Manchester Open Quarters: Gilis Dethrones King while Men’s Defending Champ Makin Defeats Dessouky

Belgium’s Nele Gilis shocked top seed and defending champion Joelle King of New Zealand to set up a semi final with Satomi Watanabe.

Going into today’s match, Gilis had never beaten King in their previous six matches, with King recording a straight-games victory in their most recent meeting, which came just two weeks ago in the PSA World Championships quarter finals.

The pain of that defeat was little compared to the manner of King’s 3-2 victory in the semi final of last year’s Manchester Open, when Gilis saw three match balls saved.

Today, though, Gilis was able to turn the record book on its head with a brilliant display.

The Belgian’s relentlessness proved the difference in a competitive first game, with the 27-year-old retrieving excellently as she saved two game balls on the way to a 12-10 win.

Gilis continued to unnerve King in the second game, with the Kiwi making an uncharacteristic number of errors as the No.7 seed took a huge 2-0 lead with an 11-4 game victory.

King continued to struggle in the third game and at 9-5 down, looked in real danger. Although the Kiwi then took the next two points to test Gilis’ nerves, the World No.9 kept her cool to take the two points she needed to record a historic win.

Afterwards, Gilis said: “I haven’t forgotten about that match [at the Manchester Open last year]. I think I’ve thought about it every day since!

“Joelle is someone I’ve looked up to since I was 10 years old. I’ve always admired her strength and the way she plays. She was one of my favourites for sure and to be able to compete with her is such an honour for me.

“I’ve believed for a while that I can compete with the top girls but to actually beat one of my idols today is unreal and amazing.

“I finished last season with an injury and really wasn’t enjoying squash in the last few months of the season. I was forced to take time off and at one point wasn’t sure if I was ever going to play pain-free again, so when I started training pain-free I found a new enjoyment for the game and ever since then I’ve really been enjoying stepping on the court.”

Result

[7] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [1] Joelle King (NZL) 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 (40m)

Defending Champion Makin Comes Through Dessouky Test

In the final match of the day, 2022 Manchester Open winner Joel Makin of Wales came through a battling five-game encounter with Egypt’s Fares Dessouky to earn a semi final against World Champion Ali Farag.

The defending champion made a strong start in an entertaining first game, with the Welshman’s intense physicality well matched by Dessouky’s attacking instincts.

After taking the first game 11-8, Makin was pegged back early in the second, with Dessouky, playing in his first Manchester Open since 2020, taking a quick 6-1 lead.

Makin started to play more aggressively as he began to reel Dessouky in, but the Egyptian was able to hold out, clinching the second game with a typically brilliant backhand drop from the back of the court.

Dessouky looked to have carried this momentum into the third game, with the Egyptian starting better as he took a 5-2 lead. Makin, however, dug in well and began forcing errors from the No.6 seed, and reclaimed the lead with an 11-6 win.

In a fractured fourth game, that saw one lengthy delay due to confusion over the score and a number of reviews and decisions, Dessouky fought back level once again as he took Makin to five games after with a fourth game 11-7 win.

The fifth game began much like the fourth, with play broken up by decisions and reviews. Eventually, though, Makin was able to power through the distractions against an increasingly frustrated Dessouky to close out the match with a hard-fought 11-4 victory.

“I’ve had to rely on the [never-say-die attitude] a few too many times now. I thought the squash was good there, just a little patchy. The court was a little dead so when either of us were in the middle we were both putting each other under a lot of pressure.

“There were a lot of swings, when it was 1-1 and I was down I had to do something different as I was getting picked off. I had to find a way back into the match and be a bit more aggressive and it was better.

“99 percent of that was very good quality. There were a couple of bumps but we’re both powerful guys.

“I like playing here, you’re only a couple of hours from home and I’ve played the leagues around here, North West Counties, for years. I’ve played here a lot and enjoy playing here.”

Result

[4] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4 (81m)