Round Three

PHOTOS

PART TWO

[2] Nouran Gohar 3-0 [9/16] Tesni Evans (Wal)  11-7, 13-11, 11-3 (33m)
[4] Hania El Hammamy 3-0 Melissa Alves (Fra)  11-6, 11-4, 14-12 (39m)

[3] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-2 Mazen Hesham   5-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-2, 11-4 (73m)
Youssef Soliman  w/o Iker Pajares (Esp) Pajares w/d covid ping
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy 3-1 Baptiste Masotti (Fra)  11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-7 (55m)

Mohamed ElShorbagy said

“Baptiste was just telling me that I’m going to kill you next time I play you! Thanks for that! No, I’m kidding, he didn’t say that. He was congratulating me. We have so much respect for each other, this it the third time we’ve played in the last five tournaments and every time he plays better and every time he gets closer. He was so close to going 2-1 up in El Gouna, this time he was even closer to going 2-1 up, so I was lucky to get the third game. He’s such a fighter, he had a tough match in the first match and he came out with so much passion. He doesn’t care who he plays against, he just wants to win every single point. It’s the way I love to watch players play the sport and I have so much respect for that.

“This tournament is a big challenge for a lot of players at this event. To come back after the World Championships and try to back it up here. There are a lot of challenges, every player is going through their own challenge. I’m going through my own, as are others. There are no excuses, everyone has to come back here day in, day out, give it his best to try to win. That’s what I tried to do today, that’s what I tried to do in the last match, that’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow.

“I go to every tournament, I go to every single match, to try and win. I’ve done that for the last 15 years of my career and I’m still going to do it hopefully for so anymore years. Every single tournament I play, I try to win it. It doesn’t matter what happened the tournament before it, of course there was disappointment [at losing in the World Championship final] but when you’re at the top, when you win events you don’t have the luxury of enjoying them because I’m always looking for the next one. When I lose an event, I had to learn the hard way not to let the tournament disappoint me or affect me for the next event, and that’s an attribute to stay as the No.1 for a long time. You need to always have the art of letting go and I have to always focus on the next one. The World Championships were a disappointment, but I’m going to come back at it next year and go at it again. But right now it’s the British Open, I’m going to try and win it for a fourth time. There are lots of players playing very well but I’m here to fight another day.”

“Even though I’m from Egypt, Ive trained in England for the last 15 years of my life. I’ve moved here when I was 15 years old and [went to] school before moving to Bristol so I haven’t really trained with a lot of Egyptian players in my career. But he’s one of the few I’ve trained with because he lives in Bristol himself. We get along really well, it will be the first time we’ve played on court against each other in a tournament. He has great talent and always had great potential. TO make it to the quarters, whether he had a walkover or not, he still beat Fares [Dessouky, World No.7] who is one of the best players in the world. So he has shown that he can make it there. Even if it’s a walkover, one day he was going to get there anyway, I was pretty sure of it. I’m looking forward to playing him, tomorrow’s not going to be a training match. I have to show him the difference between playing me in training and playing me in a tournament and that’s what I have to do because this is the generation that’s going to takeover when my generation is gone. I have to give it my all and hopefully play a good match for the crowd.”

Hania said

“I think I played well. Melissa kept me on my toes from the beginning of the match. I knew I would have to be on my toes throughout the match. I knew I would have to be very alert and focused from the beginning because she keeps throwing everything at you and you have to keep up with her. I managed to do that in the first two games and then I lost a little bit of focus in the third. All credit to her, she played so well. She took the lead, a very hard lead. I managed to win in three, I don’t know how I did it in the last!

“I’ve played against Joelle a lot of times so I know what to expect. I didn’t really need to watch her play. Hopefully tomorrow’s going to be a tough match against her. I’m definitely happy she had a five-setter today. Maybe that will help a little tomorrow. We’re both very physical. I think tomorrow’s going to be a physical and tough match. A long match as well I expect. So I’ve got to go and rest and get ready for tomorrow.”

Nouran said

“Tesni played really well in the first two games. She’s a talented player so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I was just trying to find my range and my targets, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s fine as long as I have a 3-0 win.

