World No.12 Amanda Sobhy is through to the semi finals of the El Gouna International, PSA World Tour Platinum tournament after sensationally coming back from two games down against World No.3 Nour El Tayeb on the at Abu Tig Marina earlier today.Egypt’s El Tayeb took the first couple of games with ease but a change of gameplan saw the American fight her way back into it as she showed more attacking intent.
She took the third and the fourth, and made a strong start to the decider, as El Tayeb lost her composure completely, resulting in her breaking her racket against her own leg after falling 4-1 behind. After the World No.3 returned to court, a conduct stroke was given against Tayeb, with the American taking full advantage to go on and secure victory.
Sobhy will face Egypt’s World No.1 Raneem El Welily on the night of Thursday April 25 for a place in the final.
“I wasn’t thinking I had a chance to win, I was thinking about not getting slaughtered and trying not to embarrassing myself. It is a quarter final… and Tayeb was playing well, but I told myself to give it everything I had,” Sobhy said after winning.
“There was some rage, some anger fuelling me, and I just tried to power through. Fortunately I got a good lead in both the third and fourth and in the fifth, I wasn’t event thinking about how I had come back, I kept thinking I needed to keep my head down and to keep going.
“I think I was not prepared for the glass court, and I had over 48 hours of rest. I didn’t do much yesterday apart from a 30 minute hit, so I think it was just that shock to the system of the pace. I had to get the lungs working again, I couldn’t find my lengths and she was all over me. I don’t really know how, but I just told myself to stop being a baby and to push through.”
Defending champion El Welily is through to the semi finals after beating New Zealand’s Joelle King in a high-quality four game affair.
The pair had met 15 times on the PSA World Tour in the past, with the Egyptian having won 11 of them. However, King had won four of the last six, including the finals of the Hong Kong Open and Cleveland Classic in 2018.
Welily came out strong to win the first game, but the Kiwi pegged her back with some quality squash in the second. The World No.1 found another gear though to claim victory and book her spot in the semi finals.
“I am definitely pleased to be into the semis here in El Gouna. Playing Joelle has not been easy for me lately but to come out with a 3-1 win is definitely something that makes me pleased,” Welily said after her victory. READMORE
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