The Northern Joe Cup: Malik and Nghiem Set Up Final Rematch, Zakaria to Play Mekhalfi

Torrie Malik and Saran Nghiem set up a rematch of last year’s final at the Northern Joe Cup, beating Nour Megahed and Yasshmita Jadish Kumar respectively in the semi-finals, while 16-year-old Mohamad Zakaria reached the men’s final. 

Malik and Nghiem produced a five-game thriller with the trophy on the line 12 months ago, with Nghiem coming out on top, and they will now run it back at Fairways Lodge and Leisure Club. 

Opening proceedings on semi-finals day, Malik had to overcome a slow start to beat unseeded Egyptian Megahad, losing the first game 11-6 before turning things around to take the next three 11-6, 11-6, 11-7. 

Speaking after the match, Malik was honest in her assessment of the match, revealing that some stern words from her dad helped turn things around. 

“I feel like I had a really slow start,” she said. 

 “The first game was poor to be honest and I think I did well to get back and win it 3-1. The whole match, I just wasn’t really playing 100%, but I’m glad to be through playing like that. 

“My dad just had a go at me and told me to get my act together, and then I just started to straighten up the ball a little bit more, volley more and get a little bit more on my toes. I was just too relaxed really, I had to be a little bit more pumped for it.” 

Malik was joined in the final by Nghiem later in the day, when the No.3 seed and local favourite swept aside her Malaysian opponent in straight games, producing her best performance of the week after needing all five games to win her quarter-final match. 

Backed by a passionate home crowd, the 19-year-old spent just 23 minutes on court, winning games two and three comfortably after clinching a tight first. 

Speaking about being back in familiar surroundings having spent much of the last year at Harvard, Nghiem said: “It felt good to be on the home court, with a home crowd, so I got pretty comfortable pretty quickly and was feeling good. 

“I love coming back, seeing all the people. Obviously my mum does everything for me when I’m at home which is always nice. 

“I miss everyone loads when I’m out there. I’m obviously having a really good time but there’s nothing like home so I just love coming back.” 

The home crowd were hopeful of seeing another locally-based played reach the final in the day’s last match, as Emyr Evans took on Zakaria, but there was to be no fairytale finale for the Fairways faithful, as the Egyptian won his second straight five-game duel. 

Having overturned a 2-1 deficit to beat Finnlay Withington yesterday, the Egyptian had to dig deep once again in the final four, dropping the opening game and then game four, having himself held a 2-1 lead. 

Unlike in game five last night, though, Zakaria made the worst possible start to the decider, losing the first three points to hand Evans the advantage.

Undeterred and showing a calmness beyond his years, the 16-year-old won 11 of the next 14 points to secure his spot in a second straight PSA Tour final, following his history-making win at the Local World LA Open last month.

Zakaria will play top seed Toufik Mekhalfi in the final, after he beat South Africa’s Dewald van Niekerk in straight games.

The Frenchman didn’t drop more than seven points in any of the three games, and was pleased to have put in such a good performance against a player who beat him in a final last year. 

“I’m happy today to get the win in three because I know Dewald, he’s a really good player with a strong game,” he said. 

Results: Men’s Semi-Finals 

[1] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [4] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (39m) 
Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) bt [3] Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-2: 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 (72m) 

Results: Women’s Semi-Finals 

[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Nour Megahed (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (33m) 
[3] Saran Nghiem (ENG) bt [2] Yasshmita Jadish Kumar (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (23m)