Welsh battler Tesni Evans beats Yathreb Adel in five to deny an all-Egypt final
By HOWARD HARDING
Welsh number one Tesni Evans denied the hosts of the Women’s Sharm El Sheikh International Squash Championship an all-Egyptian final when she defeated Cairo-based Yathreb Adel in the semi-finals of the WSA International 25 event at the Youth and Sports City Hall in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Evans, the No.7 seed, twice stemmed comebacks by Adel to beat the world No.35 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 in 69 minutes to set up a final meeting with Egypt’s No.5 seed Heba El Torky.
Tesni’s triumph takes the world No.31 into her fourth – and biggest – WSA World Tour final.
“Sooo happy to have won today in another 5 setter!!!” the 22-year-old from Rhyl told her Twitter followers. “Tomorrow final vs Heba El Torky! One last match!! #comeon #loveafivesetter #sharmelsheik)”
It took El Torky less than half the time to earn her place in the final, beating Denmark’s sixth seed Line Hansen 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 in the other semi.
Home heroine El Torky, the world No.26 from Alexandria, is now celebrating her 12th Tour final and looking for her ninth title.
Top Seeds Quashed In Sharm Quarters
A semi-final line-up devoid of any of the top four seeds will see the Women’s Sharm El Sheikh International Squash Championship play out its penultimate day of action after further upsets in the WSA International 25 event at the Youth & Sports City Hall in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Fifth seed Heba El Torky now becomes the top contender for the title after pulling off the biggest quarter-final upset. The 24-year-old world No.26 from Alexandria battled back from a game down to beat second seed Nicolette Fernandes, the world No.20 from Guyana, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 12-10.
El Torky now faces Line Hansen, the No.6 seed from Denmark who ended Coline Aumard’s run, beating the French qualifier 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4.
Fast-rising Welsh star Tesni Evans claimed one of the biggest scalps in her career to earn a surprise semi-final slot. The world No.31 from Rhyl survived a five-game marathon against Salma Hany Ibrahim, beating the fourth-seeded Egyptian – ranked 12 places higher – 7-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7 in 85 minutes.
Evans will now take on another Egyptian for a place in the final. Cairo-born Yathreb Adel ousted event giant-killer Deon Saffery – the unseeded Welsh player who upset top seed Rachael Grinham in the opening round – 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11.
First Round: Grinhams Go In Sharm Shake-Up
It was a disappointing day for the Grinham sisters on the opening day of main draw action in the Women’s Sharm El Sheikh International Squash Championship, the WSA International 25 event at the Youth & Sports City Hall in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Former world number one Rachael Grinham, the top seed from Australia, crashed out 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 in 25 minutes to unseeded Welsh opponent Deon Saffery. It was the 27-year-old Welsh international’s first Tour win over Grinham, the ex-world champion who boasts 34 Tour titles.
Younger sister Natalie Grinham, who now represents the Netherlands, twice led Coline Aumard – but the French qualifier battled back in the decider to upset the third seed 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 in a 51-minute battle.
While Aumard progresses to face top-ranked Dane Line Hansen, Saffery moves on to play Yathreb Adel, one of three Egyptians fighting for places in the semi-finals.
Eighth seed Adel beat compatriot Farah Abdel Meguid, a qualifier, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9.
Women’s Sharm El Sheikh International Squash Championship, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Semi-finals:
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [8] Yathreb Adel (EGY) 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (69m)
[5] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [6] Line Hansen (DEN) 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (34m)
Quarter-finals:
[8] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Deon Saffery (WAL) 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11 (36m)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [4] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 7-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7 (85m)
[6] Line Hansen (DEN) bt [Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4 (47m)
[5] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [2] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 12-10 (54m)
First round:
Deon Saffery (WAL) bt [1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (25m)
[8] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [Q] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (48m)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [Q] Mayar Hany Mohamed (EGY) 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 (41m)
[4] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 (36m)
[Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) bt [3] Natalie Grinham (NED) 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 (51m)
[6] Line Hansen (DEN) bt [Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4 (21m)
[5] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt Siyoli Waters (RSA) 1-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-8 (35m)
[2] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt [WC] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 6-11, 14-12, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 (82m)