[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-1 [1] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 (58m)
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-1 [2] Diego Elias (Per) 2-11, 13-11, 11-1, 11-9 (61m)
Finals : Sherbini & Farag recover to claim the titles
The finals of the first PSA Platinum event of the year both featured the top two seeds.
First up was the all-Egyptian women’s final, which saw Nour El Sherbini come from a game down to beat top seed Nouran Gohar, claiming the title and also ensuring she would return to World #1 on Monday.
The men’s final saw top seed Ali Farag come from a game down to deny Diego Elias, a result which will see him retain his World #1 spot next week.
“I lost focus and I only won one point from 6-1 in the first and lost the game 11-7,” said El Sherbini. “I was frustrated after that first game, I was 3-0 down in the second and I just wanted to focus, keep playing point after point and regroup.
“It’s very obvious now that I love to play a drop shot! Every player knows I’m going to play a drop shot so I try to have a lot of variety with my shots. Not only drop, but I sometimes need to think of different shots and I tried to change them whenever I had the opportunity.”
“Diego played better than me in the first game, My timing was completely off and I tried to go for the volley too soon and my length wasn’t accurate enough to hunt the next ball,” said Farag.
“I usually like to play at a higher pace against Diego, but I had to slow it down a little bit. He likes to play at a controlled pace as well and then at 9-6 I was drawing inspiration from Karim – if I was on my own the sluggishness wouldn’t have run away like it did in the second.
“I’m proud of the way I backed up yesterday and kudos to those who take care of my body and my mental state because I couldn’t have done it on my own.”
Semis : Top seeds through to the finals in Paris
The top two seeds will contest the finals of the first PSA Platinum event of the season after contrasting victories in Paris.
Nouran Gohar and Nour El Sherbini will resume their rivalry in an all-Egyptian women’s final after both recorded straight game wins, over Amanda Sobhy and Gina Kennedy.
In the men’s semis Egyptian top seed Ali Farag came trough a compelling tussle with Paul Coll, prevailing 12-10 in the fifth, and he’ll meet Peruvian Diego Elias, who despatched Mohamed ElShorbagy after a close first game.
[1] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 [7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (40m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [8] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 11-7, 11-2, 11-5 (24m)
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-2 [4] Paul Coll (Nzl) 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10 (96m)
[2] Diego Elias (Per) 3-0 [3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (Eng) 11-9, 11-1, 11-1 (34m)
Quarters : Sobhy upsets King as Farag ends home hopes
Quarter-finals day started with an impressive win for USA’s Amanda Sobhy as she came from two games down to oust fourth seed Joelle King. In the semis sh’ll play top seed Nouran Gohar, who ended the run of Nele Gilis in straight games.
In the men’s matches Ali Farag and Paul Coll set up a semi-final meeting as they both advanced in straight games, Farag ending home hopes as he beat Victor Crouin, Coll beating Tarek Momen in three close games.
The evening session went to seeding but Gina Kennedy needed all five games to deny a Sobhy double, setting up a meeting with second seed Nour El Sherbini who came from a game down to beat compatriot Nour El Tayeb.
Men’s second seed Diego Elias squeezed past Joel Makin in a 100-minute five-game encounter, and he’ll face Mohamed ElShorbagy after his straight-game win over Mazen Hesham.
[1] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 [6] Nele Gilis (Bel) 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (36m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-2 [4] Joelle King (Nzl) 3-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 (48m)
[8] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 3-2 [9/16] Sabrina Sobhy (Usa) 6-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2 (53m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-1 [5] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (52m)
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-0 [7] Victor Crouin (Fra) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (43m)
[4] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-0 [8] Tarek Momen (Egy) 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 (60m)
[3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (Eng) 3-0 [6] Mazen Hesham (Egy) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (29m)
[2] Diego Elias (Per) 3-2 [9/16] Joel Makin (Wal) 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 (100m)
Round Three Part Two : Sabrina and Makin gatecrash the quarters
The quarter-finalists in the bottom half of the draws were decided today in Paris, with Sabrina Sobhy and Joel Makin upsetting the seedings to reach the last eight.
Sabrina put in a devastating display to oust third seed Hania El Hammamy to join sister Amanda in the quarters, and now meets England’s Gina Kennedy who breezed past Hana Ramadan also in straight games.
