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11/06/2015
Alexandria International 2015

Reports
  Final      Semi Finals      Quarter Finals     2nd Round    1st Round   Preview
Alexandria International 2015
04-10 Jun,
Alexandria, Egypt, $100k
Round One
05 Jun
Round Two
06/07 Jun
Quarters
08
Jun
Semis
09
Jun
Final
10 Jun
[1] Nicol David (Mas)
 11/6, 11/6, 11/4 (30m)
Victoria Lust (Eng)
Nicol David
13-11, 11-3, 12-10 (40m)
Nouran Gohar
Nicol David
11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (41m)
Nour El Tayeb
Nicol David
11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 1-11, 12-10 (65m)
Omneya Abdel Kawy
Omneya Abdel Kawy
11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (35m)
Raneem El Welily
[11] Nouran Gohar (Egy)
 11/3, 11/9, 11/2 (23m)
[Q] Zeina Farid Mickawy (Egy)
[10] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng)
11/9, 11/5, 11/6 (41m)
[Q] Kanzy El Dafrawy (Egy)
Kanzy El Dafrawy
11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 (52m)
Nour El Tayeb
[5] Nour El Tayeb (Egy)
11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (32m)
Heba El Torky (Egy)
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)
11/6, 7/11, 11/13, 11/3, 16/14 (58m)
Donna Urquhart (Aus)
Omneya Abdel Kawy
11-13, 13-11, 11-7, 11-9 (45m)
Mariam Metwally
Omneya Abdel Kawy
8-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-3, 11-3 (53m)
Alison Waters
[14] Salma Hany Ibrahim (Egy)
12/10, 11/3, 11/4 (31m)
[Q] Mariam Metwally (Egy)
[16] Habiba Mohamed (Egy)
12/10, 11/9, 11/4 (38m)
[Q] Cyrielle Peltier (Fra)
Habiba Mohamed
11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 (53m)
Alison Waters
[3] Alison Waters (Eng)
11/9. 11/6, 11/5 (33m)
Samantha Teran (Mex)
[Q] Yathreb Adel (Egy)
11/9, 10/12, 11/3, 12/10 (50m)
[4] Laura Massaro (Eng)
Laura Massaro
11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 (45m)
Amanda Sobhy
Laura Massaro
5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 (63m)
Nour El Sherbini
Laura Massaro
11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 (70m)
Raneem El Welily
[Q] Nadin Shahin (Egy)
11/2, 11/5, 11/13, 11/5 (36m)
[9] Amanda Sobhy (Usa)
[Q] Coline Aumard (Fra)
11/4, 11/9, 11/9 (25m)
[12] Jenny Duncalf (Eng)
Jenny Duncalf
11-3, 11-6, 11-5 (25m)
Nour El Sherbini
[Q] Laura Pomportes (Fra)
 11/4, 11/5, 11/7 (20m)
[8] Nour El Sherbini (Egy)
Tesni Evans (Wal)
11/9, 14/12, 11/5 (42m)
[6] Camille Serme (Fra)
Camille Serme
11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (33m)
Nicolette Fernandes
Camille Serme
8-11, 11-4, 11-13, 11-5, 11-1 (55m)
Raneem El Welily
Siyoli Waters (Rsa)
 11/8, 11/7, 11/9 (34m)
[15] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
[wc] Hana Ramadan (Egy)
11/9, 11/8, 11/8 (32m)
[13] Dipika Pallikal (Ind)
Dipika Pallikal
11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-3 (41m)
Raneem El Welily
Emily Whitlock (Eng)
6/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/4 (42m)
[2] Raneem El Welily (Egy)
Qualifying finals:

