Defending men’s champion from Egypt Ali Farag on Tuesday rallied in fine fashion to beat Youssef Soliman on day two of the QTerminals Qatar Classic on Tuesday.
World No 1 Farag had a strong record against Soliman, with only one previous defeat in eight matches. However, Soliman on Tuesday played exceptionally well and won the first game but Farag rallied quickly.
Farag won 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4.
“It takes so many things (to beat Soliman),” said Farag after his win on Tuesday. “It was a really tactical battle. He’s really smart and when I watched him yesterday in the fifth game he was out of breath but still found a way to win. I watched him against Diego (Elias) in Paris and I think this is the best he is playing in his career so far.
“He’s been challenging the top guys for a very long time, but I feel he is getting closer in every match and it was getting a bit nerve-racking. Thankfully, I had (Karim) Darwish in my corner and he told me to tweak a few things, but it’s credit to Youssef because he didn’t give me the opportunity to play my own game plan.”
Reigning women’s champion Hania El Hammamy also advanced in the tournament with a decisive 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 victory over wildcard Salma Eltayeb.
The World No 3 dominated the match, consistently applying pressure on her opponent. Eltayeb struggled to keep up with El Hammamy’s relentless pace, and the second game quickly followed the same pattern.
“I’m not that familiar with her game, we’ve played a couple of times in training, but it’s different in a match and real tournaments,” said El Hammamy on Tuesday.
“It was a bit tricky not knowing what to expect. She’s very attacking and very powerful, so I had to be alert and ready for her shots. I’m glad I got through in three.
“I played better today (compared to the first round against Satomi Watanabe). I got more used to the court and started to find my length a bit better. There is only one way forward, I guess.
“Every time I’ve been the defending champion I’ve not done well and I haven’t won the title. Now, I’m more experienced and I know how to deal with the pressure of being the defending champion. I need to improve my performance each round, and if it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
World No 1 Nour El Sherbini winsWorld No 1 Nour El Sherbini stayed on course to win a third PSA Squash Tour title on the bounce after she completed a dominant 3-0 win over fellow Egyptian Sana Ibrahim. El Sherbini won 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 in 29 minutes.
Despite two previous final appearances in Doha, the Qatar Classic trophy is the only major title that currently eludes El Sherbini.
Veteran Momen advancesEgyptian veteran Tarek Momen on Tuesday booked his place in the quarter-finals of this year’s QTerminals Qatar Classic after halting dangerous Frenchman Sebastien Bonmalais in straight games.
The 36-year-old from Cairo – making his 16th appearance at the Qatar Classic – made the most of his racket skills in the opening game and won 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (50 minutes).
“Some of his retrievals were insane,” Momen said. “I think I did a pretty good job with the attacking side of things, but he was onto it. I couldn’t believe some of the shots he got back, he put a lot of pressure on me and I’m happy I managed to close it out.
“ I don’t think about the numbers (his longevity) I just try to take care of my body the best way I can. I don’t know how many chances I have left, so any opportunity I get to play on this court I have to take it. I am blessed that I am still playing at this level, and I’m very proud.
“I want to keep going and fighting for every match I play for as long as I can.
“I’ve added a few layers to my game, I’ve slowed things down, I still play at a fast pace, but I’m better at slowing the pace down when I need to. I spend more time off court doing mobility and recovery work too.
“It’s all part of the process, you grow older and you need to do a few things differently.”