World No.12 Rowan Elaraby has reached a semi final of a Platinum-level event for the first time since 2022 after overcoming her Egyptian compatriot Amina Orfi in a quarter final thriller at the J.P. Tournament of Champions in New York.
Elaraby, whose last appearance in the semi-finals of a Platinum came at the 2022 CIB Black Ball Open, continued her excellent run at this event as she produced a big performance to hold off teenage sensation Orfi.
The 23-year-old dictated the pace for most of the match, and was 2-1 up going into a key fourth game for both players. A request for a new ball went in from Orfi, and it appeared to have come to her aid when she had two game balls to tie the match again. Both were saved by Elaraby for another tiebreak and she squandered a match ball when she drilled the ball out of court.
Two game balls followed for Orfi – both saved again – as Elaraby then had four match ball opportunities to seal a semi final berth. It would be fifth time lucky for Elaraby in a monumental tiebreak.
“I gave it everything and I know Amina [Orfi] is a very tough, young opponent. You have to have your A game to beat her – she’s an up and coming player, she’s already there and she’s competing with the top players.
“Beating her is definitely a bonus for me. I really worked on my game plan, I tried to focus on every rally and I tried not to get overexcited.
“I wanted to concentrate point by point, rally by rally, and I’m really happy with my performance today.”
Elaraby will lock horns with former World No.1 Nouran Gohar for a place in the final at Grand Central after she downed Nour El Tayeb 3-0.
Gohar, who won the event back in 2022, maintained her 100 per cent streak in New York this year having not dropped a single game so far.
Having taken the first 11-8, Gohar felt the response from El Tayeb who was exposing her opponent in the front corner on a number of occasions to have four game balls. Gohar wiped all four out emphatically, finding success on her backhand as she doubled her lead by winning the tiebreak. The victory was confirmed in the third when the World No.3 converted match ball at the first time of asking,
“Nour [El Tayeb] is a phenomenal player,” said Gohar. “She gets so many balls back, I don’t understand how she does it! But it’s so hard to play against her. I think the crowd here like our matches, thats the third time we’ve played here and I was lucky last time to win so I’m very happy to win in three.
“If it would have gone to five, she is stingy and stubborn but I have huge respect for her.
“I wasn’t even sure that I would be here. I’m taking it day by day with my rehab, I wake up and talk to my physio and see if I can play. It’s not a bad perspective as I have to just think about the moment.
“But I’m glad that given everything that has happened, I’m playing this event and I can’t wait for the next match.”
Elsewhere, Mostafa Asal is into the semi finals in New York for the first time in his career as he resisted a strong fightback from Mohamed ElShorbagy.
Asal had only reached the quarter finals at best at the Tournament of Champions previously, but the ‘Raging Bull’ has gone one better this time to move within one match of the final.
The current World No.4 was two games to the good against ElShorbagy, but ‘The Beast’ roared back as he moved higher up the court and won the third and fourth games to force a decider. Having trailed early on in the fifth, ElShorbagy pegged the score back to 9-9 to set up a tense finale, and Asal had match ball when the Englishman was deemed to have carried the ball onto his racket. Asal went on to clinch the match, concluding 118 minutes of dramatic action.
“It’s always difficult to play against your idol,” Asal said. “He’s a huge idol for me and I respect him so much. It’s one of the toughest matches I’ve played against him. You never know the emotions, you never know how much I respect this legend.
“When you see him as a World Champion and World No.1 for many months, it’s scary when you see the numbers. Every time I step onto court with him I’m very proud to play with this legend of the sport.”
Asal will take on reigning champion Diego Elias tomorrow night, who delivered an accomplished performance to book his spot in the last four as he saw off Mazen Hesham.
Elias, who was defeated recently by the Egyptian in the semi finals of the Florida Open, was tactically impeccable against Hesham on this occasion to continue his title defence in New York.
The backhand of the Peruvian proved to be problematic for Hesham throughout as he also kept his error count very low – not making a single one in the first game – while too many mistakes came from the Egyptian’s racket. Elias was in complete control in all three games, leaving Hesham struggling to find answers to record an 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 success.
“I think I played well today, I didn’t make many errors. Mazen [Hesham] beat me last week in Florida and I wanted my revenge and I’m happy with how I played and how focused I was,” said Elias.
Results: J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions 2024 – Men’s quarter finals (bottom half)
[4] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt [5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG) 3-2: 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-13, 11-9 (118m)
[2] Diego Elias (PER) bt [6] Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (39m)
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Victor Crouin (FRA)
[4] Mostafa Asal (EGY) v [2] Diego Elias (PER)
[1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) v [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)