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TODAY in Alex - Fri 5th, Day
TWO |
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Round One at the Sporting Club:
Kanzy and Mariam qualify for the Bibliotheca
It was the busiest day of all today in Alexandria, with sixteen
first round matches at the Sporting Club and the prize for
today's winners a match on the Glass Court at the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina in round two.
While the top eight seeds all safely booked their places, a pair
of lower seeds departed as Egyptian qualifier Kanzy El
Dafrawy beat 10th seed Sarah-Jane Perry in straight games,
and fellow qualifier Mariam Metwally got the better of
14th seed Salma Hany in their all-Egyptian clash, again in
straight games.
Best (ultimately futile) comeback of the day was Emily
Whitlock's run of eight points from 3-10 down against
Raneem El Welily (second seed Welily won in four), the
longest match was Omneya Abdel Kawy's rescue act against
Donna Urquhart - the seventh seed having to come from
two-one down and save two match balls in a tense decider, and
the best dive goes to Kanzy (who else!)
Alexandria International Round One:
[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 Victoria Lust (Eng)
11/6, 11/6, 11/4 (30m)
[11] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Zeina Farid Mickawy (Egy)
11/3, 11/9, 11/2 (23m)
[Q] Kanzy El Dafrawy (Egy) 3-0 [10] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng)
11/9, 11/5, 11/6 (41m)
[5] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 3-0 Heba El Torky (Egy)
11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (32m)
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 3-2 Donna Urquhart (Aus)
11/6, 7/11, 11/13, 11/3, 16/14 (58m)
[Q] Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-0 [14] Salma Hany Ibrahim
(Egy)
12/10, 11/3, 11/4 (31m)
[3] Alison Waters (Eng) 3-0 Samantha Teran (Mex)
11/9. 11/6, 11/5 (33m)
[16] Habiba Mohamed (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Cyrielle Peltier (Fra)
12/10, 11/9, 11/4 (38m)
[4] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [Q] Yathreb Adel (Egy)
11/9, 10/12, 11/3, 12/10 (50m)
[9] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-1 [Q] Nadin Shahin (Egy)
11/2, 11/5, 11/13, 11/5 (36m)
[12] Jenny Duncalf (Eng) 3-0 [Q] Coline Aumard (Fra)
11/4, 11/9, 11/9 (25m)
[8] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Laura Pomportes (Fra)
11/4, 11/5, 11/7 (20m)
[15] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) 3-0 Siyoli Waters (Rsa)
11/8, 11/7, 11/9 (34m)
[6] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-0 Tesni Evans (Wal)
11/9, 14/12, 11/5 (42m)
[13] Dipika Pallikal (Ind) 3-0 [wc] Hana Ramadan (Egy)
11/9, 11/8, 11/8 (32m)
[2] Raneem El Welily (Egy) 3-1 Emily Whitlock (Eng)
6/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/4 (42m)
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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 .. |
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[16] Habiba
Mohamed (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Cyrielle Peltier (Fra)
12/10, 11/9, 11/4 (38m)
 I
was impressed by my compatriot today, who played the perfect
tactic against Habiba, making the court extremely large and big,
but the Egyptian – who was pushed to make a few unforced errors
– showed again how powerful, determined and high spirited she
is.
“Lost the legs in the 3rd really, I had to work so hard to take
the ball early, and once I lost my length, it all got out of
synch, and she was all over me. Too good in the end” smiled a
disappointed Cyrielle.
But she can’t be disappointed, she really played good squash
today.
As for Habiba, definitely one to watch for this tournament.
She is a good
player, I never played her before, and she is very fast… I
didn’t know that!!! And she volleyed a lot too.
So she put me under pressure from the start, I was a bit tense,
playing a qualifier – that’s the first time I was – and home,
and this being the first round….
I didn’t play my best squash, maybe only in the 3rd, I managed
to impose my game, I was finally a bit more comfortable.
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[3] Alison
Waters (Eng) 3-0 Samantha Teran (Mex)
11/9. 11/6, 11/5 (33m)
A good test for both players, as
in Alison didn’t have the Allam British Open she would have
hoped for – lost against GiantKiller Delia in the first round –
first match since, and as for Sam, she got a terrible injury in
Chicago, where there was a collision in the last shot of the
match between herself and Coline, Sam twisted her right ankle
pretty badly, swollen immediately, and couldn’t play the next
day! For her too, first match since.
