Round Two Results
[1] Moustafa El Sirty 3-1 [11] Ibrahim Elkabbani 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-6 (53m)
[5] Khaled Labib 3-0 Youssef Galal 13-11, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
[8] Aly Hussein 3-0 [15] Seif Shenawy 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (55m)
[10] Mohamed Nasser 3-0 [3] Ahmed Hosny 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (19m)
[13] Yasser Elshafei 3-2 [4] Omar ElKattan 8-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (51m)
Mohamed Ferman Hassan (Irq) 3-1 [14] Seif Nasser 11-2, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2 (30m)
[9] Abdallah Elmasry 3-0 Mohamed Sayed El Boraie 11-6, 11-1, 11-5 (30m)
[2] Yahya Elnawasany 3-0 [12] Ahmed Medan 11-6, 11-2, 11-2
[1] Jana Shiha 3-1 Habiba El Dafrawy 11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10 (32m)
[11] Rana Ismail 3-0 Ingy Hammouda 11-7, 12-10, 11-6 (25m)
[8] Kenzy Ayman 3-1 [14] Menna Walid 13-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9 (43m)
[wc] Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-1 [4] Diana Garcia 2-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 (34m)
[3] Hana Moataz 3-2 [13] Nour Heika 11-3, 11-8, 11-13, 7-11, 11-6 (50m)
[5] Salma Eltayeb 3-0 [wc] Maha Zein 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (24m)
[6] Nour Aboulmakarim 3-2 Amina Yousry 3-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13 (58m)
[2] Sana Ibrahim 3-2 [wc] Malak Khagafy 13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7 (48m)
PHOTO GALLERY
Day Two : Quarter-finalists decided
Another busy day at the Cairo Stadium, home of the Egyptian Federation, for the second day of the Egyptian Challenger #2 with a few close calls for the seeds, and a few upsets on the way!
Highlights:
🙍♂️ Iraq’s Mohamed Ferman Hassan continues knockout run to quarters
🙍♀️ Wildcard Fayrouz Aboelkheir remains unbeaten, with seven straight wins
The three top seeds in the women’s competition had to fight tooth and nail to stay in the competition: Jana Shiha, #1, had troubl getting rid of Habiba Dafrawy, winning two tie-breaks to clinch the match in four, while #2 Sana Ibrahim battled for 5 games to finally oust 16 year old Wild Card Malak Khagafy, 11/7 in the 5th. Same difference for #3 Hana Moataz, 5 games against 17 years told Nour Heika! The future of Egyptian Women Squash is in safe hands, I can assure you!
Talking of which, two more youngsters making their marks today: Fayrouz Aboelkheir, who was crowned last night U17 Egyptian National Champion, beat in four games Mexican Diana Garcia in 4 games, while the last match of the day saw 18 year old Nour Aboulmakarim get the better of USCollege student Amina Yousri in 5 intense games, saving a few match balls to finally clinch victory!
As for the Men, out goes 29 years old Ahmed Hosny, #3 for 17 years old Mohamed Nasser’s benefit, 3/0, while Yasser ElShafei created a bit of a surprise ousting one of the favourites, #4 Omar ElKattan, 12/10 in the fifth. The only non Egyptian in the event, Iraq’s Mohamed Ferman Hassan, did again very well today: after ousting former World Junior Champion Marwan Tarek yesterday, he kept the momentum today and beat Seif Nasser in 4….
Catching up during the day…
[1] Moustafa El Sirty 3-1 [11] Ibrahim Elkabbani 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-6 (53m)
[10] Mohamed Nasser 3-0 [3] Ahmed Hosny 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (19m)
Mohamed Ferman Hassan (Irq) 3-1 [14] Seif Nasser 11-2, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2 (30m)
[13] Yasser Elshafei 3-2 [4] Omar ElKattan 8-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (51m)
So Mr Moustafa El Sirty, God bless him, took his time and had to battle hard to get rid of tenacious Ibrahim Alkabbani, the score does tell the story: 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-6!
Meanwhile, Ahmed Hosny, 29, one of the top seeds of the event lost in three games against one of Egypt young talented player, Mohamed Nasser, 17 years old…
As for Mohamed Ferman Hassan from Iraq, he keeps knocking out seeds, and after beating World Junior Champ Marwan Tarek in 5 yesterday, he ousted Seif Nasser in 4 games and 30m…
What about the score of Yasser Elshafei v Omar ElKattan? 8-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (51m). A upset on paper, toss of a coin, and a lot of energy spent out there…
[1] Jana Shiha 3-1 Habiba El Dafrawy 11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10 (32m)
[wc] Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-1 [4] Diana Garcia 2-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 (34m)
Not an easy match AT ALL for favourite Jana Shiha against Habiba El Dafrawy, 18, and the score shows it could have gone to five very easily… But the top seed prevailed 12/10 in the 4th.
As for WonderWoman Fayrouz Aboelkheir, she is still kicking seeds out, after winning her U17 National title yesterday evening, while playing in the morning against Nadine Kobt – who she beat 3/0! Today, Mexican Diana Garcia was eventually beaten in a very strong battle after taking the first game quite easily.
[3] Hana Moataz 3-2 [13] Nour Heika 11-3, 11-8, 11-13, 7-11, 11-6 (50m)
Superb match between Hana Moataz (21) and Nour (17). Those who feel that Egyptian domination will come to an end soon should come and see those kids playing. It’s clever and patient squash, with panache and skills. A pure joy to watch.. Nour down match ball in the 3rd, forcing a decider but Hana juist clinching it at the end… Remember the name: Nour Heika…
[6] Nour Aboulmakarim 3-2 Amina Yousry 3-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13 (58m)
[2] Sana Ibrahim 3-2 [wc] Malak Khagafy 13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7 (48m)
Nice of the girls to make us stay up late with two 5 setters… And very intense matches to say the least.
To be honest, both were kind of matches where all looked like the winner at times. Then a few errors for Malak at crucial times for Malak who is only 16 – it goes with the Junior territory. Malak managed to insert doubt into Sana’s mind and forced her to play her A game. And that’s what young Egyptians do to you, foreigners or compatriots!
As for the last match, Nour Aboulmakarim against Amina Yousri, it could have been a classic except for the 5th game. Amina showing the quality of her skills and brain in the first two games, then a bit of fitness shortness in the next 2, while Nour showed her powerful hits, accuracy at the back, mixing of shots not to mention mental strength to force in style a decider.
That game started well for Amina, 3/0 but after that, too many times in my opinion, it became a case of being rewarded for not playing the ball for Nour. Amina, getting annoyed and frustrated at the ref because she was angry with herself for not wining in 3, lost focus at the wrong time, while Nour kept pushing as only young hungry Egyptians can (she is only 18).
They both had chances to take the match, but it’s the youngest and hungriest player that got it today. I just hope Nour is encouraged in the future to play the ball, because she proved today she can do that beautifully…