“It’s something I will discuss with my coaches later on, but overall it was ok out there. It goes without saying that SJ is one of the most skilful players on tour. She’s a shot maker, so I have to be very alert and she likes to play some deceptive squash as well, so I will be on my toes.

“The memories of 2019 are the highlight, but back to 2016 as well, I had some great matches and reached the final when I was 16 – it’s great when I remember those times. I always look forward to play this tournament, there’s some good vibes on court.”

PART ONE

All the matches on the Glasscourt, and it’s a split round – pfew, the players will be able to rest tomorrow before the quarters… Also for tomorrow, Iker has been withdrawn from the event due to being identified as a “high risk” following being contact traced on his flight. So Youssef Soliman is in the quarters.

[9/16] Rowan Elaraby 3-0 Danielle Letourneau (Can)  11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (24m)
[9/16] Nadine Shahin 3-1 Rachel Arnold (Mas)  8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (45m)

[4] Marwan ElShorbagy3-0 Raphael Kandra (Ger)  12-10, 11-8, 12-10 (38m)
[8] Mostafa Asal3-0 [9/16] Omar Mosaad  11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (40m)

[1] Nour El Sherbini3-0 [9/16] Joshna Chinappa (Ind)  11-4, 11-9, 11-1 (23m)
[1] Ali Farag 3-2 [9/16] Mohamed Abouelghar  10-12, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (76m)

Ali Farag said 

“It’s a shame whenever Abouelghar and I share a court because we’re such very very good friends and you don’t want either of us to lose really when you’re on court but obviously you’ve got to think about yourself and do your best to try and win but whenever it ends it’s a sad moment for whoever wins as well because of the friendship.

“But obviously I’m very relieved and very proud of how I fought back. Mohamed was so clinical today. I didn’t start off badly, or maybe I did, but he was hitting winners out of nowhere with the bouncy ball as well. So I had to step it up a little, which I did, but then it was edgy in the first two games so I decided to slow it down in the next three.

“I didn’t want to go out without a fight, trying every plan A,B,C all the way to Z and if it doesn’t work then it doesn’t work and he’s a better player on the day, I just wanted to try everything. It’s one of the proudest matches of my life, definitely.

“Did I win the battle? I’m not sure. Mohamed is so clinical in the front two corners but I was counter-dropping rather than me initiating because when I do and it’s not good enough, he goes and counter-drops very well. So I was trying to contain him in the back corners and whenever he goes I pounce on it and go for it. I’m super happy, super relieved.

“Coming into this after the World Championships is not easy. Also the fact that I wasn’t home and had to change my routine. I love my routine so much, it gives me confidence! So to change it was not easy. So happy with the way I fought back.”

“Mostafa Asal is a top top player at the age of 20, which shows how good he is, already winning the World Tour finals. We’ve played a few times so I know what to expect and he knows what to expect. He’s getting better every day, so I have to be on my metal. But for now I’m not really thinking of that to be honest, for now I have to think of my recovery. It’s a good thing I have an off day tomorrow, and a photoshoot with the PSA, and then I’ll get ready for the match on Friday.

“In those down times, you need some support from outside and obviously in the bubble I can’t travel with any coaches, Nour is not here so the Dunlop team has been amazing today. I could hear the entire team after every point and between games, it gave me a huge boost. It’s way more than a partnership, it’s more of a family thing, so I’m super grateful. Thank you very much.”

[8] Mostafa Asal 3-0 [9/16] Omar Mosaad  11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (40m)

Mostafa said

“I’m grateful that I’m here and that I made it here in front of the home of Squash in England. I used to play a lot of British Junior Opens and it’s my favourite tournament as well. I want to thank Mr. Allam for having us here in front of this amazing crowd, they are really making the atmosphere feel good. Thank you guys for coming today and enjoying the matches. I love England and I love to watch the Premier League. After every tournament, me and my dad usually go to London to have a vacation there, so I’m happy to be here as well.”