“I need a bit of match fitness” smiled Sam at the end, while
Alison was probably happy to take the first game…
Even if the first
game was close, I always felt I was in control, 2, 3 points
ahead. Also, I know she is coming back an injury, but she is a
tough competitor, she keeps running and never gives in. Plus
those tough warm conditions suited her game really… Never easy!
But after a “bad day” in Hull, where I basically felt very flat
– although Delia played very well – I was happy to come here, I
felt good today, and I really hope I can do well in the event to
finish the season off on a good note.
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Salma and I have
been playing since the age of 10, and to this day! I am lucky to
say that I normally win, and yesterday, when I heard I was
playing her, I was like truly happy. Not that I thought it would
be easy, or that I would win, but just that I knew her game, and
that gave me a chance to get to the second round of a major!
A little thought, I used to train with Salma’s coach, and
somehow, I’m not sure why, but it was like an extra push for me
to see him there, coaching my opponent. It was helping me for
some strange reason, like “come on, you can do it!” Sometimes,
mind plays strange tricks on you!
I am soooo happy to get to the second round, especially here, in
front of my friends and family, my mum and dad! So nice. And of
course, I need to thank my fitness coach Moutaz Zein ElDein for
the hard work he made me do, and a huuuuge thank you to Mohamed
Elkeiy, my coach, who has been working sooo hard with me, I hope
I am going to make him more proud very soon as well.
Tomorrow, I hope I can play well, and then I’m back to school,
for my exams on Sunday!!!
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[Q] Mariam
Metwally (Egy) 3-0
[14] Salma Hany Ibrahim (Egy)
12/10, 11/3, 11/4 (31m)
 Packed
crowd for that local derby between two girls that basically know
each other’s game so well. With a mental belief from Mariam she
was going to win, and a Salma that probably needed that first
game terribly, confidence wise.
After the loss of that opening game, Salma seemed to “baisser
les bras”, stop fighting/believing in her chances. And although
there were some lovely rallies, Mariam was always going to win
this one, yet again.
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[7] Omneya
Abdel Kawy (Egy) 3-2 Donna Urquhart (Aus)
11/6, 7/11,
11/13, 11/3, 16/14 (58m)
I couldn’t even approach the
court for that one, I mean, I just didn’t see the court or the
players! The support for the Egyptian girl who lost her father
while El Gouna was running was immense and very loud.
For those who never came to Egypt, Omneya is THE lady of squash
here. And very very very much loved by the crowds.
I just know that she saved 2 match balls in the 5th. That’s all
you’ll get
You know the
circumstances…. If in the British Open, I just didn’t want to
play, I just wanted to be home, you have those days you just…
well, it’s a bad day, and your head is just not on the game –
although my opponent played very well, today, it was a good day.
I knew that a lot of people were going to come and support me,
all my coaches, my friends, and that prevented me from having a
bad day. Today, I wanted to play, just do my best, just play…
And I’m so happy to make through it today.
Donna played so well, she limited my squash, her shots were in
the nick all the time, and she is really coming back very
strong. Well done to her, truly.
But I really wanted to play on the glass, Alex is not my
hometown, but it’s Egypt, and I’m going to play in front of an
Egyptian crowd and I know that everybody, every single person,
will be cheering for me tomorrow. That gives me such a push,
like it did today, having all my friends around me.
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[1] Nicol David
(Mas) 3-0 Victoria Lust (Eng)
11/6, 11/6, 11/4
(30m)
It’s always nice
to have a great Malaysian support, right behind the glass, with
the kids as well, and so many people, it’s a superb atmosphere.
Today, I started very strongly, seeing the ball well and getting
on it very early. She was looking for her marks to start with,
made a few unforced errors, but found her groove in the middle
of the game, but I was able to take that one and carry the
momentum to the next game.
In the second, she was moving the ball very well, and I had to
work harder, making sure that I was sending the ball to the ball
to then build on the opportunities. And in the third, I knew
that I had to start putting her under pressure from the start,
and that allowed me to create good opportunities.
As for the British Open, my match against Laura, we were both
playing good squash, you can feel with it’s a nice match, but in
the third, like she said, she relaxed a bit, hit a few good
shots, I made a few errors, and I stepped back ever so slightly,
and against Laura, you cannot step back. She then carried on
with the momentum, and started to play much better, taking the
3rd
The fourth was very close, we are trying to take control, the
same in the 5th really! And she did show that she was not world
number 2 (up to very recently) for nothing!!! I kept fighting
till the end but it wasn’t to be.
