Throwback Thursday: Story of the 2016 Women’s U.S. Open

The PSA World Tour next stops off in Philadelphia for the U.S. Open Presented by Macquarie Investment Management, which takes place October 7-14 at Drexel University as the world’s leading players get set to face each other in the first World Series event of the 2017/18 season.

Join us as we take a look back at the story of the 2016 Women’s U.S. Open.

Round one – results
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [Q] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 3-0: 13-11, 11-9, 11-2 (28m)
[13] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Rachael Grinham (AUS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (26m)
[Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) bt [16] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-2: 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 13-15, 11-5 (55m)
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [WC] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 (19m)
[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [Q] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 (30m)
[10] Joelle King (NZL) bt [Q] Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 (33m)
[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [Q] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 14-12 (28m)
[3] Nicol David (MAS) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 (30m)
[4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (37m)
[14] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-2: 11-13, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 (85m)
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [15] Victoria Lust (ENG) 3-2: 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6 (56m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) 3-1: 7-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-4 (61m)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 (25m)
[12] Annie Au (HKG) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (29m)
[9] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Heba El Torky (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El Defrawy (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (37m)

It was straightforward for the top seeds in the Women’s draw on day one as Nour El Sherbini, Nicol David and Raneem El Welily all set down impressive markers to make it through to the next round.

Defending champion Laura Massaro also got her campaign off to a winning start as she had a dominant victory over Kanzy Emad El Defrawy. Home favourite Amanda Sobhy also got through unscathed as she came back from one game down against India’s Dipika Pallikal Karthik and France’s Camille Serme dispatched Malaysia’s Delia Arnold in straight games.

Round two – results
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [13] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6 (38m)
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 3-2: 12-14, 11-1, 7-11, 11-4, 14-12 (63m)
[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [10] Joelle King (NZL) 3-1: 1-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (50m)
[3] Nicol David (MAS) bt [11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-2: 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (53m)
[4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [14] Emily Whitlock (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 18-16 (42m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5 (37m)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [12] Annie Au (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (27m)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [9] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (27m)

Malaysia’s David held off an Egyptian charge in round two as she came through a tough five-game encounter with Nour El Tayeb. The eight-time World Champion was forced to grit her teeth to come from two games down against the Egyptian to book her place in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Massaro again showed her exploits that saw her claim the title the year before as she comfortably saw off Indian number one Joshna Chinappa in straight games.

The then 32-year-old dictated play from the outset as she asserted her dominance over Chinappa to secure a quarter-final berth against France’s Serme – who also had a comfortable victory over Hong Kong’s Annie Au in straight games.

Quarter-finals – results
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [8] Alison Waters (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-6 (27m)
[5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [3] Nicol David (MAS) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 (57m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-1: 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (42m)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) 3-2: 11-8, 8-11, 11-2, 6-11, 11-6 (55m)

France’s Serme knocked out defending champion Massaro in the quarter-finals in a five-game thriller that saw momentum constantly shift between the pair on court.

Serme eventually got the better of the Englishwoman coming through 11-8, 8-11, 11-2, 6-11, 11-6 in 55 minutes.

Elsewhere, Egyptians El Sherbini and El Welily both secured their place in the next round with strong victories.

World No.1 El Sherbini put in a display of pure dominance to overcome England’s Alison Waters in straight games, while El Welily had to produce some of her best squash of the season to take out eight-time World Champion David. Sobhy continued to fly the flag for the home country as she dispatched Egypt’s Nouran Gohar in four games.

Semi-finals – results
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [5] Raneem El Welily (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (37m)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-1: 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5 (42m)

Serme continued her impressive run of form in the semi-finals, securing her first appearance in a major final since winning the British Open in 2015 as she defeated home favourite and then World No.6 Sobhy.

The Frenchwoman came through in four games as she played with pinpoint accuracy and tactical precision to thwart the aggressive attacking play of Sobhy.

World No.1 El Sherbini also made it through to the final as she overcame compatriot El Welily in four games.

El Welily took the first game before El Sherbini began her fightback and took three games in a row to run out an 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 winner.

Final – result
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 (54m)

Two years after becoming the first Frenchwoman ever to win the historic British Open, Serme wrote her name into the squash history books once again by defeating Egypt’s World No.1 El Sherbini in the final to become the first Frenchwoman ever to lift the trophy.

After sharing the opening two games it was Serme who came through in the crucial third game, coming from 4-0 down to take it in a tense tie-break before then sealing the fourth 11-9 to take the title.

“I cannot believe it,” said Serme following the final.

“Two weeks ago I lost in the first round of the Al Ahram Open and was so far away from this. If someone had told me then I’d win the U.S. Open I’d have laughed – so to now be the champion is crazy. I’m so, so happy!”