CIB Zed Open: Day Two – Player Reaction: Courts 1 & 2

The inaugural CIB Zed Squash Open continues today, with 12 matches in store across two courts at Zed Park as the seeded players enter the fray.

We’ll have reports and reaction from the players in action on the traditional courts here, while you can also stay up-to-date with our live scoring page.

Meanwhile, you can head to SQUASHTV to watch all the action from both courts – glass court action gets under way at 18:45 (GMT+2) and you can watch that for FREE for the first two days.

Court 1
12:00 – [3] Nele Gilis (BEL) v Hana Moataz (EGY)
12:45 – Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [4] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
13:30 – Mariam Metwally (EGY) v [4] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
14:15 – [3] Raphael Kandra (GER) v Ronald Palomino (COL)
15:00 – [7] Melissa Alves (FRA) v Sana Ibrahim (EGY)
15:45 – [5] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) v Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY)

Court 2
12:00 – [5] Emily Whitlock (WAL) v Marina Stefanoni (USA)
12:45 – [8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) v Henry Leung (HKG)
13:30 – [WC] Menna Hamed (EGY) v [8] Hana Ramadan (EGY)
14:15 – Zahed Salem (EGY) v [6] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)
15:00 – Julianne Courtice (ENG) v [6] Nadine Shahin (EGY)
15:45 – Balazs Farkas (HUN) v [7] Karim El Hammamy (EGY)

Stefanoni Shocks Whitlock as Gilis Battles Past Moataz

Day two of the CIB Zed Squash Open got under way with a surprise result at Zed Park as USA’s World No.61 Marina Stefanoni got the better of World No.19 Emily Whitlock to reach her biggest ever PSA quarter-final.

It was the pair’s first meeting on the PSA Tour, while Stefanoni was making her first PSA World Tour appearance since her last 16 finish at April’s Carol Weymuller Open.

It was an exciting contest which saw both players push each other to the limit during a 64-minute battle. It was Whitlock who took the advantage in the first game – winning it on the tie-break – but she had little answer to Stefanoni’s accuracy in the second as the 19-year-old came back to level.

Stefanoni was again in the ascendancy in the third as she amassed five game balls, however a tenacious showing from Whitlock saw the Welsh player come back to send the game to another tie-break. This time, it went the way of the American.

But Whitlock wasn’t done there and she steadied the ship temporarily in the fourth, using the lob well to create time for herself. An assured showing from Stefanoni saw her move back in front in the fifth though and she closed out the win by a 10-12, 11-3, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8 margin to reach the last eight of a PSA World Tour Bronze event for the first time.

“I’ve been super excited for this season to start,” said Stefanoni afterwards.

“I felt like I was playing well, they’re probably the tightest rails I’ve ever hit and she forced me to, so I’m really happy to get through in five.

“It gives me confidence, however now I’m in the quarters and everyone is an amazing player. I remember watching Emily play five years ago, and I was astounded at her shot quality, so to get a win today is a boost.

“I’m hoping to increase my ranking [this season] and get into the Platinum events, that’s definitely my main goal.”

Stefanoni will play either No.2 seed Nour El Tayeb or Japan’s Satomi Watanabe in the quarter-finals.

On court one, Belgium’s Nele Gilis found it hard work to get past Egypt’s Hana Moataz, but the World No.11 eventually came through to secure a 13-15, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8 victory which will see her line up against either Hana Ramadan or Menna Hamed in the next round.

Results

Marina Stefanoni (USA) bt [5] Emily Whitlock (WAL) 3-2: 10-12, 11-3, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8 (64m)

[3] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-2: 13-15, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8 (63m)

Mosaad and Elnawasany Advance

The first lot of men’s matches at the side courts saw Egyptian duo Omar Mosaad and Yahya Elnawasany book their places in the quarter-finals courtesy of respective wins against Leandro Romiglio and Henry Leung.

World No.22 Mosaad, known on tour as ‘The Hammer of Thor’, completed an 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 victory in 36 minutes and has targeted a return to the top 20 later this season.

“It’s a new season, so you have to start well, especially in the first match,” said No.4 seed Mosaad.

“It’s good to be back and get some confidence for the next few matches. Of course, I did some training in the off season, so hopefully it will work for the rest of the tournament.

“For the top four players, winning the tournament will be a target. I am trying to focus match by match and then we will see what will happen.

“I want to get back first to the top 20 and then the top 16. Then we’ll see about the top 10 in the months after that.”

The 34-year-old will take on Elnawasany in the quarter-finals after the World No.49 beat Leung by an 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 margin.

Results

[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (36m)

[8] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt Henry Leung (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (38m)

Mohamed Axes Metwally in Five

Women’s No.4 seed Farida Mohamed required five games to see off the threat of fellow Egyptian Mariam Metwally as she booked her place in the quarter-finals.

Mohamed – who saw out the 2021-22 season with her biggest tournament win at the RMCLUB Women’s Open in Mauritius – came back from 2-1 down to take a feisty affair by a 5-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 11-3 scoreline.

It was a physical contest with a number of traffic issues and Mohamed took issue with the style of play of her opponent, saying: “It’s the first round, so it’s usually not your best performance of the tournament, but it wasn’t a very nice match, to be honest. I got hit six times on my face, both thighs and my knee.

