PHOTO ALBUM
Semis
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-1 [3] Nada Abbas 11-6, 6-11, 11-3, 11-6 (64m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-1 [3] Mostafa Asal 11-4, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5 (54m)
[1] Ali Farag 3-0 [5] Karim Abdel Gawad 11-6, 13-11, 11-5 (47m)
Quarters
[3] Nada Abbas 3-2 [5] Tesni Murphy (WAL) 7-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-4 (53m)
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0 [8] Hana Moataz 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (37m)[3] Mostafa Asal 3-0 [6] Joel Makin (WAL) 13-11, 11-4, 11-4 (52m)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad 3-2 [4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG) 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 12-14, 11-6 (66m)
Round Two
[3] Nada Abbas 3-0 [9/16] Millie Tomlinson (Eng) 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (26m)
[8] Hana Moataz 3-0 [9/16] Alicia Mead (Eng) 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5 (36m)[3] Mostafa Asal3-0 [9/16] Raphael Kandra (Ger) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (40m)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad 3-1 [9/16] Curtis Malik (Eng) 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-1 (47m)
[1] Ali Farag 3-0 [9/16] Dimitri Steinmann (Sui) 16-14, 11-8, 13-11 (59m)
[7] Marwan Elshorbagy (Eng) 3-0 [9/16] Karim El Hammamy v
Gawad taken almost to the limit by Malik
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy) 3-1 [9/16] Curtis Malik (Eng) 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-1 (47m)
Defending Champion Karim Abdel Gawad opened up his defence with a hard-fought win over England’s Malik, the 9/16 seed putting the world #5 through his paces for three games before succumbing in the fourth.
There were few significant rallies in the 9-minute opening game, but Malik held his own to 6-all and then recovered from 6-9 to level before the final two points went to Gawad for the lead.
The pace and intensity rose in the second but Gawad wasn’t able to shake off his opponent and this time it was Malik who earned a game ball at 10-9, levelling the match at the second opportunity 12-10.
Still Gawad couldn’t break free, but managed to eke out an 8-6 lead then extending to 10-8 and retaking the lead on a no let that left Malik shaking his head in disbelief.
The fourth is a game Curtis will want to forget – Gawad was in full flow now, working the rallies as he does, racing to an 8-0 lead. Malik broke his duck with a service return winner, but Gawad responded with one of his own for 9-1. Malik then found himself at the front of the court with Gawad relaxing on the back wall, but somehow managed to find the tin before Gawad finished off the game and match with an exquisite short crosscourt drop.
Relief for the two-time champion, and you suspect he’ll be sharper for it from now on.
“It was our first time to play together in the PSA so it was hard for me to read him in the beginning.
“He moves very well on court. It took me some time to start reading him in the front corners and be more patient in the back corners with my basic game, attacking at the right time.
“I was playing too much in the front corners and he was reading it very well. I just wanted to play a proper, professional game.
“Last year it was very special for me. I just came back from injury, it was very emotional. This time’s different. I’ve been playing on Tour for the last year and I’ve been more consistent. I’m back to the top five in the rankings. I’m hoping for more and I have more goals to achieve.”
Round One
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-2 Nardine Garas 4-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 (40m)
Karim El Hammamy3-0 Jordan Warne (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (26m)
