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Six out of Eight
ain't bad ...
An Egyptian clean sweep was possible at the start of today's
play, but in the event the hosts had to settle for 'only' six
additional places in the main draws, taking their contingent to
eleven in the men's draw and five in the women's.
Joey Chan and Dipika Pallikal were today's
party-poopers (in Egyptian eyes), and they'll be hoping for
repeat performances tomorrow as all the main draw players are
just one win away from a trip to Hurghada.
Day Two PHOTO GALLERY |
Qualifying Finals:
Joey Chan (Hkg) bt Kanzy El Defrawy (Egy)
11/6, 8/11,
11/4, 11/3 (38m) plays Wee
Nour El Tayeb (Egy) bt Olivia Blatchford (Usa)
11/7, 9/11,
11/3, 11/8 (32m) plays Grinham
Dipika Pallikal (Ind) bt Nouran El Torky (Egy)
11/7, 11/8,
11/8 (37m) plays Duncalf
Heba El Torky (Egy) bt Lucie Fialova (Cze)
11/8, 11/4,
11/9 (25m) plays El Weleily
Amr Swelim (Egy) bt Andrew Wagih (Egy)
11/4,
11/9, 9/11, 11/4 (32m) plays Shabana
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy)
8/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/5 (65m) plays Gaultier
Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy)
11/6,
11/6, 8/11, 11/5 (49m) plays Shorbagy
Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy) bt Robbie Temple (Eng)
11/8, 11/8, 11/8 (40m) plays Darwish |
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Joey Chan (Hkg) bt Kanzy El Defrawy (Egy)
11/6, 8/11, 11/4, 11/3 (38m)
Joey too strong for now ...
Steve
 Kanzey
El Defrawy is where Joey Chan was a few years ago - an up and
coming junior playing in qualifying events to get experience at
this level. It's not surprising that Joey, now 20, had too much
courtcraft and experience in the end, but Kanzey gave a good
account of herself, matching Joey all the ay for two games.
Once the Hong Kong player had worked out what she needed to do
though, she did it very effectively, and imposed her own rhythm
to win the last two games fairly comfortably.
Kanzey is some prospect though, she'll only get stronger, and
ally that to her already impressive set of shots and she'll soon
be qualifying for this class of event, just like Joey ...
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"I played too much at the front at the start of the match, too
many boasts which were giving her the chance to run and go for
it. She plays very well for her age, her length is tight and she
has a quick swing that keeps you guessing where the ball is
going.
"From the third I started to play more lobs, and kept her pinned
in the back corners when I could, trying to control her.
"I'm satisfied with my match, I played pretty well and I'm happy
to qualify for the main draw ..."
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"I think I played ok, I don't know why I was hitting too many
tins. But I won so it's okay, I think she had a great
improvement in her squash. Happy to qualify and looking forward
for my match tomorrow."
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Dipika Pallikal (Ind) bt Nouran El Torky (Egy)
11/7, 11/8, 11/8 (37m)
Dipika on form
Marwan
 They
haven't played before, they both started very nervous, they were
hitting the tin a lot. First game was up and down at the
beginning, they weren't patient at the start. In the second game
Nouran started with too many mistakes, which gave the advantage
to Dipika to take the lead and getting more confident.
When she was leading, she's always losing her concentration and
that's what happened in the third and second as well. But at the
end of each game Dipika was able to win it, and she finished the
match with a great volley drop shot.
So Dips is the first player to qualify, she will play tomorrow
first round in the stadium, one step from the Hurghada for her.
 "I
am not happy with my game today, I wanted to play better than
that, I did too many errors in the crucial points, I didn't take
any volleys which was going to help me a lot in my game.
"Hopefully I can play better next time when I play her.
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Nour El Tayeb (Egy) bt Olivia Blatchford (Usa)
11/7, 9/11,
11/3, 11/8 (32m)
Nour nicks it
Steve
These two are old foes, even at their tender age, and their
matches are always tense, and entertaining. Olivia, having been
in Egypt for ten days already was well prepared, and matched
Nour for the first two games. The American seems to have added a
little more power to her game, and was able to keep Nour under
control and more at the back than the Egyptian would like.
But Nour thrives on chasing things down, and as Olivia's length
shortened in the third Nour picked up the pace and started to
play her usual run and hit game that is so hard to counter as
she took the third fairly comfortably.
But it was only like that for one game, Olivia tightened up
again and it was point for point in the fourth. In the end Nour
won it, hitting a stupendous backhand crosscourt volley into the
nick to reach match ball, and breathing a sigh of relief as
Olivia put an easy one into the tin on the next point.
It could have different though, it could so easily have been
different ...
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 "She's
been my opponent since we were ten and she won the last time we
played so I'm happy to get my revenge.
"It took me a while to get into my rhythm, I'm not sure why, but
thank God I managed to hit that nick at the end, it was getting
very close.
