El Gouna International 2024 Day One: Evening Roundup

Aira Azman overcame the odds and injury as the Malaysian World No.41 got the better of Egyptian World No.30 Hana Ramadan to pick up a win on her El Gouna debut.

The 19-year-old came flying out at the beginning of the encounter, with her attacking gameplan paying off as she took a 2-0 lead after hard-fought 13-11, 11-6 wins.

The Malaysian’s progress was checked in game three, however, with Azman needing lengthy injury treatment to her knee before Ramadan took the game 12-10.

In a nerve-wracking finale, Azman completed the upset, holding her nerve after seeing one match ball saved to the cheers of her sister Aifa, who was watching from the stands after beating Egypt’s Nour Aboulmakarim 3-1.

“[My knee] is a bit swollen but my physio is here so it should be fine, I’m in good hands!” Azman said.

“I think she played really well last week against Rowan [Elaraby] so I was a bit nervous coming in today, but I had nothing to lose since I’m lower seeded and there was no pressure on me. I just tried to play some good squash and I’m very happy with my performance today.

“[Aifa] came over right after her win, so I felt much better, I felt the support, and that’s support meant a lot to me.”

Joining the Azmans in the next round are England’s Lucy Turmel and Scotland’s Georgia Adderley, after Turmel came from behind to beat Egypt’s Kenzy Ayman 3-1, and Adderley got the better of France’s Enora Villard in a five game clash.

Also through are home interests Malak Khafagy , Sana Ibrahim and Hana Moataz, who beat Salma Eltayeb, Marie Stephan and Nadien Elhammamy, as well as France’s Melissa Alves, who beat Switzerland’s Cindy Merlo.

In the men’s event, Hong Kong’s World No.50 Henry Leung took down French World No.31 Auguste Dussourd 3-2 to set up a second round meeting with Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann.

Leung took the first game against Dussourd, who initially struggled with his movement, only to fall 1-2 down as the Frenchman fought back.

Leung, though, took the ball earlier in game four and regained the initiative through an 11-4 win, before sealing the result with an 11- 6 victory in game five.

Afterwards, Leung said: “I’m feeling so great. I’d like to thank my opponent today. We are very good friends and we play a lot. I’m lucky to win the match today.

“Before the match, I heard that he twisted his ankle a little bit, so I didn’t think too much about that and focused on my game. I was 2-1 down, in the fourth I managed my volley straight lines and I came back more physically and luckily I won in five.”

Joining Leung and Steinmann in round two are Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng and Argentina’s Leandro Romiglio, both of whom came back from a game down to beat Mexico’s Cesar Salazar and Egyptian wildcard Moustafa ElSirty.

Also through to the next round are India’s Ramit Tandon, France’s Gregoire Marche, Scotland’s Greg Lobban and Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim.

Round two gets underway tomorrow at the El Gouna Squash Complex, with play beginning at 12:00 (GMT+2) live on SQUASHTV.

For updates on the El Gouna International Squash Open 2024, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Results – Women’s RD1: El Gouna International Squash Open 2024 

Hana Moataz (EGY) bt [WC] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 13-11, 9-11, 14-12 (61m)

Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 12-10 (48m)

Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Cindy Merlo (SUI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (18m)

Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bt Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-1: 11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4 (36m)

Aira Azman (MAS) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 12-10 (58m)

Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Enora Villard (FRA) 3-2: 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-4 (57m)

Aifa Azman (MAS) bt Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 3-1: 13-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8 (41m)

Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt Salma Eltayeb (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (26m)

Results – Men’s RD1: El Gouna International Squash Open 2024

Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (30m)

Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 11-13, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2 (52m)

Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Rory Stewart (SCO) 3-0: 15-13, 11-5, 12-10 (50m)

Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt Andrew Douglas (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 11-7, 4-11, 13-11 (42m)

Ramit Tandon (IND) bt Aly Hussein (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (31m)

Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [WC] Moustafa Elsirty (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (68m)

Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4 (64m)

Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) bt Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 3-2: 11-6, 5-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 (61m)