CHENNAI – In a way it was Egypt’s day yesterday 3 September at the 8th World University Squash Championship at the ISA courts. Three of them came on view and each emerged a victor as the semi-finalists were spotted in the individual events.
Farah Abdel Megid was the first Egyptian winner and quite certainly she was the source of disappointment among home fans for the loser was India’s Aparajitha Balamurukan. Humour apart, more than Farah it was the Indian who scripted her own downfall with repeated unforced errors, mostly failing to judge the height of the tin. True, Farah won but Aparajitha did raise some cheers by plucking one game in what can be called ‘against the run of play’. Still Farah had compliments for the Indian. “She played well and made things difficult,” the second seeded Egyptian said but did not look stretched by it though. A well experienced pro already having been in the circuit for six years now, Farah is looking forward to happy times ahead.
Top seeded in the men’s section Mazen Sabri had to overcome an initial surge of energy and excellence of his opponent Sanjay Singh of Malaysia before cruising. Mazen is no stranger to ISA because he had come to spar with the Indian players recently in the preparation for the world juniors and loves his stay in India. But he seemed a stranger to anxiety, initially at least, before finding his way. “I think I was lucky to win”, said the humble Egyptian of his match while Sanjay felt “I could not sustain the pace. He was so good.” Mazen’s variation of pace and his sure-shot drop shots were a treat to watch in what was easily one of the top contests of the day.
If Mazen had a scare then his compatriot Zahed Mohammad, the second seed, had a tough opponent in the form of Joel Makin of Great Britain. Joel has a good grounding and his movement spoke of his abilities. Additionally he was physically tough and so Zahed had too many things in hand. It is a different matter that the Egyptian won in straight games but the scores hardly do justice to the kind of control and steadiness that marked the winner’s approach.
The lone Czech in the tournament, Olga Ertlova, the top women’s seed, took time to get her touch, even lost a game but Chloe Mesic (France) could capitalize much. A sprightly player, not surprising considering she had also excelled in gymnastics, Olga got the right length to her returns and the rival’s mistakes turned form a trickle to a stream. Olga had a comfortable passage to the last four.
RESULTS DAY 2 – QUARTER FINALS
Men: Mazen Sabri (EGY) bt Sanjay Singh (MAS) 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8; Eddie Charlton (GBR) bt Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5; Zahed Mohammad (EGY) bt Joel Makin (GBR) 12-10, 11-8, 11-8; Saqib Yousuf (PAK) bt Andrew Martin (RSA) 11-8, 9-11, 15-13, 8-11, 11-3
Women: Alexendra Fuller (RSA) bt Zuhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 13-11; Farah Abdel Megid (EGY) bt Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND) 11-3, 11-5, 10-12, 11-4; Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt Chloe Mesic (FRA) 8-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-6; Camilla Tomilinson (GBR) bt Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 11-2, 7-11, 11-3, 11-4
NEWS BULLETIN
(Source: WUC Squash Media Relations)