World No.1 and seven-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini avoided a potential upset against World No.57 Chan Sin Yuk after the Egyptian won 3-2 against the Hong Konger in the third round of the TTI Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2023.
El Sherbini was two games up and had two match balls in the third before Chan surged back to reduce the deficit before levelling the match.
The tournament’s top seed extinguished hopes of home favourite Chan producing the biggest upset of the tournament so far as El Sherbini clinched the fifth 11-7.
“It’s hard right now, I don’t really know what was happening, but it was my first time playing her [Chan Sin Yuk] and she beat some good players here in Hong Kong,” El Sherbini said.
“I was in control in the first two games but it was a very tight last three games. She came back and everything was working for her. It was a new player for me so I didn’t quite know what to expect.
“She was going for every shot and having fun and that’s why it was working for her. I lost a little bit of confidence and went off my game plan, but I’m just glad I won in the end.”
In the men’s draw, defending champion Mostafa Asal came from one game down to see off his fellow Egyptian Youssef Soliman.
After Soliman clinched the first 13-11, Asal then claimed the following three games 11-6, 11-2, 11-5 to progress to the last eight.
"I could watch that rally all day long!" 😱@mostafasal_ & @y_soliman97 putting on a show here in Hong Kong 🔥#HKOpen pic.twitter.com/OlNA8DRzBa
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) November 29, 2023
Men’s Third Round (Top Half) Results: TTI Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2023
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (36m) [6] Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 12-10 (46m) [8] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-1: 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 (45m) [3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Youssef Soliman (EGY) 3-1: 11-13, 11-6, 11-2, 11-5 (62m)Women’s Third Round (Top Half) Results: TTI Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2023
[1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) 3-2: 11-4, 11-3, 10-12, 10-12, 11-7 (51m)Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [7] Salma Hany (EGY) 3-1: 12-14, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (58m)
[6] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 (22m) [3] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Amina Orfi (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-1 (30m)Men’s Third Round Draw (Bottom Half): To be played 30 November
[4] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG) v Leandro Romiglio (ARG)Auguste Dussourd (FRA) v [7] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG)
[5] Paul Coll (NZL) v Victor Crouin (FRA)Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [2] Diego Elias (PER)
Women’s Third Round Draw (Bottom Half): To be played 30 November
[4] Nele Gilis (BEL) v Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v Hollie Naughton (CAN)
[8] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v Aifa Azman (MAS)Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v [2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)