“For sure after the World Tour finals I had lots of problems, mentally as well as I couldn’t get to the Worlds. All my team was disappointed. I had the visa in my hand and my driver beside me and all the team was positive, but suddenly I said to my team I will not make it because I will go through to the match directly after the flight. I want to compete I want to win the tournament. After the World Tour finals I’m not playing for the first or second round, I’m playing for the tournament. Actually I cried for maybe the first time in my life because of this tournament.

“I’ve had problems here as well, my bags were not here, I just got my clothing and everything 30 minutes before the match. Yesterday I borrowed from Mohamed ElShorbagy all of his clothes, I want to thank him a lot, for the T-shirt, shorts and socks. I want to thank him and my sponsors, Technifibre and Eye for supporting me to make it through. I’m happy to be here, happy to be back and I’m sure there’s more to come this tournament.”

“I’m glad that I made it through, Mosaad is a really good character and one of my favourite players that I used to watch when I was young. My father would always say in my solo practice to play like Mosaad, so all the credit to him. I’m looking forward to the match tonight, I’ll be watching with my friends.”

[1] Nour El Sherbini3-0 [9/16] Joshna Chinappa (Ind)  11-4, 11-9, 11-1 (23m)

Nour El Sherbini said

“Joshna’s a very skilful and tricky player and she has a lot of experience and has been playing for a long time. I was tested in this match in the second game but in the third I started really good and kept the momentum until the last point.

“There’s a huge difference between 1-1 and 2-0 up, so I didn’t want to lose the second game and make the match longer, I just tried to refocus and get my game plan back and try to win every point. It was a huge advantage to me to win the second game.

“Nadine really good, in beating Salma and Rachel in two tough matches. Being in the quarter final of the British Open is something really big for her and I’m sure she’s going to be excited and looking forward to this match and I’m also going to be excited and looking forward to it. It’s always hard playing an Egyptian, I didn’t play her a lot actually but I’m looking forward to it.”

 

[4] Marwan ElShorbagy 3-0 Raphael Kandra (Ger)  12-10, 11-8, 12-10 (38m)

Marwan ElShorbagy said

“I lost to Rapha three years ago here in Hull so every time I play against him I remind myself of that lesson. I needed to be sharp, I’m always fired up when I play him.

“I’m happy with the way I played today, in the third game I was a little lucky, Rapha had a good lead and I thought I would just stay with him and luckily he made a few errors and a few good shots from me and I won the game.

“I wish we played tomorrow, not the day after as he will have a day to recover, hopefully he doesn’t recover well! Miguel has great experience, he’s done so much for the sport and when I play him I’m just going to think about tactics, I’m not going to put in mind that he might be tired or anything because, as I said, he’s got experience on how to recover well. He won this event three years ago. It’s a dream of every player to have his name on the trophy. As a junior I looked up to Miguel, I’m just really happy to reach the quarter finals and look forward to coming back here in two days.

“know I’ve never reached the semis here but I don’t really put that in my mind. I’ve got a lot in my mind already – the opponent on the day is enough on the mind! I’m just focusing on the match, I haven’t played Miguel in a very long time so I’m just looking forward to having a good match with him!”

[9/16] Rowan Elaraby3-0 Danielle Letourneau (Can)  11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (24m)

What TinkerBall said

I’m really pleased with my performance,”

“I’ve had a tough time travelling abroad over this period of time, being away from my family, home and friends – it’s been really hard. I’ve been working on myself and I’m really glad I fought and with my performance, I’m happy to be through.

“I have to speak to my coach, talk about today and then see how my tactics will change. We will definitely talk about it, I’m looking forward to playing Amanda on the glass court, I can’t wait.”

 

[9/16] Nadine Shahin 3-1 Rachel Arnold (Mas)  8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (45m)

Nadine Shahin said:

“It’s still sinking in. It’s my first quarter final ever. I was too nervous, too excited, because I think anyone can win, it’s 50-50 either way but I’m happy it went in my favour!

“It really could have gone either way, the scores were so close. Maybe just a bit of luck [was the difference between the two]. We both worked really hard this match. It was tough, mentally and physically. We left everything on court.

“To me, Nour has no fault, God bless her. I don’t think she has anything. Everyone, when you go against Nour El Sherbini, you don’t expect to win.”

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