
afraid to go for my shots.
I’m so happy to win this, so happy to qualify, and I need to
thank my mum, my brother and my coach Vito.
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Laura Pomportes
(Fra) 3-0 Menna Nasser (Egy)
11/4, 11/2, 11/5 (20m)
 When
was the last time we had 4 French girls in a major 100K,
especially here in Egypt!
You never know what to expect, but I think she was maybe not too
focused on the match, as we had to postpone the match to late
afternoon, she had school exams. But I was very nervous too, I
had waited the whole day, and having Cyrielle and Coline
through, I was I felt I HAD to win!
I was lucky she made a lot of unforced errors, but she was up
and down all the time, and it was difficult for me to stay
focused and find my rhythm. Still, delighted to win quickly, and
to be fresh to tomorrow in that last tournament of the season.
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