Yathreb Adel (Egy) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy) 11/4, 11/8, 11/2 (21m)
Laura Pomportes (Fra) 3-0 Menna Nasser (Egy) 11/4, 11/2, 11/5 (20m)
Nadine Shahin (Egy) 3-2 Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 4/11, 12/10, 11/6, 8/11, 11/5 (61m)
Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-2 Nada Abbas (Egy) 10/12, 9/11, 11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (67m)
Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-1 Mayar Hany Mohamed (Egy) 11/7, 9/11, 11/5, 12/10 (52m)
Cyrielle Peltier (Fra) 3-0 Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (Egy) 11/6, 11/1, 11/1 (20m)
Zeina Farid Mickawy (Egy) 3-2 Nouran El Torky (Egy) 11/6, 4/11, 11/8, 6/11, 15/13 (51m)
Kanzy El Defrawy (Egy) 3-0 Rowan Reda (Egy) 11/4, 11/5, 11/2 (22m)

RESULTS: Women's Alexandria International, Alexandria, Egypt

Final

Raneem Romps To Alexandria Title

Raneem El Welily emphatically boosted her bid to become the next women's world number one when she despatched fellow Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy in straight games in the final of the Alexandria International in her home city of Alexandria to claim the 10th WSA World Tour squash title of her career.

It was an impressive performance by the Alexandria-born 26-year-old who has held second place in the WSA world rankings throughout this year and is enjoying the best form of her life with final berths in all but one of her last seven Tour appearances.

El Welily, who admitted to be "struggling" with her game early in the event, regrouped in magnificent style in the WSA International 100 event at Bibliotheca Alexandrina to overcome both British Open champion Camille Serme and former world champion Laura Massaro to reach her 25th Tour final on home soil.

It took just 35 minutes for the No.2 seed to beat surprise opponent Abdel Kawy (pictured above with El Welily, right) - the seventh seed who sensationally ended a 24-match losing run to beat Malaysia's world number one Nicol David in the semi-finals.

Undoubtedly spurred on by the packed and partisan Bibliotheca Alexandrina crowd, El Welily defeated her Cairo-born opponent 11-6, 11-5, 11-9.

"Very happy with this win," El Welily said later. "I'm very grateful.

"I couldn't have done it without my people, those around me this week, my husband, my family, the whole family - my coaches Ahmed Faragallah and Basem Makram who came to be with me, but mostly my coach who couldn't be here this week, Haitham Effat. This one goes out to you!"

El Welily's latest triumph in the $100,000 Alexandria International marks the third biggest WSA Tour title of her career. But her two biggest were also this year - the $118,000 Tournament of Champions in January and the $150,000 Windy City Open in March.
 

Semi Finals

Abdel Kawy Upset Sets Up All-Egyptian Alexandria Final

It will be Cairo v the host city Alexandria in the surprise all-Egyptian final of the Women's Alexandria International after No.7 seed Omneya Abdel Kawy and second seed Raneem El Welily prevailed in dramatic five-game semi-finals of the WSA International 100 squash event before a packed crowd surrounding the all-glass court at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Abdel Kawy, the 29-year-old world No.9 from Cairo, went into her match with top seed Nicol David having lost 24 times in a row to the world number from Malaysia since March 2002.

The Giza-born underdog took the opening two games - but, spurred on by a significant Malaysian contingent in the crowd, David struck back to draw level, taking the fourth for the loss of just a single point.

The pair traded point for point in the decider with Abdel Kawy (pictured below after clinching victory) reaching match-ball first at 10-9 - but losing it on a stroke. The former world No.4 clinched the second to record her shock 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 1-11, 12-10 victory after 65 minutes.

The triumph set up the 32nd WSA World Tour final of Abdel Kawy's career - and her first this year - but denied eight-time world champion David a place in her 100th Tour final.

"I can't tell you how happy I am," Abdel Kawy said later. "I only beat her once a long time ago and since then she always beat me.

"I am flattered with the way I played today. I thought that I really played very well. After that fourth, I told myself, now is the time, you give it all what you have."

In the second semi, Alexandria-born El Welily lined up against England's Laura Massaro, the player she succeeded as world No.2 in January this year.

El Welily (pictured above, foreground, with Massaro) twice led and fourth seed Massaro twice levelled. But from 3-5 down in the decider, the now Cairo-based El Welily rattled off eight points in a row to ensure an all-Egyptian climax.

