Thursday, March 28, 2024

No halting the Sohby run of success

Amanda seals 11th WSA title, now she’s targetting US Nationals

Just days after winning the US Colleges title, and 24 hours before beginning her US National Championship title bid, US number one Amanda Sobhy secured the 11th and biggest WSA World Tour title of her career when she upset top seed Omneya Abdel Kawy in the final of the Women’s Granite Open in Toronto, Canada, writes HOWARD HARDING.

It was a sensational climax to the WSA Silver 25 squash event at Granite Club where fourth seed Sobhy – a full-time student at Harvard University – first upset second-seeded Australian Rachael Grinham in the semi-finals before inflicting an 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 defeat in 36 minutes on Abdel Kawy in her first ever meeting with the world No13 from Egypt.

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It was the latest milestone in the remarkable career of the 20-year-old from New York who made headlines in 2010 when, aged just 17, she won the World Junior Championship against expectations to become the first US player to win a world singles title.

Earlier in the year, Sobhy became the first 16-year-old to win four WSA World Tour titles – and the Toronto triumph means that that left-hander has now only lost one WSA Tour final in 12 appearances!

“Super happy to win my 11th and biggest tournament title here in Toronto tonight,” said the exuberant Sobhy after her Granite success. “I cannot express how delighted I am to be able to overcome everything and win this tournament.

“I just finished my college nationals on Sunday and hopped on a plane Monday to play here from Tuesday so my head was a bit fried – but one of my goals this year was to win this tournament and I am delighted to come through and achieve this goal tonight.

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“Big thank you to Jess (Jessica DiMauro) and her team for putting on a spectacular event this week. It was definitely worth it to miss a week of school. Everybody has been so wonderful throughout the tournament, especially my amazing host family, the Francis, and I cannot wait to come back to the Granite Club again!

“Also a big thank you to the people I have been working with at school and to my family who always support me in everything I do. I never would have expected to be able to compete with the top level girls while attending college.

“Now a quick nap before I hop on a 6am flight to Charlottesville where I will be competing in the US nationals starting tomorrow midday so wish me luck! Looking forward to some much deserved rest time after Sunday!

 

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