“There was so much contact in the match and a bad attitude from my opponent, I didn’t really like it. But I’m actually glad about it, this was the only thing that pushed me because I wasn’t really in the mood today. It made me tell myself to win this match, I didn’t want to let her go away with a win.

“I’m glad I made it through and the last two games were so much better, I was able to win easily, so I’m pleased with my performance there.

“In the first two games it was very tough [to keep her focus], the attitude was so bad and I was mad at her, so I wasn’t concentrating enough. In the last two games I focused on my self and didn’t even look at her face, and that helped a lot mentally.

“I’m the No.4 seed in this tournament, but I’m really looking forward to taking this one.”

Meanwhile, wildcard Menna Hamed saw her tournament come to an end at the hands of No.8 seed Hana Ramadan, who won 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 in 44 minutes.

Results

[4] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 11-3 (54m)

[8] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt [WC] Menna Hamed (EGY) 3-1: 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 (44m)

Kandra Battles to Win over Palomino

No.3 seed Raphael Kandra came back from the brink of defeat to oust Colombian Ronald Palomino, who was playing just his second match on the PSA World Tour.

Palomino marked his World Tour debut with a victory 24 hours ago against Spain’s Bernat Jaume and the World No.78 showcased his impressive racket skills against Kandra to take a shock 2-1 lead.

But Kandra, the World No.19, used all of the experience he has amassed in his 13 years on the PSA Tour and stayed calm as he comfortably took a victory in the fourth game, before overturning a 5-2 deficit in the decider to seal his spot in the last eight.

“It’s quite difficult to get used to the court, I’m not used to it and it’s a really fast front wall,” said Kandra.

“That caused me a few problems and I was opening up the court too early and he is really good with his wrist and is really skilful. He made it really fast and I was always a bit too late on the ball. 

“Whenever I created chances to the back and built up the rallies, I really got into it and in the end I think it was about experience and the right shot selection, whereas he is maybe still young in his head. But I think he has a good opportunity to break into the top 50 soon, he has everything you need to be a top player.

“Luckily, I saw him play at the World Games in Birmingham in Alabama where he played an amazing match against Dimitri Steinmann. He was probably the better player there, he just didn’t take his chances when he could have.

“Overall, I knew what to expect and he’s a very skilful player. He will get more chances to play World Tour events now, obviously his ranking wasn’t as high so he didn’t get in, but he’s on the right track.

“I want to get as far as I can, but I know that the guys are hunting me and waiting for the opportunity to beat me. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and I’m used to the court now, so let’s see how it goes.”

Kandra will lock horns with No.6 seed Mohamed ElSherbini in the next round after he overcame fellow Egyptian Raphael Kandra in four games, which included a 17-15 tie-break in a crucial third game, which went the way of ElSherbini.

Results

[3] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Ronald Palomino (COL) 3-2: 7-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8 (53m)

[6] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) bt Zahed Salem (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 17-15, 11-9 (59m)

Shahin and Alves Progress

Egypt’s Nadine Shahin and France’s Melissa Alves booked their spots in the last eight following wins over Julianne Courtice and Sana Ibrahim.

Shahin got her season under way with a testing 3-1 win over England’s Courtice, coming back from a game down to record a 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 victory which will see her take on either top seed Salma Hany or Jana Shiha in the next round.

Meanwhile, Alves overcame Sana Ibrahim in style, winning 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 to reach her biggest PSA quarter-final since October of last year.

Alves will line up against No.4 seed Farida Mohamed for a spot in the semi-finals.

Results

[6] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Julianne Courtice (ENG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (36m)

[7] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (33m)

El Sirty Storms Back to Beat Eleinen

World No.27 Moustafa El Sirty has reached the quarter-finals of a PSA World Tour Bronze event for the first time following a superb comeback against World No.63 Aly Abou Eleinen as today’s side court coverage drew to a close.

El Sirty looked down and out as Eleinen – who triumphed on the glass court against wildcard Yassin Shohdy in the previous round – settled into a steady rhythm of hitting and nullified the tall Egyptian’s attacking talents.

But El Sirty finally managed to establish himself in the match from the third game onwards and prevailed despite some scrappy rallies, with the referee being forced into a number of decisions.

El Sirty – who was voted as the 2021-22 PSA Challenger Tour Player of the Year – closed out the win by an 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in 77 minutes to seal his place in the quarter-finals.

“I made lots of notes for tomorrow so I can start better,” said El Sirty.

“Tomorrow, I can’t afford to be 2-0 down at the beginning of the match. Aly is such a difficult player to play against, but it’s not going to happen every time that I come back from 2-0 to win 3-2. 

“I’m really happy with this win at the start of the season, Aly ended last season magnificently with wins over good players, so I’m really please to open up the season with a win.”

Either top seed Youssef Soliman or Portugal’s Rui Soares will await El Sirty in the next round.

On the court next to him, Hungary’s Balazs Farkas also reached the last eight of a Bronze level event for the first time after he got the better of No.7 seed Karim El Hammamy in four games.

Like the El Sirty and Eleinen match, the contest was a scrappy one, with Farkas in command after dropping just five points throughout the first two games. El Hammamy struck back in a third-game tie-break, but was unable to prevent Farkas from seeing out the win.

Farkas will line up against either No.2 seed Victor Crouin or Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas in the next round.

Results

[5] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) 3-2: 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (77m)

Balazs Farkas (HUN) bt [7] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-1: 11-4, 11-1, 10-12, 11-8 (63m)