"It was a long match, a very tough match, mentally and physically," said 26-year-old El Welily after her 70-minute 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 victory. "I didn't think I was as fast as yesterday and I think we were both feeling the effects of yesterday's matches.

"It was all about the end of the match and I was glad I was able to concentrate and push through then. Obviously I'm delighted to be in an all-Egyptian final, especially with Omneya!" added El Welily, now in her 25th Tour final.

Abdel Kawy was equally delighted with the outcome: "I'm so happy Raneem won. She is my best friend, she won most of our matches but tomorrow I'm going to make her life very difficult, she is going to have a bad experience, and the best player will win!"

It is exactly nine years since the two Egyptians (both pictured above) first met on the WSA Tour. Their distinctive head-to-head record is currently poised on seven wins apiece - Abdel Kawy winning the first seven in a row until May 2011, since when El Welily has prevailed unbeaten.
 

Quarter Finals

Massaro & David Deny Egyptian Full House In Alexandria

England's Laura Massaro and Malaysia's world number one Nicol David denied the hosts of the Women's Alexandria International an all-Egyptian semi-final line-up after hard-fought victories over local players in the quarter-finals of the WSA International 100 squash event at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

World No.4 Massaro avenged a defeat in their last meeting in the US Open in October when she twice came from behind to beat Alexandrian Nour El Sherbini, ranked just three places below, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 in 63 minutes.

"Nour is so talented, I'm happy I managed to get one more win out of her today," Massaro (pictured above, right, with El Sherbini) said afterwards. "I'm sorry I spoiled the party for the crowd, everybody wanted her to win - I had to work extra hard in each rally to compensate for everybody cheering for Nour!"

Top seed David is now just one win away from a 100th WSA World Tour final appearance following a tough battle with Cairo-based Nour El Tayeb, the fifth seed. A stunning rally brought the match to a close when David leapt to put away the winner with the Egyptian stranded on the floor after a dive.

"I think it was a very exciting match for the crowd, with Nour diving all over the court and just picking up everything," said David (pictured above, right, with El Tayeb) after her 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 triumph in 41 minutes. "It was a very tough match, it was very hot on there, and I'm truly happy to get through in three!"

David will now face her third successive local opponent when she takes on career-long rival Omneya Abdel Kawy for a place in the final. The world No.9 from Cairo pulled off the day's only upset when she survived a five-game battle with England's Alison Waters, the world No.6.

Kawy recovered from a 2/1 lead by Londoner Waters to take the last two games for the loss of just six points, much to the delight of the home crowd.

"That was very tough," said Abdel Kawy after her 8-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-3, 11-3 victory. "In the first two games, strangely enough I was very tired, and she was playing very, really well, and my head was just not there.

"My coach told me 'come on, you can win this, you know you are not tired, just give it a big push'."

In the final match of the day, second seed Raneem El Welily kept hopes of an all-Egyptian final alive as she came from 1/2 down to beat in-form French star Camille Serme.

Sixth seed Serme, who won the British Open title in May against expectations and went into the Alexandria quarter-final boasting a 15-match winning streak since March, built up a 2/1 lead.

But from 0-3 down in the fourth, the Alexandria-born world No.2 dominated proceedings, dropping just three more points to record a popular 8-11, 11-4, 11-13, 11-5, 11-1 win in 55 minutes.

"She was playing unbelievably well, obviously," said the relieved Egyptian. "The plan I had prepared today was a dangerous one I really didn't like, but I couldn't afford to change it at all. I'm just so relieved to get through."
 

2nd Round (lower half of draw)

Egyptians Dominate Quarter-Final Line-Up In Alexandria

There will be Egyptian interest in all four quarter-finals of the Women's Alexandria International after Alexandrians Nour El Sherbini and Raneem El Welily thrilled the home crowd with second round victories in the WSA International 100 squash event at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

Eighth seed El Sherbini, a three-time world junior champion, delighted the partisan crowd - and the governor of Alexandria - with a powerful performance against England's Jenny Duncalf.

