DAC Pro Squash Classic Day One Roundup: Ibrahim Shocks Mohamed in Detroit

World No.37 Sana Ibrahim sprang the shock of the day as she downed compatriot and World No.16 Farida Mohamed in five games as the 2023 DAC Pro Squash Classic got underway.

Ibrahim, who crashed out in round one in 2021, went into the match with a 2-0 losing record against Mohamed, but made a brilliant start to the match by taking the first game 11-9.

Mohamed struck back with an 11-9 win of her own in the second game but then fell behind again when Ibrahim took game three 11-3. The 21-year-old reached parity once more in the fourth, but was unable to hold off a brilliant fifth-game barrage from Ibrahim, who set up a second round match against the USA’s Olivia Fiechter with a crushing 11-4 victory.

Afterwards, Mohamed said: “Before this match, I was so nervous! I talked with my coach and family and mental doctor and was telling them how nervous I was because she’s a really good player and most of the time I play her, she wins 3-2!

“She’s so tough. I said [when the draw was announced] ‘Oh my gosh I’m going to play Farida!

“Now, lots of people are calling me, my mum and dad, and then my brother called me. Everyone was calling me!”

While her win was perhaps the upset of the day, Ibrahim was certainly not alone in defeating a higher ranked opponent, with Yathreb Adel and Lucy Turmel beating Alexandra Fuller and Hollie Naughton, respectively.

For World No.33 Adel, her 23-minute victory over Fuller was her 150th win on the tour.

The USA will have three players in the second round tomorrow, with 2019 champion Olivia Clyne and US No.3 Sabrina Sobhy joining No.4 Olivia Fiechter in round two after wins over Hong Kong’s Sin Yuk Chan and Egypt’s Mariam Metwally.

Elsewhere, France’s Melissa Alves got the better of Wales’ Emily Whitlock and World No.19 Nada Abbas marked her return to the PSA World Tour by coming from one game down to beat Scottish wildcard Alison Thomson 3-1 and secure a 100th tour win.

The seeded players will join the action tomorrow (February 8) when round two gets underway at 16:45 (GMT-5). Action from court 7 will be streamed live and free on the PSA website.

Replays from tonight’s matches will be available shortly on dailymotion.

For more on the DAC Pro Squash Classic, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Results – Round One: DAC Pro Squash Classic 2023
Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-2 (23m)
Olivia Clyne (USA) bt Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (29m)
Nada Abbas (EGY) bt [WC] Alison Thomson (SCO) 3-1: 8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-9 (45m)
Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bt Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-2: 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-4 (47m)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 13-11 (30m)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-1: 11-9, 6-11, 14-12, 11-9 (53m)
Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Emily Whitlock (WAL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-1 (31m)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 12-10 (26m)

Draw – Round Two: To be played February 8
[1] Joelle King (NZL) v Yathreb Adel (EGY)
Olivia Clyne (USA) v [5] Tinne Gilis (BEL)
[6] Tesni Evans (WAL) v Nada Abbas (EGY)
Sana Ibrahim (EGY) v [4] Olivia Fiechter (USA)
[3] Nele Gilis (BEL) v Sabrina Sobhy (USA)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) v [7] Salma Hany (EGY)
[8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) v Melissa Alves (FRA)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) v [2] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)