Throwback Thursday: Story of 2015 Women’s U.S Open

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Philadelphia hosts the 2016 Delaware Investments U.S. Open between Saturday October 8 – Saturday October 15 where the second World Series tournament of the season looks to beckon in a world-class week of squash in Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Crucial points for the PSA Road to Dubai Standings – currently topped by three-time World Champion Ramy Ashour and current World Junior Champion Nouran Gohar – are up for grabs as players battle it out for a place at the Dubai PSA World Series Finals next June.

Last year’s U.S. Open was the first World Series tournament of the 2015/16 season – and we’re reliving a thrilling and unpredictable Women’s event.

First Round Results
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 (28m)
[15] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Yathreb Adel (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8 (44m)
[10] Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 3-1: 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 (47m)
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-2: 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 5-11, 11-3 (66m)
[7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (24m)
[Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [13] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 (30m)
[11] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 (29m)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Olivia Blatchford (USA) 3-1: 8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (40m)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Victoria Lust (ENG) 3-2: 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7 (55m)
[16] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [Q] Joelle King (NZL) 3-2: 8-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9 (63m)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [9] Annie Au (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (28m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [WC] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 3-0: 11-9, 13-11, 11-9 (30m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Heba El Torky (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (30m)
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [14] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (35m)
[12] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El Defrawy (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (28m)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Joey Chan (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (33m)

Former World No.3 Alison Waters advanced to the second round stage by the skin of her teeth after coming through a nervy five-game battle with fellow Englishwoman Victoria Lust.

Waters, 32, was ranked inside the world’s top five, 17 places above Lust, who played above her ranking in a fine display, ultimately just coming up short in the end.

The top two seeds, Egypt’s Raneem El Welily and eight-time World Champion Nicol David, were also in action and swept past Emily Whitlock and Joey Chan to reach the second round.

Second Round Results
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [15] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-1: 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (39m)
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [10] Emma Beddoes (ENG) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-3 (34m)
[7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 3-2: 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6 (48m)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [11] Delia Arnold (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (31m)
[16] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [4] Alison Waters (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 11-5, 3-11, 11-1, 11-6 (50m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 (29m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-9 (49m)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) bt [12] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (34m)

Waters wasn’t able to follow up her five-game win over Whitlock with victory in round two, falling to then Indian No.1 Dipika Pallikal Karthik.

The Englishwoman went behind twice and, despite clawing back the deficits both times, succumbed to a disappointing 3-2 defeat to send Pallikal Karthik through to the last eight.

Waters’ compatriot, Laura Massaro, fared better in her encounter with United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy, dispatching the charismatic American by a 3-1 margin.

Quarter-Final Results
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 (69m)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 (37m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [16] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 3-2: 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 2-11, 11-3 (54m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [2] Nicol David (MAS) 3-2: 8-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 (70m)

A thrilling quarter-final stage saw three of the four matches go all the way to five games – with number eight seed Nour El Tayeb stunning then World No.1 Raneem El Welily in a brilliant performance.

El Tayeb put in a mesmerising display and fought through a shoulder injury – sustained after a trademark full-length dive – to claim the biggest win of her career and ensure that she would face Camille Serme, the reigning British Open champion, for a place in the final.

Massaro also played out a nail-biting five-game encounter with David – staging a magnificent comeback from two games down to set up a semi-final fixture with Egypt’s Omneya Abdel Kawy.

Semi-Final Results
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [3] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-1: 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (55m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 11-9 (35m)

El Tayeb’s fine form extended into the semi-final after she recovered from a game down to defeat then World No.4 Camille Serme.

Sporting heavy strapping on her right shoulder as a result of the injury she picked up against El Welily, El Tayeb put in a display full of attacking intent to take a 3-1 victory – setting up a final meeting with Massaro.

Coming just a day after being forced to five by David, Massaro was imperious against Kawy and built on the momentum of an opening game tie-break victory to take the win in straight games.

Final Result
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-2: 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7 (68m)

Massaro lifted her first World Series title in over two years after battling back from 2-1 down to defeat El Tayeb in a thrilling final clash.

A loss of form and a punishing schedule had seen the Lancastrian take an extended break from the game just seven months earlier, but her victory in Philadelphia ushered in a period of dominance unmatched in her career as she added the Qatar Classic crown to her collection the following month before leapfrogging El Welily at the summit of the World Rankings three months later.

El Tayeb, meanwhile, was unable to fully recover from her shoulder injury and would go on to face a six-month spell on the sidelines before finally making her comeback at the Naza PSA Women’s World Championship in April of this year.

Check out the highlights below!

Head to SQUASHTV, where you can relive more action from the U.S. Open – including the 2014 final between David and current World No.1 Nour El Sherbini.