"Las year in this tournament was my best ever, making the
quarter-finals, so I'm really happy to qualify again. There's no
pressure on me now, I'll just go out and play my hardest
tomorrow ..."
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Heba El Torky (Egy) bt Lucie Fialova
(Cze)
11/8, 11/4,
11/9 (25m)
Heba in control...
Marwan
Heba is playing well until now, she was controlling most of the
match today with the right tactic, she was trying to slow the
pace as she could, because if she played at high pace Lucie is
better at that game.
Lucie was losing her concentration a lot today, she couldn't
move at the front of the court... Heba has qualified now to the
main draw so she did better than last year....
"I think I played
the right game, I was slowing the pace and that was the right
game to play against Lucie, anyway I am happy to qualify and
looking forward for my match tomorrow."
Heba El Torky |
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Amr Swelim (Egy) bt Andrew Wagih (Egy)
11/4,
11/9, 9/11, 11/4 (32m
Experience tells ...
Steve
At 24 you'd hardly call him one of the elder statesmen of
Egyptian squash, but Amr Swelim had a touch more experience that
his young opponent today, who couldn't quite reach the standards
of yesterday when he took qualifying top seed Tom Richards to
the very limit.
Swelim opened sharply and took the first game handily enough,
then pulled back an early deficit to double his lead. He was
behind in the third too, but this time couldn't quite make the
comeback from 6/9, but made no mistake in the fourth as he
opened up a 6/0 lead which effectively sealed the match.
 "I
played ok in the first two, I felt was was probably a bit tired
from yesterday's match, but he recovered and started to play a
fast game which took me a little by surprise.
I lost confidence in the third, but managed to get back in
control in the fourth. He's a good up and coming prospect
though.
"All the qualifiers have hard matches in the main draw, so I
don't mind who I play, I'm just glad to be there ..."
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Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy)
11/6,
11/6, 8/11, 11/5 (49m)
Abbas mainly in control ...
Marwan
 Mohamed
Abbas just came back from an injury, his leg is getting better
day by day, which makes him happy. He has qualified today and
will be dangerous for any player in the main draw.
Mazen was a bit tired from yesterday's match against Rob
Sutherland which he won in five games which was affecting him
today. Abbas was completely in control in the first two games,
but he wasn't concentrating all the match because of lack of
matches through his injury, his confidence is getting better as
well.
In the third game Mazen was leading at the beggining of the
game, and he was really concentrating and he was able to win
that game. But in the last game Abbas concentrated again and
came back to win the match and to qualify, and lets see who he
is playing tomorrow...
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 "As
I said yesterday I am not expecting anything from this
tournament, I am just trying to play, my leg is getting better
day by day which makes me happy. My concentration on the game
wasn't 100% because of lack of matches, I need to be mentally
better than that.. hopefully my leg will be fine and this is the
most important thing for me now."
 "He
played very well, he is a very talented player, but on the other
hand I started very loose underestimating his injury. I began to
understand him at the third game but maybe It was a bit late.
"Overall I am happy with my performance this month and thanks to
my brothers so much and to my coach Mohamed Reda ..."
Mazen Gamal |
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Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy)
8/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/5 (65m)
Reda still reigns
Steve
This was another case of a good old 'un beating a good young 'un
- age being relative of course as the two products of the
Egyptian production line clashed in the lon gest match of the
day.
Reda was BJO U17 champion in 2006, Gawad followed in his
footsteps in 2008, and again it was the older player who just
had the edge after a shaky start.
 "It's
happened in the last few matches that I played bad in the first
game, I must do something about that, although he played very
well in that game.
"He was moving me around and playing tighter than me, so I had
to try to mix up the pace and play more on the backhand as his
forehand is very strong, then take my chances when they came,
putting in a drop. I had to play a very basic game today.
"I'm pleased to get to the Hurghada main draw for the first
time, and I hope not to play Darwish!"
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Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy) bt Robbie Temple (Eng)
11/8, 11/8, 11/8 (40m)
Robbie not
Marwan
patient enough...
He wasn't patient enough to win today, you need to be patient
when you play against the fastest man in squash, Omar Abd El
Aziz, who was getting to every ball.
The court is so fast, hard to play in that court. Abd El Aziz
had a good start in each game, which was helping him a lot in
the rest of the game. Robbie didn't play his best, and I thought
the match would be tougher than that, e did too many errors.
In the third game Abd El Aziz was leading 6/2 then Robbie came
back to 7/6 with some good shots but Abd El Aziz managed to win
that game at the end, and he qualified again to the main draw.
 "The
court is so fast, it's so different. I was hitting lots of good
shots and I was trying too keep him at the back as I can. I
managed a good start on each game and hopefully I will get a
good draw."
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 "I
didn't play well, I don't know what happened. I couldn't move
today and I was seeing the ball too late. I was a bit slow
today. I couldn't make the pressure on him. I am very
disappointed, I thought I would play much better..."
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