Aspin Cup: Hana stops in the Final

Final

[4] Marina Stefanoni (Usa) 3-2 Hana Moataz  5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 15-17, 11-9

Jon Power Reports:

It was a draw with a great deal of parity as half of the women were within 40 ranking spots of each other. But at the end it had two finalists who were both teenagers and who had not dropped more than one game in each of their three matches.

As juniors they both have had tremendous success. The senior, Hana Moataz of Egypt has already completed her junior career and is second year of university. Her ranking has dropped to 138 because of inactivity and injury but her wins this week against players all ranked between 60 and 74 demonstrated that she is back. Marina at 16 is definitely a potential top 10 player who wasn’t threatened at all this week and has stood in the winner’s circle in three similar size PSA events; BVI, Bermuda and Chatanooga.

This match had everything….. shifts in momentum, tremendous court coverage, exciting attacking squash and the drama of a 17-15 fourth game which went in favour of Hannah to level the match. The fifth had what you would expect from two excellent players: stupendous gets, attacking nicks, long, attritional rallies and a close score throughout, but at the end it was the American Stefanoni who stood standing proud after 70 minutes of terrific squash by two future stars in this game.

Moataz surprises in the Semis

It was an upset on paper, but the Egyptian Hana Moataz certainly showed that her ranking will soon displace that of Anna Kimberley who just couldn’t make any inroads against the 19 year old who is definitely on the rise.

Hana Moataz 3-0 [5] Anna Kimberley (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (30m)

 

Aspin Cup Quarters