Manchester Open Quarters: Watanabe’s Perfect Week Continues and Farag Fights Back

Satomi Watanabe continued her brilliant run at the National Squash Centre as she upset Welsh No.8 seed Tesni Evans to become the first Japanese player to reach a Manchester Open semi final.

Watanabe, who shocked No.4 seed and last year’s finalist Sarah-Jane Perry in yesterday’s second round, made an impressive start to the quarter final, with the Japan No.1’s pace and power proving too hot to handle for Evans in the opening game, which Watanabe took 11-4.

Evans, a runner up in 2019 and a semi finalist at the last two editions, came out well in the second game, slowing the pace and pouncing on anything loose to level with her third game ball for a 13-11 win.

In a tight third game, Watanabe was able to move back in front with a hard-fought 11-9 win, after which Evans requested a new ball.

After an initially even start to the fourth game, Watanabe soon began to dominate, with the 24-year-old finding her power and accuracy from the first game to seal her place in a Silver-level semi final for the first time with an 11-6 victory.

“I was just thinking ‘do your best, whatever you can do. I gave everything I have and I’m really happy to get through today,” she said afterwards.

“I think one of the first tournaments I won was in New Zealand and from there I started learning how to play against the top players. I watch a lot of top players playing on SQUASHTV. I don’t know how I’ve got here. I love squash so much. I think the passion I have has brought me here.

“I really struggled with her lobs today and her change of pace is so good, I couldn’t play my game of fast punching drives. She has a bit of chat on court and I really love playing her.”

Result

Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [8] Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-1: 11-4, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6 (50m)

World Champion Farag Fights Back to Ruin Rooney Dreams

In the second match of the evening session, reigning World Champion Ali Farag came from behind to beat North West native Patrick Rooney.

The Englishman couldn’t have asked for a better start to the contest, with Rooney firing in a number of excellent backhands to exploit the limited movement of Farag, who appeared to be struggling.

After taking the first game 11-7, Rooney was pegged back in the second by an improving Farag, who held well and stamped his authority on the match with an 11-4 win.

Firmly in his groove, Farag threatened to run away with the third game as he took the opening four points. Rooney, however, recovered brilliantly to take the next seven.

After a number of breaks for court service due to a slippery floor, it was the Egyptian who was able to better gather himself, taking advantage of a mistake from Rooney’s serve when the Englishman led 9-8 to move into the lead with an 11-9 victory.

With momentum now behind him, Farag pushed on at the beginning of the fourth game, before both players began to make a number of errors as fatigue set in.

Eventually, though, the experience of Farag prevailed and the 31-year-old forced himself over the line with an 11-8 win to wrap up the match.

Afterwards, Farag said: “I’ve watched Patrick many times, we’d never had a chance to play each other but I’d always thought he was extremely good, but he’s a lot better than I thought.

“His length hitting on the backhand side is so accurate. It’s a strength of mine to try and take time away from my opponents and volley on that side, but he didn’t give me enough chances to put pressure on him, and then he would put the pressure on me.

“In the first game, I was trying to play fast, but I was too inaccurate for someone like Pat not to take advantage. For the second I needed to slow the pace down, get my accuracy up, and then build from there. But it was a 50-50 all the way through, which is a testament to how good he played today and how good he’s been playing.

“I’m very happy and I’d like to apologise to the referee for shouting and getting emotional.”

Result

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (42m)