An all-Egyptian quarter-final looms after second seed Nour El Sherbini and Nour El Tayeb both won in three.
Makin won the last match of the day, beating fifth seed Marwan ElShorbagy in four games to set up a meeting with second seed Diego Elias who had little trouble in seeing off Nick Wall.
Mazen Hesham dashed French hopes as he beat Auguste Dussourd in three close games, and he’ll meet Mohamed ElShorbagy who came from two games down to thwart Miguel Rodriguez.
[9/16] Sabrina Sobhy (Usa) 3-0 [3] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (47m)
[8] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 3-0 Hana Ramadan (Egy) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
[5] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 3-0 Aifa Azman (Mas) 11-5, 11-3, 11-9 (36m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 [9/16] Salma Hany (Egy) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (32m)
[3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (Eng) 3-2 [9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (64m)
[6] Mazen Hesham (Egy) 3-0 Auguste Dussourd (Fra) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (43m)
[9/16] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-1 [5] Marwan ElShorbagy (Eng) 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9 (69m)
[2] Diego Elias (Per) 3-0 Nick Wall (Eng) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (39m)
Round Three Part One, all to seeding on Day Three
It was down to the last sixteens in Paris, with eight matches on the Glass Court to decide the quarter-finalists in the top half of the draws, with all matches going to seeding with a couple of scares along the way.
Kiwi Joelle King opened proceedings, and after squeezing past Rachel Arnold on extra points in the first two games eased through to a three-nil win. Top seed Nouran Gohar won in three competitive games against Olivia Fiechter but a US quarter-finalist was assured as Amanda Sobhy breezed past Lucy Beecroft. Match of the day saw newly-crowned European Champion Nele Gilis squeeze past Farida Mohamed 14-12 in the fifth.
In the men’s draw Tarek Momen, Paul Coll and top seed Ali Farag all won in straight games, and the day was rounded off with home favourite Victor Crouin beating Adrian Waller in four games.
[1] Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 [9/16] Olivia Fiechter (Usa) 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (39m)
[6] Nele Gilis (Bel) 3-2 [9/16] Farida Mohamed (Egy) 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 14-12 (71m)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-0 Lucy Beecroft (Eng) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (25m)
[4] Joelle King (Nzl) 3-0 Rachel Arnold (Mas) 13-11, 15-13, 11-2 (36m)
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-0 Greg Lobban (Sco) 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (31m)
[7] Victor Crouin (Fra) 3-1 Adrian Waller (Eng) 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 (58m)
[8] Tarek Momen (Egy) 3-0 Leonel Cardenas (Mex) 11-9, 13-11, 11-6 (41m)
[4] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-0 [9/16] Saurav Ghosal (Ind) 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (60m)
Mon 27th, Day Two, Seeds safely through :
There were 32 matches across four venues today in Paris, with the seeded players entering the fray and while there was only one seeding upset, there were a few scares.
In the women’s draw third seed Hania El Hammamy came from two games down to deny Tinne Gilis, while newly crowned European Champion Nele Gilis was stretched to the full by World Junior Champion Amina Orfi.
Sixth seed Nour El Tayeb needed five games to see off England’s Lucy Turmel, as did Olivia Fiechter against Nada Abbas to join fellow Americans Amanda and Sabrina Sobhy in the last sixteen.
On the men’s side Marwan El Shorbagy‘s first outing under England colours saw him prevail in five against France’s Greg Marche, but Victor Crouin and Auguste Dussourd provided home victories. Mazen Hesham, Tarek Momen and Saurav Ghosal were also taken to five
Scotland’s Greg Lobban produced the only seeding upset as he downed Nicolas Mueller in three to set up a meeting with top seed Ali Farag.
Sun 27th, Day ONE :
The first major PSA event of the season got under way at four venues across Paris, including the Glass Court at the Palais du Tokyo, with today’s winners joining the seeded players in Round Two – which will also be at the four venues.
England’s Katie Malliff scored the biggest upset as she beat French #1 Melissa Alves as home interest in the women’s draw was ended.
In the men’s draw France’s Auguste Dussourd, Sebastian Bonmalais and Gregoire March won to join Baptiste Masotti in round two.
