Squash On Fire Open RD2 Evening Roundup: Ghosal Survives In Five

India’s Saurav Ghosal had to fight back from two games down to overcome the challenge of England’s Nathan Lake, eventually winning on a fifth game tie-break.

It was the Englishman who started the stronger of the two, and he held a commanding two-game lead after being awarded a stroke on game ball in the second. However, from there, the Indian No.1 battled back strongly, and he sent the match into a deciding game.

Ghosal then led 10-8 in the fifth, but Lake was able to save two game balls. The Englishman then saved a third in the tie-break, but the tournament’s No.2 seed scraped through after 86 minutes of action, winning the fifth 13-11 to move into the quarter finals.

“Nathan played extremely well today. He made it uncomfortable for me from the first point. I probably didn’t hit my marks as I would have liked but that was to do with the pressure that he put me under,” Ghosal said.

“It took a long while to get to him, but I am happy that I dug in and put a lot of hard yards in through those games. Even in the end, Nathan put together some very impressive rallies!”

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Egypt’s Omar Mosaad and Mohamed ElSherbini set up an enticing quarter final as both men came through their respective second round contests in four games.

Mosaad overcame the challenge of former World No.1 James Willstrop, as the pair met on Tour for the first time in six years. It was a tight and tense battle throughout, with a second game tie-break being crucial in the Egyptian’s victory.

“I knew it was going to be a hard game, especially playing against James. He is one of the most experienced squash players on the Tour now,” the Egyptian said.

“I think it was ups and downs, especially in the second game. I was just focussed, going point-by-point. If I lose a game, I come back and try to win the match, it is step-by-step. You have to keep moving, you have to keep fighting.”

Meanwhile on Court 8, ElSherbini overcame the tournament’s No.5 seed Dimitri Steinmann to book his place in the last eight. After losing the first game, the Egyptian fought back to win in four, in a match that lasted almost 70 minutes.

Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy will be Ghosal’s opponent in the last eight, after he also came through a tough five-game battle. He downed No.7 seed Adrian Waller in a fiesty 82-minute clash to book his spot in the quarter finals in Washington, D.C.

Tournament wildcard Amina Orfi, the 15-year-old Egyptian, got the better of the returning Sivasangari Subramaniam to reach the quarter finals of the women’s event.

The Egyptian, who is the current World Junior Champion, defeated England’s Lucy Beecroft in straight games in the opening round of the competition, and was now unbeaten in 14 matches on Tour, thanks to winning her last three events on the Challenger Tour.

Meanwhile, Subramaniam was featuring on Tour for the first time since suffering injuries in a road traffic accident in June 2022. She looked good early on, but Orfi was able to grind out the first in a tie-break 12-10. The young Egyptian then went on to win the next two games comfortably to reach a first PSA World Tour quarter final.

Orfi is joined in the quarter finals by two more Egyptians, in Nada Abbas and Nadine Shahin. Abbas got the better of compatriot Jana Shiha in straight games, while Shahin defeated Frenchwoman Marie Stephan to advance. 

The other woman to make it through in the evening session was USA’s Sabrina Sobhy. The American, who is the No.2 seed this week, downed England’s Grace Gear in less than half an hour, winning 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 to make the quarter finals.

“I am pleased with how the match went. I have never played Grace before, but she is a phenomenal athlete and really skilful,” Sobhy said.

“I felt for her because she had a late one and a tough one last night and that definitely played a role at the start of the match and the progression of her performance. It was tough physically, and I am pleased that I snuck it out in three.”

The Squash on Fire Open continues with the quarter finals beginning at 12:00 (GMT -5) on Friday, February 24. Matches will be streamed live on the PSA World Tour website.

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Men’s Results – RD2 Evening Session: Squash On Fire Open
[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 16-14, 7-11, 11-8 (53m)
Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) bt [5] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-1: 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (67m)
Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt [7] Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-2: 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 (82m)
[2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-2: 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 13-11 (86m)

Women’s Results – RD2 Evening Session: Squash On Fire Open
[WC] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
[5] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt Jana Shiha (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 (25m)
[6] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (22m)
[2] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Grace Gear (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 (26m)