The 19-year-old was in impressive form, despatching 32-year-old former world No.2 Duncalf 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 in 25 minutes.

"I'm so happy to be in the quarters here in Egypt, in front of my family, my friends," El Sherbini (pictured above, left, with Duncalf) said later. "Thanks to my coach and my sponsors and to all the sponsors that made this event possible!"

World No.2 El Welily, born and raised in Alexandria but now based in Cairo, lined up against the Indian number one Dipika Pallikal.

The second seed was made to work to overcome Pallikal, ranked 17 places lower. El Welily took the opening game and squandered a lead in the second to allow the world No.19 from Chennai to draw level.

The local heroine had to fight back to take the third in a tie-break - but soon took control of the fourth to win 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-3 after 41 minutes.

"I am struggling with my game, with my momentum," admitted El Welily (pictured above, right, with Pallikal). "Dipika played very well, but then again, nobody plays badly anymore. What made the difference in the fourth? The support!"

El Sherbini will face a second successive English opponent in the event after former world champion Laura Massaro overcame USA's ninth seed Amanda Sobhy in four games.

It was Sobhy's first Tour event since graduating from Harvard University last month - and the 21-year-old from New York stemmed Massaro's two-game lead by taking the third before the England number one regained the upper hand to close out the match 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 in 45 minutes.

"It was a good match, I thought that all the games were quite competitive," said the world No.4 from Preston. "Amanda has been playing very well, she has just graduated from college, I'm not sure how much training she's done, so I'm happy to manage to get one more win before she goes full time!"

El Welily will face France's Camille Serme for a place in the semi-finals. In the last match of the evening, the recently-crowned British Open champion pulled away from seven-all in the opening game to beat Guyana's Nicolette Fernandes 11-7, 11-6, 11-3.

"It was tough," said Serme. "It was hot and we don't normally play this late so I'm pleased to get through to the quarters, and because I'm playing Raneem the crowd and the atmosphere will be great."


2nd Round (top half of draw)

Egyptians Earn Two Quarter-Final Slots In Alexandria

Egyptians claimed two of the four quarter-final slots on offer after today's second round of the Women's Alexandria International when Nour El Tayeb and Omneya Abdel Kawy secured four-game wins over qualifiers on an all-glass court in the WSA International 100 squash event at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

Fifth seed El Tayeb took 62 minutes to overcome compatriot Kanzy Emad El Defrawy 11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7.

"We're good friends and practice a lot together, so it was a little strange to play her in a match like this," world No.5 El Tayeb (pictured above with Defrawy) said later. "It was a tough match, I'm just delighted to be in the quarters!"

Seventh seed Abdel Kawy, the former world No4 who had to come from behind to beat Australian Donna Urquhart in a dramatic five-game first round match, also had to overcome a deficit in her second round clash with Mariam Metwally.

But the 29-year-old ultimately got the better of Metwally, beating the 18-year-old 11-13, 13-11, 11-7, 11-9 in 45 minutes.

"I was so up and down, the whole match, I felt like I was the one that won or lost," said the relieved world No.9 (pictured above with Metwally). "Thank God I managed to take the second game, it was really crucial."

El Tayeb will now face favourite Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is seeded to win her first title in Egypt since claiming a record eighth world crown in December in Cairo.

David survived two tie-break games as she overpowered Nouran Gohar, the 17-year-old 11th seed from Cairo, 13-11, 11-3, 12-10.

England's No.3 seed Alison Waters awaits Abdel Kawy. The world No.6 from London defeated 16-year-old Egyptian Habiba Mohamed 11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8.

 

1st Round

Locals Defrawy & Metwally Break Through In Alexandria

Local qualifiers Kanzy Emad El Defrawy and Mariam Metwally secured unexpected places in the last 16 round of the Women's Alexandria International after masterminding straight games upsets over seeded opponents on the opening day of main draw action in the WSA International 100 squash event in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

The new $100,000 Alexandria International has attracted a star-studded field, led by Malaysia's world number one Nicol David and including nine Egyptians from the world top 30 and eight from the host city itself.

