Fri 12th Dec, Day ONE
Egyptian teenagers progress at Wadi Degla

The 2014 edition of the Women's World Championship got under way today at Wadi Degla with eight qualifying first round matches with a distinctly Egyptian flavour.

The only non-Egyptian playing today was Karina Heredia, who was playing in new shoes following the non-arrival of her luggage!

It probably didn't make much difference though, as the Mexican lost in just 11 minutes to Rawan Rada, one of seven teenage Egyptians to win in straight games - the eighth being 23-year-old Nihal Alaa Bayoumi, who progressed via a walkover.

The most contested matches of the day saw Amina Yasser take all three games 11/9, and Nadine Kotb come through 16/14 in the third after 31 minutes, the longest match of the day.

Today's winners will face seeded players in tomorrow's round two, with the sixteen winners of that round meeting on Sunday to determine the eight available places in the main draw.

Qualifying Round One:

Engy Hammouda (Egy) 3-0 Jailan El Gabbas (Egy)
                       12/10, 11/3, 11/7 (19m)
Nouran Abdelnaby (Egy) 3-0 Malak Fayed (Egy)
                       11/9, 4/0 rtd (10m)

Nadine Kotb (Egy) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy)
                      11/6, 11/6, 16/14 (31m)
Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (Egy) 3-0 Neda Abbas (Egy)
                    walkover

Amina Yasser (Egy) 3-0 Hana Moataz (Egy)
                     11/9, 11/9, 11/9 (26m)
Menna Hamed (Egy) 3-0 Salma El Defrawy (Egy)
                    11/4, 11/3, 11/5 (18m)

Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-0 Salma Tarek (Egy)
                    11/5, 11/7, 11/6 (30m)
Rawan Reda (Egy) 3-0 Karina Heredia (Mex)
                    11/0, 11/2, 11/2 (11m)
                                                              View the full draw

View the full draw

EN BREF#1:
From one World(s) to Another


MORE EN BREFS

GALLERY:
welcome to Wadi Degla and Day ONE photos

Engy Hammouda (Egy) 3-0 Jailan El Gabbas (Egy)
             12/10, 11/3, 11/7 (19m)

Engy too strong

A nice match to start the day on court 1 as unfortunately, Malak Fayed got injured on the other court.

Two girls, 14 – Jzzz, I wish I could play half well as that when I was at my best. Both from Wadi Degla. Apparently, Engy Hammouda already beat Jailan El Gabbas in their previous match “I can’t remember the score, it’s too long ago”, said Engy.

Engy, left handed, didn’t start well. “I was a bit nervous to start with, it’s my first world event. But after that, I got better”.

Yes, I thought to be honest that her opponent would take the match, as she seemed to possess a bit more choices of shots. But from 10/8 game ball in the first game, she lost four points, to bow to Engy 12/10.

A bit tired in the second, she was not much of a resistance to the heavy hitting and the great trickleboasting from Engy. But in the third, Jailan came back with the vengeance – probably a bit rested – and those two offered us some nice rallies, and a close last game.

At 7/8, everything was still possible for Jailan, but a last big push from Engy, some nice heavy shots mixed with again lovely trickle boasts, and it’s a 11/7 victory in 19m…

Nadine Kotb (Egy) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy)
             11/6, 11/6, 16/14 (31m)

Intense Third

I didn’t manage to see the first game, won by Nadine Kotb, 16, from Dadi Degla, against Hana Essam Khedr, 17, from Alexandria.

Two different style of game, Nadine, a tiny little thing that hits the ball like Sarah Jane Perry bless her, and Hana, more in the touch game, accurate length, and much taller. H2H is apparently 1/1…

The third was an excellent advert for squash, very little decisions, lots of long rallies, with Hana that was much more in the match than the previous two, leading nicely 7/3, only to be caught out at 7/7 as Nadine seemed to find her second wind.



With the momentum, the Wadi Degla player gets her first match ball at 10/8. She’ll have 4 more saved by Hana, that will also get two game balls of her own. Really intense, accurate and fair end of the game, finally taken 16/14 by Nadine.

Enjoyed it thoroughly, well done to the two girls.

I started well, but the game became more intense as I am not as fit as I would like. I am just back from injury – strained hamstring – but it’s so nice to be back on court. In the third, I really got tired, and confused, lost my game plan, but I managed to get back to a more aggressive game in the end.

I was confident, but I think in the third, I lost a bit of intensity…Happy with my performance, it’s my first tournament at the level, first World Champs, and I was happy with my nicks!

We have played before, so far, I think I won 3/1 each time.

This was a very unnerving match for me, a local player, playing in my first ever World Champs, so I didn’t play my best at the start, but it was a really good match, it was tough, she played very well.

What mad the difference is that I know that sometimes, she can crack under pressure, and make a few errors. Which she did at crucial times. But she is the most talented squash player I ever played with, and I truly enjoy playing with her.

Amina Yasser (Egy) 3-0 Hana Moataz (Egy)
                    11/9, 11/9, 11/9 (26m)

Close all the way

You know those matches that could have gone the other way? That was one of those. Missed the first game, again – when do you think I write the reports! – but the next two were really splendid squash, especially if you keep in mind that those two girls are 14. Frightening thought…

Amina Yasser, from the Shooting Club is the smaller one in height, whereas Hana Moataz looks that a Ballet Dancer. Both very accurate at the front and back, both defending well and yet, attacking beautifully, it was came down to a few points here and there. Second, 9/9 and just a bit more oumpf coming from Amina, 11/9.
 
The third was more complicated, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, 6/6, then Amina way ahead 9/6 thanks to 2 untimely unforced errors , Hana finding some great length, to come back to 8/9, but 10/8 match ball to the Shooting girl.

A superb rally, one match ball saved, but a superb return of serve in the nick, 11/9, yet again, 3/0.

Menna Hamed (Egy) 3-0 Salma El Defrawy (Egy)
                     11/4, 11/3, 11/5 (18m)

Salma Jetlagged

Yes, I know the feeling. The El Defrawy clan (4 girls and their lovely mum) arrived from the US only yesterday, and Salma was not at her best.

“She is very tired” said her mum. Yes, I can believe that, 8 hours difference, that’s a killer. Like I mentioned, the day of my arrival, I was a zombie…

It was the first time I played her, I’m very happy with my concentration at all time, although I still made a few errors but I kept the ball tight to the side walls…

When we played before, I think I won, not sure about the score though…

In the first two games, I was happy with my match, she played really well, she raised her game, and I was maybe a bit tired – not too much!

I had a “petit coup de fatigue”… After that, it got better again.

I am 16, and I hope that I will be able to make the team for the Worlds under 19 in July, I’m ranked 6 at the moment…

Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-0 Salma Tarek (Egy)
                       11/5, 11/7, 11/6 (30m)

Hania El Hammamy, “c’est de famille”…
It runs in the family

What a pleasure it was to speak in French with Hania El Hammamy, as she is in the Lycée du Caire, as in French School in Cairo and speaks fluent French.

And it was a pleasure to discover one of the new coming up talents from Young Egypt. That factory, we need to close it down, says the rest of the world.

Salma Tarek, 16, didn’t do much wrong. She’s got lovely hands, and moves very fast on there. But basically, Hania is just one step higher.

Speed, touch, movement, sharp attacking shots, and excellent hold. This girl has got enormous potential.

“She played well in the first two games, but then lost a bit of her sharpness. Plus, Salma played very well. A few loose shots and Salma took the control of the rallies.

"But Hania found her attacking shots and accuracy again in the end” commented her coach Islam Hany – brother to Salma.