Malaysia Cup QFs: Top Seed El Tayeb Powers Past Orfi

Top seed Nour El Tayeb produced a professional performance to defeat up and coming compatriot Amina Orfi to claim a place in the semi-finals of the Ace Malaysia Squash Cup.

In the opening game, the top seeded Egyptian was playing steady, composed squash as she worked the ball into the back corners to keep Orfi behind her and restrict the attacking opportunities of the 16-year-old. El Tayeb’s accuracy was too good as she converted the game 11-6 to take a 1-0 lead.

Orfi started to disrupt the accuracy of El Tayeb in game two, imposing herself round the middle of the court and forcing the top seed into some tough movements. Orfi was hitting the ball hard, but with the court being quite hot and bouncy, the ball was sitting up in the back corners, therefore not doing as much damage to El Tayeb as intended. A ripper of a boast from El Tayeb took her to game ball and she only needed one chance to double her lead.

Orfi started the better of the two in game three and raced out to a 4-0 lead. She continued this form to move to 7-4 and looked sure to be extending the contest into a fourth game. After a brutal rally that El Tayeb won, errors starting to come from the racket of Orfi which allowed El Tayeb to run straight through to 10-7. The World No.6 converted again at the first time of asking to see off the dangerous Orfi and reach the final four.

“I was nervous, even at the beginning,” said El Tayeb.

“I was on the phone to Ali [Farag, El Tayeb’s husband] right up until I came onto court, just to forget about the nerves a bit. I was nervous, but I think I was nervous in a prepared way, I’ve seen her results recently so I knew what to expect. I was quite excited, the older generation against the young, and up and comer, and she’s going to be at the top very soon.

“She’s the future of our sport, so I wanted to see this for myself and be on court with her and see how my game works with her.

“I think everyone in the draw is playing well, whoever my next round is with will be playing well and I’m looking to play well again and get through.”

Result:

[1] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [6] Amina Orfi (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (45m)