Egypt’s 17-year-old world junior champion stuns legend Nicol David as China shocks continue
By NATHAN CLARKE
The 17-year-old Egyptian Nouran Gohar stunned former World No.1 Nicol David to move into the semi-finals of the 2015 Stars On The Bund China Open in Shanghai earlier today.
Gohar, the World No.13 from Cairo who won the World Junior Championships earlier this year, produced one of the finest performances of her career to reinforce her credentials as one of the brightest talents on the tour as she fought from a game down to run out a 3-1 victor and move into the last four.
Defeat ensures that David, who this month lost the World No.1 ranking for the first time in nine-years, will face an uphill task to recover the coveted ranking spot from her successor Raneem El Welily – who breezed into the last four after her opponent, Hong Kong’s Annie Au, was forced to retire through injury.
El Welily will now take on American number one Amanda Sobhy in the semi-finals when she will be hoping to secure passage to a seventh final in her last eight appearances on the PSA World Tour – where victory would help her maintain hold of the World No.1 ranking in October.
In the men’s PSA M100 tournament Leo Au continued his outstanding run of form, following up back-to-back victories over former World No.1 James Willstrop and current World No.7 Simon Rösner with an impressive 3-1 defeat of World No.9 Mathieu Castagnet.
World No.33 Au produced a fine display to overcome Castagnet in a performance that sees him move into the semi-finals to face World No.3 Gregory Gaultier – where he’ll be aiming to make it a quartet of giant-killing acts. Gaultier overcame England’s Tom Richards in straight games.
The other half of the draw is an all-Egyptian battle between World No.6 Omar Mosaad and World No.12 Marwan Elshorbagy, after both came through in straight games against Borja Golan and Max Lee, respectively.
2015 Stars On The Bund China Open, Shanghai
PSA W50 – Quarter-final Results:
Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [1] Nicol David (MAS) 3-1: 9-11,11-8,11-5,11-9 (45 mins)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (40m)
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [8] Emma Beddoes (ENG) 3-0: 11-4,11-5,11-8 (40 mins)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [5] Annie Au (HKG) 11-2, 11-0 (Au retired)
PSA W50 – Semi-final Draw:
Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [3] Camille Serme (FRA)
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [2] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
PSA M100 – Quarter-Final Results:
Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) bt Max Lee (HKG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (37 mins)
[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [8] Borja Golan (ESP) 3-0: 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 (57 mins)
Leo Au (HKG) bt [7] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 3-1: 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6 (63 mins)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 (40 mins)
PSA M100 – Semi-Final Draw:
Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) v [4] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Leo Au (HKG) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Pictures courtesy of PSA and from social media