Weaver Claims Last Semi-Final Spot With Strong Performance Over Mohamed

USA’s Olivia Weaver survived difficult test as she defeated Egypt’s Farida Mohamed in the quarter-finals of the Squash in the Land to keep hopes alive of a third successive Silver-event win.

The two had met recently on Tour in the Carol Weymuller Open semi-final in January where Mohamed won comfortably in three games, but since that match Weaver had won two back-to-back Silver-level events in Cincinnati and Detroit.

It was a fairly tentative start between the two Top 20 players, but Mohamed was the player that found her footing in the match first, going from a 5-4 lead to a resounding 10-5, with the highlight coming from a backhand boast from deep in the back-left corner to make it 6-4.

Weaver began to find her length, and began to show her incredible physicality as she avoided making mistakes and won five successive points to take the match to a tie break.

After struggling to convert the five game balls, Mohamed earned a sixth with a precise backhand drop, but Weaver countered and earned her first game ball of the match at 12-11. Both players traded points, unwilling to take an major risks until Weaver sent the Egyptian the wrong way at 13-12 to take the first game.

Mohamed again started strong in the early phases of the second game, creating a 7-4 lead while playing with fast, attacking intent. Weaver fought back, but Mohamed again found herself with five game balls at her disposal.

The No.2 seed battled on, and cut the deficit to 7-10 with a drop into the nick, but the gap was too much to overcome a second time as the World No.17 take her first game on her seventh opportunity.

It was Weaver’s turn to have a bright start in the third game as she claimed five unanswered points, capped off with a flawless drop shot into the nick.

Despite her earlier dominant phases, Mohamed couldn’t keep up with the renewed athleticism of her opponent, and Weaver marched to a 10-3 lead. The American played conservatively until a mistake from the Egyptian gave her a 2-1 lead in the match.

Weaver looked composed as she picked up successive points off a fading Mohamed in the beginning of the fourth game, and the Egyptian didn’t have an answer to the World No.7’s physicality as she earned seven match balls. The US No.2 only needed one however, and finished the match by stretching her opposition to both front corners and forcing a mistake to take her place in the semi-finals where she faces No.3 seed Nour El Tayeb.

“Playing Farida is not comfortable,” said Weaver after the match.

“She’s so aggressive and dangerous. If you leave anything open, she punishes you immediately. You’re not going to have as may long rallies as you might with other players, but I look at playing her as a different challenge.

“Every style forces me to problem solve in different ways. Last time I played her I wasn’t too pleased with the performance and she was on fire. I really wanted to come out here, get some redemption and play my squash.”

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Result: Squash in the Land Presented by Greater Cleveland Squash 2024 Women’s Quarter-Final
[3] Olivia Weaver (USA) bt [5] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 14-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-3 (38m)