KARIM PETRIFIED
Framboise reports
I’ve seen Karim playing all over the world. I’ve seen him
losing, and winning, against the very best. But I’ve never seen
him as stressed and as negative as he was tonight. It was like
he just didn’t want to play. Not to mention that it seems to me
that Karim never played his own game, and fell into the trap of
trying to match Wael’s…
But that doesn’t take anything away from Wael, who held his
nerve, and kept the perfect tactic tonight. Karim was
much tighter at the back of the court, and Wael opened the court so
many times to a nervous opponent who, sadly for him, just
couldn’t do enough with it … it wasn’t to be.
A little wobble at the start of the third for Wael, which
coincided with a comeback in power from Karim, who seemed to
find his game and calm at last. And I could see the five setter
as big as the Pyramids.
The fourth is so close, 1/1, 3/3, 4/4. The crowd is getting so
loud, supporting their man Karim, as they now believe he will
come back. It’s Wael who takes a comfortable lead though, 8/5,
but two tins and a no let later, Karim is back, 8/8.
The noise is incredible. A backhand drop shot that finds the
tin. 9/8 for Wael, but the next one is superb, 9/9. Wael goes
for a cross court kill that finds the nick, and despite the
pressure, Karim calls his ball not up. Match ball.
A very short rally and a winner later, the crowd is stunned,
Wael raises his arms in the air. He just won his first ever
Super Series Final…
"Such a relief, big relief…
 "In
the first two games I was playing rather well, and especially
moving so well, and I could smell the pressure on him. And every
time I was looking at him, I knew I was getting stronger and
stronger, and that I was doing the right thing.
"But again, as I did so many times in my career, in particular
against David Palmer, when I found myself at 2/0 up, I starting
thinking that I was maybe going to win the match, and lost my
way.
"I had so many conversations with Jonah about that problem. And
he told me just relax, take it point by point, don’t get
excited. And at 8/8 in the fourth, that’s exactly what I did, I
said to myself, let’s take one point at a time, and it worked,
and I ended up with the biggest win of my career…"
"I feel so honoured to be here tonight, it was such a privilege
to play this final. I really want to thank everybody, Mr Fahmy
and all his team, who put the tournament together; my family,
who have been standing by me; my coach Jonah Barrington, and
Joey; and all the people that come and watch; and especially
thanks to all the people who are helping to put this tournament
on the map, without you, we wouldn’t be here, so please keep
supporting us, please keep supporting us…
"I also want to thank Karim for this great final, I know he must
be disappointed, but I know that we both have a great future
ahead of us, and hopefully, we’ll be pushing each other up to
the top…"
 |
"I’m so disappointed. I played well all week, but tonight, I
just couldn’t play my game…
"There was so much pressure on me tonight, he was more relaxed
than I was, and he deserved to win…"
Our Scoreboard Operator, Mohamed Onsy ....
 "This
night is a very special night, but I can’t take the credit for
it.
"The vision of this club, the vision of this tournament comes
from my twin brother, the Egyptian Minister of Petrol.
"He really wanted to be here with us tonight, but he had some
obligations that prevented him from being there.
"He is the happiest one tonight, and I want to thank him for
what he has achieved here."
Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee
"This
was a stunning final, and I would like to congratulate Wael and
Karim for the great show they gave us tonight. One of them got
the strategy just about right, and he won…
"I hope this is an event where will be coming to for many years
to come. Thanks to you all…"
PSA Chief
Executive |
It's
an all-Egyptian final, and if the $23k winner's cheque isn't
incentive enough, a first Super Series title awaits either Karim
Darwish or Wael El Hindi at the Sky Club tonight. 
