Alkass Digital
USA’s Amanda Sobhy yesterday stunned top seed Nouran Gohar in straight games to reach the semi-finals as World No.1 Nour El Sherbini continued her hunt for the prestigious QTerminal Qatar Classic title.
Sobhy, ranked No.5 in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) computer, outsmarted World No.2 Gohar 12-10, 11-9, 11-1 as she ended a nine-match losing streak against the Egyptian star to make it to the semi-finals in her second appearance at Doha’s Khalif International Tennis and Squash Complex.
Gohar, who had to win the tournament or finish ahead of El Sherbini to reclaim the World No.1 status, yesterday looked like she was on course in initial stages of the first game, and had taken a 10-6 lead early on. However, the 30-year-old Sobhy, fought back by bagging six consecutive points to stun Gohar.
She continued to excel against her fancied counterpart in the next game, winning it 11-9 while Gohar finally seemed to have given up the fight in the third game which saw the American cruising to a dominant 11-1 win.
“It was a long time coming, we’ve played a lot of times and our head-to-heads have been close, but since 2019 she’s beaten me,” Sobhy said after her rare win over the Egyptian.
“Every time I play her, I’m not afraid anymore. I want to play her because it gives me that much more confidence going in against her. I was excited to know that I was going to face again here in Qatar after last week in Paris,” Sobhy, who lost to Gohar 0-3 in Paris semi-finals, said.
“I learned a lot in Paris and I translated it into Qatar, hopefully you can see a different version of me, especially emotionally. I’m so pumped,” Sobhy said.
Meanwhile, El Sherbini advanced to semis to stay on course for her second Doha final in a row . El Sherbini, the runner up in 2015 before the women’s event went into a seven-year break, yesterday beat Belgian Nele Gilis 3-1 (11-0, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6) in 45 minutes.
“I’m thrilled. It was a bit scrappy on my side at the end and she was playing really well,” El Sherbini, seeded second this time, said after the match.
In the first women’s quarter final match on day five at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, World No.3 Hania El Hammamy defeated England’s Georgina Kennedy 3-1 (11-1, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10)to reach the semis, while Belgian Tinne Gilis also booker her place with a comeback in over World No.12 Salma Hany 3-1 (6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7).
Meanwhile, in the men’s side, England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy beat Youssef Ibrahim in an epic 81-minute clash as he looks to clinch his fifth title in Qatar.
World No.4 ElShorbagy, who only lost one of his five finals in the Qatar Classic, yesterday overcame Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim 3-2 (6-11, 11-6, 16-14, 8-11, 11-7) to set up a quarter-final meeting against World No.7 Mazen Hesham. Hesham defeated compatriot Aly Abou Eleinen in straight games (11-7, 11-2, 11-6).
“It was very hard for me today. Everything I do in my career, I still learn. He’s beaten me three times in a row and at a time in my career that was very difficult. Don’t get me wrong, he’s unbelievable and the talent he possesses on court – he’s unique,” ElShorbagy said.
Later in the evening, World No.2 Diego Elias defeated Youssef Soliman (11-3, 11-2, 11-5) in 38 minutes to earn his place in the quarter finals.
“I felt really good, but it’s always tough playing Youssef, we played all of out junior careers together. I know he’s very tough, and I’m just glad I kept my focus through the entire match and I’m happy to be in the quarter finals,” the former champion Elias said.
Elias will play Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad in the quarter-finals after the 2016 winner and former World No.1 took down Nicholas Mueller 3-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9).