RESULTS: WSF World Junior Squash Championships, Wroclaw, Poland
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) bt [5/8] Diego Elias (PER) 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 (65m)
[5/8] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Lyell Fuller (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 11-6 (32m)
[5/8] Richie Fallows (ENG) bt [9/16] Mohamed El Gawarhy (EGY) 7-11, 11-4, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9 (80m)
[2] Karim Ayman Elhammamy (EGY) bt [5/8] Yousif Nizar Saleh (KUW) 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (62m)
Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [5/8] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 11-9, 11-3, 11-6 (27m)
[9/16] Habiba Mohamed Ahmed Alymohmed (EGY) bt [3/4] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (24m)
[3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (25m)
[5/8] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) bt [2] Nouran Ahmed Gohar (EGY) 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-8 (74m)
Fallows & Al Tamimi In Bid To Stop Egyptian Double In Poland
Only Englishman Richie Fallows and Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi stand in the way of an Egyptian double in theWSF World Junior Squash Championships in Poland after today’s quarter-final action in the World Squash Federation event at the Hasta La Vista Club in the historical city of Wroclaw.
Fallows (pictured above in quarter-final action), a 5/8 seed and runner-up in the recent European Junior Championship, claimed an unexpected place in the semi-finals after twice coming from behind to beat Egypt’s Mohamed El Gawarhy 7-11, 11-4, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9 in 80 minutes – the longest match of the tournament so far.
Fallows is coached at Bexley by Kent county coach Ben Ford.
“It was a really tight game which almost slipped away from me,” said the 18-year-old Londoner afterwards. “I think God was on my side today, especially when I think about that backhand shot that went off my frame and helped me win the point at nine-all in the fifth!
“Who would I rather play in the semis? Nobody really. At this stage it’s always anybody’s game.”
Fallows now faces Karim Ayman Elhammamy, the second-seeded Egyptian who ended Kuwait’s historic run in the championship when he recovered from a game down to remove 5/8 seed Yousif Nizar Saleh 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7.
“Losing the first game was disappointing, but I was still getting into the game,” said Elhammamy. “I’m that sort of player who gets better as the match progresses. I play Richie (Fallows) in the semis, who I’ve never met before. We’ll see how it goes.”
Al Tamimi is also seeded in the 5/8 group – and was also marking his country’s debut appearance at the last eight stage of the championship. The Doha teenager ended English schoolboy Lyell Fuller‘s run by beating the unseeded 17-year-old 12-10, 11-8, 11-6.
The 18-year-old Qatari faces his sternest test when he takes on Egypt’s Fares Mohamed Dessouki for a place in the final. Favourite Dessouki stopped 5/8 seed Diego Elias, Peru’s first ever competitor in the championship, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 in 65 minutes.
But the biggest upset came in the women’s event when Mariam Ibrahim Metwally ousted Egyptian compatriot Nouran Ahmed Gohar, the No2 seed, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-8 in 74 minutes.
“I actually have a rather good record against Nouran Gohar,” explained the victorious 5/8 seed later. “I’ve played her perhaps 20 times in Egypt, not losing many of these, and I beat her in a tournament two weeks ago, 3/1.
“Today I could repeat that, having match point at 2/1 up, but I let that chance slip and she won the game. Luckily I wasn’t made to rue that later on,” added the 16-year-old.
“Why wasn’t I celebrating at the end? I was in a bit of pain because of cramp in my foot which I got at 8-5. I somehow managed to get through anyway!”
Metwally now takes on fellow countrywoman Yathreb Adel, a 3/4 seed who needed only 25 minutes to overcome Belgium’sNele Gilis 11-4, 11-5, 11-1.
The other women’s semi will also be a surprise all-Egyptian affair between favourite Nour El Sherbini and 9/16 seedHabiba Mohamed Ahmed Alymohmed.
El Sherbini, now one match away from her fourth final appearance since 2009, beat compatriot Salma Hany Ibrahim 11-9, 11-3, 11-6, while 14-year-old Alymohmed upset USA’s 3/4 seed Sabrina Sobhy 11-7, 11-7, 11-8.
“I never played Salma Ibrahim Ahmed in a competitive match before even though we often play exhibition matches,” said El Sherbini, the world No11, afterwards. “I think I did good, I’m quite satisfied with my performance.
“Tomorrow I play the young Habiba Mohamed whom I’ve also never faced before. We’re from the same city, but from different clubs.”
A confident Habiba Mohamed denied being nervous about her semi against fellow Alexandrian El Sherbini – and not surprised by today’s win: “Was I expecting the win? Perhaps a bit yesterday and much more today. It’s a big deal as I’m younger than her and at only 14 years I’m in the semis!
“Am I nervous? Not at all. Why should I be? There’s no pressure on me from now on.”
Men’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) v [5/8] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[2] Karim Ayman Elhammamy (EGY) v [5/8] Richie Fallows (ENG)
Women’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [9/16] Habiba Mohamed Ahmed Alymohmed (EGY)
[5/8] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) v [3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY)
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