U.S. Open: El Sherbini Extinguishes Home Hopes To Progress To Final

14 October 2023

Nour El Sherbini extinguished home hopes for Olivia Fiechter as the World No.1 booked her place in the final of the U.S. Open presented by TRUIST.

El Sherbini, who is hunting a first-ever U.S. Open title, defeated the American No.2 3-1 in 36 minutes to tee up a decider tomorrow night against her fellow Egyptian Hania El Hammamy.

The reigning World champion was pushed all the way by England No.1 Gina Kennedy yesterday, and El Sherbini made the perfect start as she produced a stellar performance in the first game, with her accuracy seeing her go 1-0 up.

Fiechter, who took out 2017 champion Nour El Tayeb in the quarter-finals, upped the tempo in the second game as she charged into a 7-0 lead. El Sherbini reduced the arrears by three points but Fiechter managed to hold her off to level and take a game off the Egyptian for the first time.

But El Sherbini roared back, taking a 6-0 lead in the third before converting into an 11-4 win as the ‘Warrior Princess’ unsettled Fiechter’s movement.

El Sherbini’s fifth appearance in a U.S. Open final was confirmed with a comfortable 11-6 triumph.

🗣 "It's a different opponent in a different final, so hopefully a different result as well!"@noursherbini is hoping it will be fifth time lucky in tomorrow's @USOpenSquash final 🏆#USOpenSquash pic.twitter.com/LmnwEtgUQ9
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) October 14, 2023

“I can say she’s improved a lot from the beginning of the season, she’s been playing really well and beating Nour El Tayeb and Salma [Hany] is amazing,” she said afterwards.

“I thought she played good, being 7-0 down in the second game was a drop off for me.

“She was definitely playing good but I wasn’t playing good as well. I don’t know why I dropped off but I’m glad I came back, stick to my game plan and not do what I did yesterday!”