I'm happy with the way I played today, I'm happy with the
experience I aquiered today playing a match at such a level
while being extremely tired mentally.
I'm studying at night in my room, because I'm having exams when
I go back to Alexandria. It's a bit of a mad schedule for me at
the moment, and I feel mentally drained. But I'm learning.
I'm only 20, and I managed to reach top 20. And I'm proud I
finished a match with a player with more experience than myself,
as Ali is 24, on a tie-break in the 5th!
I tried and was a fair player today, I called all my shots out,
double, etc. I'm happy with my attitude on court today.
I was disappointed with a few decisions from the refs that I
don't think were correct. But I have to learn to stay focus, and
stick to my game plan when that happens. There as well, I'm
learning, and it was a good experience.
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[3]
Omar Abdel Meguid (Egy) 3-1 [8] Andrew Wagih (Egy)
11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-6 (45m)
 Those
two never played a match that goes 3/0 thanks Baaam thank you
mam... They seem to bring the best (or worse in some cases) out
of each other.
Today was a good day.
Both first games were close to the middle of the game - 7/7 in
the 1st, 5/5 in the second, then a little drop of energy for
Andrew, and an easy end for Omar.
 Third
was different, close up to5/5, then Omar taking a comfy lead
9/6, a superb response from Andrew, those counterdrop and long
drop shots really hurt, who goes straight to 10/9, and will
clintch the game 13/11.
A bit of discussion between the games at the point for Omar, not
happy with a decision during that game. He comes back on court
pretty fired up, 6/0. Andrew claws back once again, but the lead
is too big now, 11/6 on his first match ball...
He is not easy to play. We know each other's game so well, we
played like one millions times! And it comes down to who is
going to hit the less errors and the more winners...
Andrew is one of the only players that can stretch to the front,
and still hold the ball and play superb shots. He did it a few
times today, and he is so difficult to play, and every time I
don't get my length right, he will go short immediately...
I'm glad he is back from injury, and I hope he'll get stronger
and better for next season.
[7]
Tesni Evans (Wal) 3-2
[4] Salma Hany Ibrahim (Egy)
7-11, 14-12, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7 (85m)
It was all a
question of "Tesnicity" today! Yes the Welsh girl really showed
her tenacity and determination.
 It
was not an easy match. A lot of calls, a lot of short rallies, a
few too many tins as well. But some superb and intense squash
rallies as well. It was a seesaw kind of match, up and down,
with the poor Egyptian crowd living every winner and suffering
every tin with the 18 years old, already 19WR.
 I
guess it was just a bit too much pressure on her young shoulder.
She didn't do much wrong - she was warned to let her opponent
through, but that was at the end of a looooong match, and in the
5th, she found some superb winners, long, short, vollley and
lobs. But Tesni kept retrieving everything, and counterattacking
beautifully. So Salma had to go lower and lower, and found some
tins in crucial times.
All credit to Salma, she had a little drop of focus in the 4th,
up 9/5 she faced a match ball, that she saved to take the
game12/10, forcing a decider. Not much left gas-wise in the 5th,
and it's the Welsh that is stronger, 3/3, 8/4, nice come back,
6/8, and Tesni closes it this time, 11/7.
 Today,
I just scrambled everything. If I couldn't get there, I would
still get there, to make her play another shot. I think I played
well tactically, I didn't open the court up, and took her shots
away from her, because she is lethal with her shots.
In the 4th at 9/5 down, I thought, ok, it's going to five, but
let's make it hard, and it paid off in the 5th I guess.
I'm so glad, I can't remember the last time I won a long match.
I'm mentally happy with myself today.
[4]
Mazen Hesham (Egy) 3-1 [7] Zahed Mohamed (Egy)
11-3, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8 (45m)
 Difficult
for Zahed to adapt on the glass court, he struggled in the first
game and just couldn't see the ball (Mazen has been playing on
there yesterday). And to play those incredible holds that Mazen
finds at the front, you'd better see the ball!