El Defrawy bagged the biggest scalp, taking down England's No.10 seed Sarah-Jane Perry 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 in 41 minutes.

"I'm happy with the way I played today and so excited to be playing on the glass court tomorrow," said the 21-year-old world No.37 from Cairo - ranked 25 places lower than her opponent.

"I'm especially so grateful that I won 3/0, which was really far-fetched, thinking how great a player she is - truly one of the best players in the world."

Alexandria-born-and-bred Metwally saw off compatriot and fellow 18-year-old Salma Hany Ibrahim, the 14th seed, 12-10, 11-3, 11-4.

"I'm so happy to get to the second round, especially her in front of my friends and family, my mum and my dad," said the world No.39, now the lowest-ranked player in the draw.

"Tomorrow, I hope I can play well - then I'm back to school for my exams on Sunday!"

Both Defrawy and Metwally progress to face fellow countrywomen for places in the quarter-finals. El Defrawy takes on Nour El Tayeb, the fifth seed from Cairo, while Metwally meets seventh seed Omneya Abdel Kawy, the 29-year-old former world No.4 who survived the day's longest and most dramatic match - finally emerging victorious in an 11-6, 7-11, 11-13, 11-3, 16-14 scoreline over the event's sole Australian Donna Urquhart.

Nicol David, back in Tour action after leading a highly successful WSF Ambassador Programme visit to Serbia, Romania and Croatia, cruised to an 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 win over England's Victoria Lust and will now line up against rising Egyptian star Nouran Gohar, the 17-year-old No.11 seed who despatched 16-year-old Egyptian qualifier Zeina Farid Mickawy in just 23 minutes.

The Egyptian attack is being led by world No.2 Raneem El Welily. But the Alexandria-born and now Cairo-based 26-year-old was given a mighty scare by Emily Whitlock when the new world No.20 from England took the opening game and forced the second to a tie-break.

The experienced El Welily weathered the storm however to clinch the second game before closing out the match 6-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-4 after 42 minutes to claim her anticipated place in the next round.

Ninth seed Amanda Sobhy was enjoying her first appearance on the WSA World Tour since graduating from Harvard University last month. The 21-year-old from New York overcame Egyptian qualifier Nadine Shahin 11-2, 11-5, 11-13, 11-5 and will now face England's former world No.2 Jenny Duncalf for a place in the last eight.

 

Preview

Nicol David Heads WSA Alexandria International Line-Up

Malaysia's world number one Nicol David heads a star-studded line-up at next month's Alexandria International, a new WSA International 100 squash event which will be staged on an all-glass court at the Library of Alexandria in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

All but one of the WSA world top ten will compete in the $100,000 event which will take place from 5-10 June and will also feature all eight of the Egyptian players in the world top 30.

David begins her bid to reach the 100th WSA World Tour final of her career against England's Victoria Lust - while second seed Raneem El Welily, the world No.2 from Alexandria, also faces English first round opposition in Emily Whitlock.

Camille Serme, the world No.6 who last week became the first ever French winner of the women's British Open trophy, returns to the court for the first time since her historic success when she lines up against Welsh number one Tesni Evans.

"It's great to see a new major women's event in Egypt come on the calendar, in particular after the staging of a highly successful Women's World Championship in Cairo last year," said WSA CEO Tommy Berden.

"The Egyptian players are flourishing on the Tour at the moment, so it is a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase their talent in front of a home crowd."

Tournament promoter Amr Mansi added: "I am very delighted to be able to host this event it has always been a goal for me to host two of the biggest international events for men and women.

"It all started at El Gouna when the governor of Alexandria decided to host a major event in Alexandria - all the credit to him for his support and hard work. Looking forward to welcome all the top players in my hometown Alexandria."