Round Two continued today with eight more matches, matches from the bottom half of the draws at Hong Kong Squash Centre.
Defending Champions Hania El Hammamy and Paul Coll, alongside former Champions Nouran Gohar and Mostafa Asal, booked their quarter-final spots, the only seeding upset coming as San Ibrahim prevailed over an injured Gina Kennedy.
Check out the Reports, Reaction and Photos below the results …
Women’s Round Two :
[3] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-0 Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (36m)
[7] Tinne Gilis (Bel) 3-0 Hollie Naughton (Can) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (23m)
Sana Ibrahim (Egy) 3-0 [6] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 11-8, 11-9, 5-1 rtd (27m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-1 Joelle King (Nzl) 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-5 (40m)
Men’s Round Two :
[3] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-0 Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (43m)
[8] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-1 Fares Dessouky (Egy) 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (63m)
[7] Tarek Momen (Egy) 3-1 Marwan ElShorbagy (Eng) 6-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-9 (45m)
[2] Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 Auguste Dussourd (Fra) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (54m)
Asal completes R2 with a lengthy 3-0
[2] Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 Auguste Dussourd (Fra) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (54m)
Round Two – and the quarter-final lineups – were completed as 2022 Champion Mostafa Asal completed a lengthy straight games win over Auguste Dussourd. The Frenchman competed well in the opening game but couldn’t quite make the breakthrough as Asal edged ahead 11-9.
Dussourd matched Asal up to 6-6 in the second, but from there on the Egyptian’s power started to have more effect as he ran out the winner in 54 minutes.
Momen fights back to deny Marwan
[7] Tarek Momen (Egy) 3-1 Marwan ElShorbagy (Eng) 6-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-9 (45m)
Egypt’s Tarek Momen overcame England’s Marwan ElShorbagy in an often contentious four-game match to increase his H2H lead over ElShorbagy to 11-2.
There were some traffic issues in the opening game, but it was Marwan who was able to eke out a lead and take the game 11-6. Tarek stormed back in the second, opening up an 8-0 lead before levelling 11-1 and carried that momentum into the third, taking it 11-7.
Marwan led the fourth 4-1 but that lead was lost, and in a tense finish with plenty of decisions and appeals, it was Tarek who took the win 11-9 to reach the quarter-finals.
Ruthless finish from Gohar
[2] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-1 Joelle King (Nzl) 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-5 (40m)
Champion here in 2016, Nouran Gohar put in a statement performance as she overwhelmed New Zealand’s Joelle King in the latter part of the final women’s match of the day.
After an even opening to the first game Gohar – who discarded her nose protector after a handful of rallies – opened up a lead and held it for an 11-5 advantage.
King fought back well in a close second game, levelling the match 12-10. This seems to spur Gohar on, and the reigning World Champion was relentless and ruthless in the next two games, completing the win 11-3, 11-5.
Sana through as Gina retires injured
Sana Ibrahim (Egy) 3-0 [6] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 11-8, 11-9, 5-1 rtd (27m)
It was an unfortunate end to the first match of the evening session as England’s sixth seed was forced to retire injured early in the third game against Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim.
The opening stages were hotly contested with opening up a lead from the middle of the first game before taking the lead 11-9. At 5-7 in the second Gina pulled up with an apparent ankle injury.
Although she carried on it was obvious that her movement was hampered. Sana doubled her lead 11-9 and after a quick 5-1 start to the third Gina offered her hand.
Makin recovers to down Dessouky
[8] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-1 Fares Dessouky (Egy) 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (63m)
Wales’ Joel Makin, playing in Hong Kong for the first time since 2018, came from a game down to deny Egypt’s Fares Dessouky and claim a place in the quarter-finals.
The opening two games were long, tough affairs with Dessouky edging the opener before Makin levelled, both finishing 11-9 with Dessouky penalised a conduct stroke at the end of the second.
The Egyptian started to lose his cool in the third game and Makin took full advantage, continuing to press and wrapping up the match in just over the hour mark.
“I hadn’t played on that court before, I hadn’t played Hong Kong for quite a few years since about 2018,” Makin said.
“When I started the match I couldn’t believe how dead it was. He was hitting kills, he was accurate and you know what he’s like when he’s fresh – he’s dangerous.
“I had to really adjust, cover those balls and get my lines a little bit more through. I was being a little bit passive around the back So once I tidied that up and we had two continuous rallies in a row it was better.”
Coll wins entertaining shootout with Rodriguez
[3] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-0 Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (43m)
While the result of the first men’s match of the day was never in much doubt, Paul Coll and Miguel Rodriguez treated the crowd to a fast, action-packed three games of often unorthodox squash – from the Colombian mainly – which saw the defending champion safely through to the quarter-finals.
“It was tough, obviously Miguel was a very experienced player and I know what he is capable of. But I also felt confident that if I played well, I could get the win.
“I will try to defend my title as I always feel I play well in Hong Kong. I also enjoy playing here and now look forward to the quarterfinals on the main court outside. It looks like an awesome venue and so I’m excited for Friday.”
Tinne eases into the quarters
[7] Tinne Gilis (Bel) 3-0 Hollie Naughton (Can) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (23m)
Belgium’s Tinne Gilis joined her sister Nele in the quarter-finals after a rapid three-nil victory over Canada’s Hollie Naughton.
Tinne opened up a 7-2 lead in the opening game, and although Hollie recovered to reduce the deficit it was too little too late as Tinne took the lead 11-8.
It was all Gilis in the next two games as she closed out the win in just 23 minutes to set up a quarter-fianl with Hania El Hammamy – a repeat of their recent Singapore Open semi-final where the Egyptian extended her H2H advantage to 13-0.
Hania wins rerun of “the final that never was”
[3] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-0 Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (36m)
It was a repeat of last year’s final, which was cruelly cut short as Amanda Sobhy suffered her second achilles tear midway through the first game. That the pair should meet again, in round two, was always going to be a strange experience for both of them.
Two-time defending champion Hania got the better of three close games, but for both the opportunity to play a full match and come full circle meant that both were controlled but emotional.
Well played to both, move on to the next chapters …
“It’s definitely a tough match and such an emotional one,” said Hania afterwards.
“As Amanda mentioned on her social media posts, it was the final she didn’t get to play so it was such an emotional time for both of us last year.
“For the first time I never enjoyed winning a title – it was such an emotional time for both of us and heartbreaking, so I’m very proud of her and definitely very pleased to see her back on court in such a short period of time after a big big injury.”
After the match, Sobhy reflected on the emotion of the occasion, where she is in the recovery process and her thoughts on the future.
“It didn’t feel like getting a weight off my shoulders, it was more of a ‘coming full circle’ kind of thing; today was the match I never got to play and with everything I’ve been through in the last year, it’s been emotional. Sorry, I don’t want to get emotional here…
“I’ve been through this whole journey to get back to this point. A year later and even though it’s not the final, I just thought ‘let me just enjoy this moment and play freely. I’ve got nothing to lose’ and the biggest thing is that I was able to take it to her and I’m so proud of myself… sorry, I wasn’t planning on tearing up today!
“I’m very proud of myself, but it’s a constant journey with my team. My movement, my game is significantly better than when started in September and just to see how much I’ve imporved in a few months of being back on Tour is huge, and to be playing at this level and really taking it to top players a year after my second Achilles rupture is amazing.”
“I think 2025 is going to be a great year and I’m excited to get there and let rip!”
