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NASH Cup 2024 – NASH Family Wealth Management: Malik Siblings into Finals After Torrie’s Epic Comeback
Torrie Malik staged a sensational comeback to reach her maiden World event final, beating No.1 seed Georgia Adderley 3-2 on semi-finals day at the NASH Cup 2024 – NASH Family Wealth Management, which also saw her older brother Curtis progress.
Torrie had overcome a tricky test in the form of rising US star Caroline Fouts in the quarter-finals, setting up a meeting with Scotland’s Adderley, almost exactly one year on from their last PSA Tour encounter.
That had come at the 2023 Springfield Scottish Open when Malik had won 3-0, but it looked as though the roles would be reversed half an hour into this one, as the Scot gave herself two match balls at 10-8 up in the third, having won games one and two.
But Malik dug deep to save both match balls, first showing quick hands to slam a cross-court backhand out of Adderley’s reach, despite being off balance, and then seeing the Scot find the tin on a forehand.
A yes-let on the following rally kept the tension high, but Malik closed out the game 12-10 moments later, drawing huge cheers from crowd as the players left the court.
Game four swung one way and then the other, with Malik moving 5-2 up, then falling 6-5 behind, before regaining the momentum to take it 11-9, sending the match into a decider.
There was little to split the two players in the opening exchanges of game five, but the No.5 seed always kept her nose in front, and soon had four match balls at 10-6.
She would not have to wait long for victory, either, letting out a huge roar of emotion as Adderley found the tin on a backhand drop.
Speaking after the match, Malik admitted she wasn’t exactly sure what she was thinking at 10-8 down in game three, only that she remained positive throughout.
“I genuinely, actually don’t know,” she said of her thoughts at that moment.
“My head went somewhere else but in a very positive space. I can’t actually pinpoint where my head went but I just said to myself… do not give up because you don’t want to come off with any regrets.”
Discussing how she felt going into game five she added: “I felt good. I felt a second wind of fitness, so I just went on there saying… let’s get a good head start and keep 2/3 points ahead of her, and I think I did that well.
“I’m just really happy that I dug in because it’s rare that I do that.”
Malik will be joined in action on finals day by her brother Curtis, who outclassed Henry Leung in the final match of the day.
The men’s No.2 seed needed only 26 minutes to complete a dominant 3-0 win to keep hopes of a Malik double alive, with Perry Malik in the coaching corner of both players having lost in round one.
“It’s good that we can travel together as a three,” Torrie said.
“Hopefully the younger two [Heston and Bailey] get in soon, but it’s really nice to be with them and have that family support, because there’s nothing better than family support.”
Torrie’s win guaranteed an English winner of the women’s competition, after Katie Malliff had beaten compatriot Grace Gear 3-0 in the opening match of the day.
Curtis, meanwhile, will play teenage sensation and reigning world junior champion Mohamad Zakaria, who eased past Sanjay Jeeva in the other men’s semi-final.
Jeeva had spent nearly three hours on court already this week, and that workload perhaps took its toll, as Zakaria cruised to an 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 win in little more than half an hour.
The finals of the NASH Cup 2024 – NASH Family Wealth Management take place from 6pm local time (11pm BST) on Saturday, September 21st, streaming live on the SQUASHTV Live Streaming YouTube channel.
Results: Men’s Semi-Finals
[8] Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) bt Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[2] Curtis Malik (ENG) bt [4] Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (27m)
Results: Women’s Semi-Finals
[3] Katie Malliff (ENG) bt [5] Grace Gear (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)
[8] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [2] Georgia Adderley (SCO) 3-2: 13-15, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (57m)