Still, I learned a lot from this match, from the whole
tournament actually, with the way you should handle a
tournament, how you see the tournament. Like, everybody wants to
win the British Open, it’s a fact. But in fact, it’s all about
being ready on the day, you have to be sharp and consistent on
that day. And that day, I wasn’t consistent enough.
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[Q] Kanzy El
Dafrawy (Egy) 3-0
[10] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 11/9, 11/5, 11/6 (41m)
“I started well, but it’s not a
rewarding you when you are hitting harder and harder! I was not
tired at all, I was feeling fine physically.” said a very calm
yet disappointed SJ after the match.
I of course couldn’t see a ball,
as the crowd yet again is immense, packed and so keen.
Kanzy made a lot of people very happy to day, from her dad
(remember Sharm en bref about the Hilton, he is the manager
there) to her mum, her sister Salma (who also was in Sharm, MC-ing)
and so many people who carried her to victory…
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 I
was very excited yesterday since I heard the draw, it was such a
big opportunity for me to have qualified for such an event in
Egypt. And I have no pressure, absolutely no pressure on me at
all as I’m now 37WR and she is 12!
I had that feeling in my core, too excited, but I just decided
to have fun with my squash. I was fearless. All the
opportunities I could have today, I just seized them, without
thinking about what I was doing really, just was having fun out
there.
I have to give credit to the support I got today. They are the
ones that made me win. My dad, my mum, my sister were there, so
many friends from Cairo that came to support me. And every time
I was looking behind, I would see those faces, that just believe
in me, and wanted me to win. And I won, for them.
I’m happy with the way I played today, tomorrow, so excited to
play on the glass court, and especially, so grateful I won 3/0,
which was really far fetched thinking now how great player she
is, truly one of the best players in the world. Beating her is
already such a result, but wining 3/0 and still be fresh for
tomorrow, that’s even better!!!
I am so grateful. So happy and so grateful…
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[9] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-1
[Q] Nadin Shahin (Egy)
11/2, 11/5, 11/13, 11/5 (36m)
I feel my lungs
are about to exploooooode. That last month in College was well,
how should I put it, the training/partying ratio was not that
well balanced.
And in the third, I could feel my lungs really burning, I was
like “oh no, this is not going to go well”, so I rushed things,
tried and finish it too early, and made unforced errors.
So in the 4th, I just focused again, but I am very grateful she
tinned that last point!!!
I love Egypt so much, so when I’m in the States I always say to
my mates I’m Egyptian; and when I’m here, maybe I see myself as
an American? I like to be different!!!
But I’m always so well greeted here, people are so nice, making
me feel so at home, so comfortable, it’s such a nice feeling to
know I’m welcome, they could think, oh she is an American, but
not, never, I’m just so comfortable here…
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[4] Laura Massaro
(Eng) 3-1 [Q] Yathreb Adel (Egy)
11/9, 10/12, 11/3, 12/10 (50m)
 Yes,
I like writing little cards/list of things for myself. Of
course, Danny is here with me, but I do sort of research,
looking at my opponent play, for example, I watch Yathreb
against Raneem in the British Open, then yesterday I watched her
as well, then I take notes about how she plays, it’s like
getting used to somebody’s pattern instead of playing against
her, and taking 3 winning shots before realising what she is
doing right!!
I played Yathreb right before the British Open, in the finals of
the PSL (English Leagues), my first match back, and she really
let herself down in that one, the last game was 11/0, maybe she
was just back from Egypt or something.
Whereas today, none of that, in front of her homecrowd and
family, she really pushed till the end. And actually, in the
second, she nearly was out of it, she looked tired, and out, and
suddenly, she relaxed her fingers, and score 5 nicks in a row!
That’s what you are dealing with here!!!
It’s rather a unique atmosphere here, and you would think the
crowd would be very loud, and cheering for the Egyptian, but not
at all. They are very respectful and one thing that I find
amazing, and one of the things that make me love to coming to
Egypt, is that they all know who we are!!!
I just love all the kids coming up to me, and knowing who I am.
Before I went on court, I signed like 6 arms, photos, and they
come up to me and say “we know who you are, we love the way you
play”.. Nobody says that to me in England, I tell them “but you
know, I don’t play nicks or shots”. And they say “we like the
way you do it, you are very patient!” That is such a great
feeling to hear that, I never consider myself as good, I just
know that I have no real weaknesses, I just play solid squash,
so when I have kids coming up to me and telling me nice things,
like in Cairo they told me that I was graceful on court. NOBODY
ever told me that.
