El Gouna International Squash Open 2024 Day Four: As It Happens

Round three of the El Gouna International Squash Open concludes this evening at the spectacular El Gouna Conference and Culture Center as the world’s best compete for a place in the Platinum-level quarter-final.

You can watch all the action tonight live on SQUASHTV while you can also stay up to date with live scores here.

New customers can get 25% off any SQUASHTV pass when they use the code ‘ELG25’ before Wednesday. Click here to get your pass.

Read on for the latest reports from the El Gouna International.

Defending Champ Gohar Sees Off Teen Challenger Orfi

The evening session got off to a feisty start as defending champion Nouran Gohar got the better of teen sensation Amina Orfi in the pair’s first meeting on tour.

Orfi, who has taken the squash world by storm by rising as high as World No.12 despite being just 16 years old, started game one better, playing the back of the court well as she moved to 7-5.

Gohar, who this morning moved back up to World No.2, came back hard, though, chalking off Orfi’s lead to take game one 11-8.

The former World No.1 showed no mercy in the second, doubling her lead with a quick fire 11-3.

Game three was a more even contest, with Orfi fighting hard for every point as she built a 6-5 lead.

This time, the 16-year-old was able to convert, holding off Gohar to earn a crucial 11-9 win.

‘The Terminator’ made no mistake in game four, however, snuffing out the possibility of a fifth game with a crushing 11-5 win to set up a quarter-final with USA’s Olivia Weaver, who beat Egypt’s Malak Khafagy in straight games earlier today.

Afterwards, Gohar said: “It’s so different. It’s the most enjoyable part of your career, being the underdog and everybody talking about you and how dangerous you are and you can feel it in the eyes of your opponent. Literally, you could lose 0-3 and there’s no trouble, you just gain experience. I think, having been in [Orfi’s] shoes, I know how she feels and how dangerous she can be and that’s why I prepared well.

“On the other side, I remember Raneem [El Welily] giving me tonnes of lessons sometimes. Being so excited can sometimes backfire and I tried to make the excitement fire back on her in the second game which worked pretty well. In the third game, even though I’m a bit experienced I still lost concentration, but I’m glad I could end it with a good win in the fourth game.

“In Egypt, there are a lot of rivalries and very good players coming up so sometimes in those first few encounters if you make it tough, it doesn’t matter about the score, it’s more about the game and make them feel it’s very tough to win a point against you so when they come back it’s in their mind.”

On returning to World No.2, she said: “I always say whether it’s 2, 3 or 10, it’s always good to see yourself rising in the rankings but for me No.1 is the number. I don’t really care [about the others]. I think it’s more about winning titles now, thankfully I’ve been to World No.1 on multiple occasions. Obviously I would do anything to come back to World No.1 but that box is already ticked on that objective and there are other goals in my mind.

“The most important thing is to be healthy and to win as much as I can.”

Result: El Gouna International Squash Open Women’s RD3

[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Amina Orfi (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 (57m)

Coll Cruises Through v Marche

Paul Coll cruised through to the last eight in El Gouna with a comfortable 3-0win over France’s Gregoire Marche.

Coll, who went into today’s match having won all five of the pair’s previous meetings, started at express pace, taking the first game 11-4 with Marche looking flat.

The Frenchman improved in game two, but could not mount consistent resistance, with Coll doubling his lead with an 11-8 win in game two before romping home with an 11-2 victory in game three.

Coll will take on Karim Abdel Gawad next after the  Egyptian beat Greg Lobban at Squash Complex El Gouna.

After the match, Coll said: “I was a bit nervous coming onto the court. It’s a slightly different type that we usually play and has the [outdoor] conditions. I watched Rodney [Martin]’s 1991 World Open win and that got me going and excited. I was very happy with how I was seeing the ball and where I was putting it into all four corners.

“I think my game’s the best it’s ever been and mentally it’s the best I’ve ever been. I’m really enjoying my squash the most I’ve ever enjoyed it. I’m still learning, I’m feeling like a junior learning lots of new stuff and that’s what gets me really excited. I’ve just started playing this way and I think in the next 12 months I’m excited about what I can do. I sort of surprise myself every time I come on court with the stuff I put in and am very excited to play every tournament.”

Result: El Gouna International Squash Open Men’s RD3

[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 (35m)

Kennedy Crushes Azman

England’s Georgina Kennedy stormed past Malaysian 19-year-old Aira Azman to set up a quarter-final against Nour El Tayeb.

Kennedy started strongly, causing Azman a number of problems at the back of the court as she move 1-0 up with an 11-8 win.

Azman’s unconventional attacking style caused the No.4 seed problems early on in game two, but the Malaysian appeared to tire as the game wore on, with Kennedy grinding her opponent down and taking a 2-0 lead with an 11-5 win.

The Englishwoman continued to dominate in game three, with Kennedy quickly booking her spot in the quarters with an 11-6 victory to end the contest in 30 minutes.

Afterwards, Kennedy said: “When the draw changed after Hania [El Hammamy] dropped out, I was actually quite happy that I got a chance to be on the outdoor court in a match that I was expected to win. I feel like every time I’ve been outdoors I’ve been playing against one of the top girls and it hasn’t been the most enjoyable experience.

“I really wanted to use this match to gain a bit of confidence in these outdoor conditions and I think it went about as well as it could have done against a dangerous player like Aira. She’s so skilful and takes all the rhythm out of the game and I think it’s no secret that I like to have rhythm!

‘In November I struggled with a hip injury. I had tendonitis in the hip-groin area. I was advised to get steroid injections but with all the tournaments back to back I wanted to put it off as long as I could. That was not the best idea, I continued to train but half-heartedly compared to what I’m used to doing. I was doing significantly less and the confidence, the movement and everything was suffering but after all the rehab I was doing  I changed a lot of things. I’m not running as much or doing as much court work, I’m training a bit smarter now.

“Maybe in the summer I’ll reassess what I need to do but for now I’m pretty confident I’ll be fine for the end of the season.”

Result: El Gouna International Squash Open Women’s RD3

[4] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Aira Azman (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (30m)

Awesome Asal Too Strong For Steinmann

In the last match of the day, home favourite Mostafa Asal made short work of Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann.

Asal, roared on by the biggest crowd seen so far this week, dictated the pace of the contest throughout, wowing the crowd with a brilliant mix of power, control and flawless movement as he rushed into a 2-0 lead after 11-5, 11-3 wins.

Steinmann was better able to handle the World No.4’s gameplan in the third game, but still couldn’t consistently beat Asal’s defences, with the 22-year-old booking a matchup with compatriot Aly Abou Eleinen as he took the game 11-7.

Afterwards, Asal said: “It was an amazing match today to keep me in form. Dimitri’s an amazing player, a good and solid physical player and retrieved lots of balls.

“He’s very dangerous, I know how dangerous he is but I’m glad that I’m performing well. El Gouna is an amazing tournament as well, and we just had Black Ball which was good as well!

“I love Egypt, I love playing here. The fans boost me up. Black Ball was a really good tournament for me to boost me up and remember the titles a bit.

“I’m proud of myself and the way I’m playing at the moment, credit to James Willstrop and Pontefract club an my team behind me, my uncle and all of the guys. It’s lots of changes through the road. I’m 22 years old and still learning.”

Result: El Gouna International Squash Open Men’s RD3

[4] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-7 (43m)