2025 Day Three : Round Two continues

Eight more Round Two matches at Hong Kong Squash Centre with the Quarter-Final lineups set to be completed.

Satomi and Amina set up quarter-final showdown

Sixth and second seeds Satomi Watanabe and Amina Orfi recorded the first victories on Day Three, setting up a quarter-final match on Friday.

[6] Satomi Watanabe (Jpn) 3-1 Sana Ibrahim (Egy)    9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (52m)
[2] Amina Orfi (Egy) 3-0 Aifa Azman (Mas)    11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (28m)

Watanabe had be on her mettle as she went a game down to Sana Ibrahim, who opened up an early advantage and held on to take a deserved lead. The Japanese world #7 responded well, taking the next two games and – with the help of a consecutive trio of lucky bounces – closed out the match in the fourth.

“I was too eager to take one game back when the chances came,” said Chan, who graduated from the Columbia University this summer. “Tinne is a very strong player and has the physical power for long rallies. I wasn’t patient enough at that moment.”

Orfi was rarely in trouble against Aifa Azman, but the Malaysian kept her scoreboard ticking over, never allowing Orfi to dominate but never seriously threatening an upset.

Coll survives to set up QF with Marwan

Second seed Paul Coll survived a torrid five game tussle while Marwan ElShorbagy beats long time rival in four.

[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (Eng) 3-1 Mohamed Abouelghar (Egy)   11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 (42m)
[2] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-2 Aly Abou Eleinen (Egy)   11-8, 11-2, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8 (71m)

New Zealand’s Paul Coll looked in complete control for the first two games against Aly Abou Eleinen, but the Egyptian turned it round, forging ahead in the next two games and earning dividends with quick, deceptive shotmaking. He continued the pattern at the start of the decider, opening up to a 7-3 lead, but Coll started to impose longer, more controlled rallies which he was getting the better of. The Kiwi won eight of the last nine points to leave himself relieved and Eleinen rueing a missed chance.

“It was a bit of a mixed bag from myself. The first two games I was very happy, but when he came back in the third I didn’t respond and I changed the ball in the fourth and I didn’t respond,” said Coll, “but with some shocking calls his lead in the fifth felt more like 5-3 so I wasn’t too worried. I tried to stay composed and make him hit as many winners as he had to. It’s what I do and how I’ve got to this stage in my career. I was still very confident.”

Coll will face England’s Marwan ElShorbagy in the quarter-finals after the fifth seed avenged his recent defeat in China to long time friend and rival Mohamed Abouelghar in four quickfire games.

“It wasn’t so much about revenge,” said Marwan, “more about not going out early in two tournaments in a row!”

End of the road for Simmy as Tinne and Olivia advance

Hong Hong’s last player Chan Sin Yuk fell to an agonising defeat to Tinne Gilis while USA’s Olivia Weaver denied a Gilis double as she beat Nele.

[4] Olivia Weaver (Usa) 3-0 Nele Gilis (Bel)    11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (36m)
[5] Tinne Gilis (Bel) 3-0 [wc] Chan Sin Yuk (Hkg)    11-9, 11-7, 14-12 (32m)

It wasn’t a good start for Simmey as Tinne took a 4-0 lead in the opening game, but Simmy settled and after that point it was a very even game match with the Belgian fifth seed. Tinne took the opening two games but found herself 7-10 down in the third, Those game balls were saved, and she finally dashed home hopes on her own third match ball.

Weaver was solid throughout her match with Nele, belying the H2H advantage that Nele had to move into the quarters with a convincing win.

Super Rodriguez Comeback as Ibrahim blitzes Steinmann

In the final matches of the day Colombian veteran Miguel Rodriguez staged an unlikely comeback from two games down to deny Baptiste Masotti while Youssef Ibrahim despatched Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann in three quick games.

Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 3-2 Baptiste Masotti (Fra)    7-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (89m)
[8] Youssef Ibrahim (Egy) 3-0 Dimitri Steinmann (Sui)    11-9, 12-10, 11-3 (35m)

Frenchman Masotti had beaten fourth seed Karim Abdel Gawad in an epic five game upset in Round One, and when he went two games up against Rodriguez he must have had the quarter-finals in his eyes. But Rodriguez, known for his flamboyancy, buckled down, extended the rallies and made his way back into the match. The fifth was edgy but it was Masotti who made the crucial mistakes near the end.

Finalist at the HKFC Open at the weekend, Ibrahim applied the firepower that got him through last week, accelerating away from Steinmann in the third.