So I just love coming to Egypt, where kids are allowed to be
kids, to have fun, and not just to behave like they would be in
England. If they don’t behave as kids when they are kids, then
when??
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[12] Jenny Duncalf
(Eng) 3-0
[Q] Coline Aumard (Fra)
11/4, 11/9, 11/9
(25m)
 The
first game was really quick, not many rallies in there, but in
the second, she played better, her length was better, and the
rallies got more balanced.
In the third, I was rather comfortable like 5/1, 8/3, feeling
really in control, and I was about to close in down, and
suddenly, a few unforced errors, you find yourself like 8/9,
9/9, and struggling to finish it.
She is difficult to play, she is not rhythmical, and I guess I
managed to control by just holding her, she was struggling to
read me. But anything loose and she would find good shots, she
surprised me, and volley very well.
I’m quite happy to play a few matches in a row, three in HK,
happy here too, I feel physically in one piece, which is always
a good thing…
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[8] Nour El
Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [Q] Laura Pomportes (Fra)
11/4, 11/5, 11/7 (20m)
I was a bit nervous, because there are no easy games, especially
not in the first round, my defeat in Cairo in the first round of
the worlds was playing on my mind. Especially as I am playing
home, with all my friends from my club that came to see me and
asking me for a week, about my match, if I’m going to win… So a
lot of pressure on me…
I’m happy with the way I played, next round, Jenny. Last time we
played in the US Open, I won 3/0 but nowadays, I just don’t know
how things will turn out, so I’ll just try to play, and see how
it goes…
I want to thanks my sponsors Ezzsteel and Tecnifibre for
supporting me, I hope they keep supporting me to the end of the
tournament!
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[13] Dipika
Pallikal (Ind) 3-0
[wc] Hana Ramadan (Egy)
11/9, 11/8, 11/8 (32m)
 I
never played Hana, I never saw her play or even heard of her, so
you are a bit nervous when you get on court, in Egypt, against a
young Egyptian! On the circuit, you always know who your
opponent is, and how she plays….
I knew I had to start off well, because those young Egyptians
take so much confidence in themselves if they get a little lead!
So the first game was crucial I think. And I made sure I took
that one.
End of the season for everybody, a last tournament that appeared
a bit at the last minute, so we just want to do the best we can
here, finish on a high, and I’m really looking forward to my
next round.
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[2] Raneem El
Welily (Egy) 3-1 Emily Whitlock (Eng)
6/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/4 (42m)
 A
bit of a strange match for Raneem who had what she called a
“very scrappy match”. After losing the first game, she went up
comfortably 10/3 up, to find herself 11/10 in just one hand,
tin, tin, tin, and loss of focus on the menu. She finally got
back to her senses, and took the three game 13/11, 7 and 4.
As for English Emily, she confirms how dangerous she is,
especially when she plays here in Egypt, after beating Jenny in
Cairo, she pushed Nicol 12/10, 12/10 if I remember well!
Everybody keeps
telling me I’ve lost weight, but I haven’t!
Very scrappy. Today, a mixture of too much confidence and loss
of focus. I cannot afford this kind of behaviour, but I think it
was like I was afraid of letting people down, of letting myself
down, after Cairo, where I lost, but I still feel I played well.
Really glad we have a day of rest tomorrow...
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[6] Camille
Serme (Fra) 3-0 Tesni Evans (Wal)
11/9, 14/12, 11/5 (42m)
 I
was personally very grateful to Tesni NOT to go in her normal
3/2 mode tonight. It had been a looooooooong day of squash. Only
joking….
On a more serious note, the second is crucial. One game all,
Camille could have gone a bit nervous on a warm court, after a
big win a few days ago, and an upset is always possible with
that Devil of young Welsh I so enjoy watching just running and
hitting and running and running!
But once she was 2/0 down, especially after having two game
balls, Tes had a bit of a “not sure I want to do that all over
again today’ moment, and Camille just took full advantage of
that… |
That’s done, hard
work!
Tesni did a good match, nothing new there, she is such a
fighter, so consistent, she never gives up, never lets go and
even tired, she still keeps on retrieving everything!
Happy I hung in there in the 2nd, it was very important I took
that one I feel, because I think it was hard for her, both
mentally and physically.
I was a bit stressed today, first round never easy, but I’m
happy to see I am fine physically, but more important, I’m still
hungry on there. That’s crucial for the last tournament, we
didn’t expect that one, so a last big push…
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