Egyptian sisters Heba and Nouran El Torky through to first round of Women’s World Championship
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Egyptian sisters Heba and Nouran El Torky will line up in the main draw of the Wadi Degla Women’s World Squash Championship together for the first time after surviving the qualifying competition of the 2014 Women’s Squash Association championship at the Wadi Degla club in Cairo.
The Alexandria pair both defeated Egyptian opponents – 23-year-old Heba, the world No.27, beating Nadine Shahin 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 and younger sister Nouran, the 22-year-old world No.51, taking out Hania El Hammamy 11-4, 12-10, 11-9.
Heba (pictured above, right, with Nouran), who made the last 16 round in the 2013 event, now faces England’s fifth seed Alison Waters in the first round – while Nouran, the lowest-ranked player to qualify, makes her debut in the main draw when she lines up against France’s Camille Serme, the sixth seed.
Egyptians dominated the qualifying finals, with Cairo’s Mariam Metwally and Alexandrian Yathreb Adel also successful. 18-year-old Metwally, ranked 50 in the world, beat compatriot Salma Hany Ibrahim 11-9, 11-6, 11-3, while Adel, also 18 but ranked 11 places higher, upset South Africa’s world No.33 Siyoli Waters 11-6, 11-2, 6-11, 11-7.
Mexico’s Samantha Teran and Malaysian Delia Arnold both survived dramatic 71-minute marathons to earn places in the main draw. Former world No.11 Teran earned her ninth appearance in the main draw since 2005 after recovering from 2/0 down to beat the Japanese number one Misaki Kobayashi 4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.
Arnold came back from a game down to see off France’s Coline Aumard 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11.
Britons Emily Whitlock and Tesni Evans completed the main draw line-up after qualifying successes. Whitlock, the 20-year-old world No.29 from England, secured her main draw debut after beating Welsh opponent Deon Saffery 11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4.
Meanwhile Evans, the Welsh number one, earned her third appearance in the main draw when she defeated Ireland’s Aisling Blake 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2.
Wadi Degla Women’s World Championship, Cairo, Egypt
Qualifying finals:
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 (37m)
Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (71m)
Heba El Torky (EGY) bt Nadine Shahin (EGY) 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (50m)
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Coline Aumard (FRA) 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11 (71m)
Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Siyoli Waters (RSA) 11-6, 11-2, 6-11, 11-7 (38m)
Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt Deon Saffery (WAL) 11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4 (53m)
Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 11-4, 12-10, 11-9 (41m)
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2 (38m)
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [Q] Yathreb Adel (EGY)
[13] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Emily Whitlock (ENG)
[16] Emma Beddoes (ENG) v [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) v [Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY)
[7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
[12] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Joshana Chinappa (IND)
[10] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Sarah Kippax (ENG)
[4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v Nouran Gohar (EGY)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v Habiba Mohamed (EGY)
[14] Dipika Pallikal (IND) v [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX)
[11] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL)
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [WC] Mayar Hany Mohamed (EGY)
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Q] Heba El Torky (EGY)
[15] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[9] Annie Au (HKG) v Line Hansen (DEN)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Mariam Metwally (EGY)
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Images courtesy of www.worldsquashchamps.com