Second and third, very good squash and Zahed starting to put
Amazing Mazen under a lot of pressure, taking a superb third,
just too much power coming from the Alex man.
 But
in the fourth, a little drop of energy from Zahed, yipppee says
Mazen, 6-2, 8-3. A good come back from Zahed, match ball down
10-5, he will bow, but only just, 11-8.
"Im so relieved" will say Mazen at the end...
 People
looking at me talking to myself, and nodding, they are going to
think I'm crazy (NEVER, FG) but I'm just trying to push
myself!
I'm lucky at the end, I thought the ball was good. He could feel
I was tired, and he kept playing very difficult shots.
If you give Zahed any openings, he is not going away....
I'm really proud of myself today, because before, even fit and
not tired, in a tight match like that, when I was tired, I would
just throw the match away. And today, I think it's the first
tournament where I'm really tired, and I still force my body and
my brain to keep fighting. Like in the 3rd, it was mentally I
was tired, not physically. I'm so proud of myself and so happy
with being in the semis is such an event in Egypt. That's really
good.
[6]
Line Hansen (Den) 3-1 [Q] Coline Aumard (Fra)
11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4 (47m)
 A
very intense match, a few contacts, and Coline really raising
her game for the occasion. The first two games were very close,
Coline down 5-10 in the 1st, finally losing 11-8, but the
message was sent - not going to be as easy at the BO - and the
second close the whole way, 3-3, 5-5, 7-7. A big push from the
Experienced Line, and 11/8.
Maybe the hard work paid off in the 3rd, Coline truly dominates
the court and shots, 11-5. But Line is back with a vengeance in
the 4th, and will never let Coline in.
 Coline
is a really good player, even if sometimes there is too much of
drama, and I think she has the potential to be much higher
ranked than she is at the moment.
We played in the BO qualifying finals, and I played better than
I did today, and yet, I beat her 3/0. She played much better
than she did then, and learned a few things from that match...
Line Hansen
Ali
Farag (Egy) 3-2
[2] Fares Dessouki (Egy)
9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (70m)
Never in doubt...
Soooo many calls in that one. I'm soooo happy I didn't have to
referee that one.
A very frustrated young Fares at the end, he got warned for
blocking several times, and felt hard done by a few decisions at
important times. I feel that his squash was more accurate, but
his mental focus was low, he made errors he doesn't normally do,
of course all credit to Ali's retrieving, but also the BO was
only a few hours ago!!!!
Today, Ali was the hungrier for victory. I'm not saying that
Fares didn't want to win. But Ali was desperate to win. And that
I feel is the key to the match. The squash was ridiculous at
times, so fast, so intense. I got tired just looking at them!!!
I'm not sure those two will spend their Summer holidays together...
Tense? Yes it was.
 What
a thriller!
Let me start by saying that I would have never won without my
parents and Basem Makram here. Just the look in their eyes gave
me the belief.
I was very nervous at the start, and I fell in the trap I'm
falling often in to not want to lose more than wanting to win.
Which makes me go very negative.
 Squash
was not the best, 50% I would say. But Anjema made the
difference. I was much more in the tournament that he was, and
ready for big battles.
At the end, it was a flip of a coin, it's not like it was easy...
[5]
Heba El Torky
(Egy) 3-1
[2] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 12-10 (54m)
 Nicolette
is one of the top player, she is always friendly and nice with
me on the tour, and it was so difficult for me to be aggressive
on court. So instead, I just did what my coach told me to do.
I had Bassem Makram at my side, and yesterday, it was Mohamed
Fareed, and I want to thank them, like I need to thank Tameem
Welily my coach, Karim Shohayeb and Said Abdel Kader. I know,
that's a lot of people Fram, but I don't know if I'll win
tomorrow!!!!
I am so happy that we have that tournament in Egypt, it's so
nice to have the Egyptians cheering for me, and also my sister
and my father cheering for me.
I can't believe it, and I'm happy I'm in the semis... And I
could keep on talking the whole night!!!
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