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U11
[7] Eyad Hosam 3-2 [3] Ali
Safwat 7-11, 7-11,
14-12, 11-6, 11-6
[26] Yousef Hesham 3-0 [10] Adham Roshdy
11-0, 11-8, 11-6
Jana Galal 3-2 Farah Dwedar
8-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8
Kenzy Khaled 3-0 Malak Ebrahim
11-8, 14-12, 11-7
 As
ever, the youngest are the feistiest... ! The intensity you find
in the U11 is second to none and today was no exception.
Contrasting matches for the boys though with a easy ride for
Youssef Hesham, but with a good behaviour at the end of the
match from Adham Roshdy as he accepted to be "on the
photo" whereas I could see how sad he was.. Very professional
attitude at such a young age...
 The
first "come back" was from Eyad Hosam who started by
being dominated by Ali Safwat, but clawed back with a
crucial third, 14/12, to then take the match in 5!
For the girls, Kenzy Khaled managed to close the match in
3 although the second was very disputed, 14/12. But again like
for the boys, Jana Galal was dominated in the first two
games by a very determined and fired up Farah Dwedar who
had no pressure, playing superb squash. But the "experience" of
the big matches/points - Jana is the BJO U11 runner up champion
- probably made the difference in the end, with Jana wining the
next three games, 4, 3, 8. |
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U13
Lojain Elgohary 3-0 Shahd
Ayman 11-3, 11-6, 11-3
[2] Fairouz Ehab Abouelkheir 3-0 Nour Megahed
14-12, 11-6, 11-7
[4] Yousef Roshdy 3-2 [1] Yousef Mohamed 0-11,
15-13, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3
[7] Omar Azzam 3-0 [22] Salman Sherif
11-3, 11-6, 11-6
 All
my apologies for this group as I was struggling with my internet
connection despite having a plan A, B and C! So I completely
missed the match of the day it seems, Yousef vs Yousef, a
match which proves that you can lose a game 11/0 and still win
the game in the 5th! As for the other one, Salman Sherif
fought well, but couldn't stop Omar Azzam from getting to
the final.
Same story I'm afraid for the girls, I was told the match
between Fairouz Abouekheir and Nour Megahed would start
at 3, and it was finished at 3! Sooooorry Fairouz, I'll make
sure I don't miss it tomorrow Insh'Allah!
A simpler affair for Lojain Elgohary, 3/0 against
Shahd Ayman...
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U15
[15] Ahmed Wael 3-0 [2]
Youssef Abd Elfatah
11-8, 11-6, 11-3
[20] Abdallah Basem 3-1 [14] Youssef Fahmy 12-10,
5-11, 11-7, 11-4
[92] Basmala Aref 3-2 [1] Kenzy Ayman
11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9
[7] Noreen Hisham 3-2 [12] Haya Mohamed
7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8
Bad day for the higher ranked in the U15! Apart
from Noreen Hisham that survived a tough five setter
against Haya Mohamed to secure her final seat, it was a
wave of upsets for that age group!
The bigger one of course being Basmala Aref, ranked 92,
ousting the favourite of the event, Kenzy Ayman, in yet
another 5 setter. Basmala took the lead 2/0 only to see her
opponent claw back to 2/2, the under dog clinching the semi 11/9
in the 5th!
For the boys, again two upsets, with ranked 2 Youssef Abd
Elfatah bowing to ranking 15 Ahmed Wael 3/0, while
20th ranked Abdallah Basem beat 3/1 [14] Youssef Fahmy,
3/1. |
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U17
[4] Mostafa Asal 3-0 [13]
Yassen Shafee
11-4, 11-2, 11-5
[11] Karim al Barbary 3-1 [19] Housain Salem
9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8
[18] Sana Mahmoud 3-1 [15] Nour Khaled
11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5
[49] Hagar Shafee 3-1 [70] Narden Sameh
8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
 If
Mostafa Asal, 2018 U17 British Junior Champ met no
problems to qualify for the final, it was much more of a battle
for Karim Al Barbary, 4 very disputed games, three that
could have gone either way...
As for the girls, Nour Khaled couldn't pass the Sana
Mahmoud barrier today - her huge battle with Malak Ashraf
yesterday probably emptied the energy tank... A match with a few
loud discussion - that I could hear from the office - but that
went to the lower national ranked player Sana who now plays
Hagar Shafee, winner of Narden Sameh in 4. |
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U19
[6] Mostafa Asal 3-0 [4] Yahia Nosany
11-3, 11-6, 11-5
[5] Omar el Torky 3-0 [22] Abdallah Yasser
11-8, 11-6, 11-4
[1] Jana Sheha 3-0 [9] Nour Ramy
11-6, 11-9, 11-4
[25] Nada Abbas 3-0 [8] Salma Yasser
w.o.
Mostafa keeps his unbeaten run in Egypt
this year! The Al-Ahly boy is yet to lose a match in his country
in both U17 and U19 group I'm told - he is as we know U17 BJO
champ of course... Yahia tried his best and fought nail and
tooth but Mostafa's relentless accuracy at the back forced
errors out of the Wadi Degla boy...
 Mostafa
will meet Omar El Torky tomorrow as Omar clinically
dominated a very patient Abdallah Yasser. The rallies were long
and gruelling, but I never felt that Omar was really put under
pressure today.
As for the girls, Salma Yasser was w.o. today, so Nada Abbas
will play against top favourite Jana Sheha, who
played a good game today against Nour Ramy - although a
few 'away with the fairies' moments, as ever!
To be noted that poor Nour actually banged her right knee with
her own racquet - painful and impressive, but hopefully, not too
bad of an injury we hope!! |
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Seniors
Karim Abdel Gawad 3-0 Islam
Adel
[3] Ahmed Hosny 3-0 [2] Abdel Fatah Fahim
Yathreb Adel 3-0 [2] Dina Faried
[1] Nada Ehab 3-0 Sohaila Omar
11-7, 11-4, 11-5
 A
bit of a funny age group that one, with Karim and Islam
playing conditioning games, Yathreb Adel dominating
Dina Faried that never stopped running but we do not have
any detail on the score - the scoresheet is blank, and a good
battle for Ahmed Hosny, former PSA player who is coming
back to competition, there again, no score against Abdel
Fatah Fahim! Only score we actually have, I saw a very in
control Nada Ehab, sending poor Sohaila Omar to
visit the four corners, again and again, draining the energy out
of her opponent! |
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QUARTERS
DRAWS
Thanks to Ahmed for the hard work as he translated/updated
each age group draw for us... Merci!! |
Captain Nasser Zahran
as you never saw him!!!! |
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|
6 February 2018 - Quarters
That player
looks like Karim Abdel Gawad...
Or when I realise I'm a real blond
through and through...
I just popped around Al-Ahly Club today, before really starting
working tomorrow for the semis. I was lucky enough to meet with
Mister Big in Alhly Club, Mr Raouf Abdel Kader who is
very proud of the evolution Squash is taking in one of the most
famous Sports Clubs in the world. Who doesn't know Al-Ahly
Football Club???
But quickly, Mr Abdel Kader stresses how much the other sports
are important in Al-Ahly Club. "We are not just about
Football! We are "the Club of the Century", not only in
football, but we have 12 other sports, including Volley-Ball and
Handball, Gymnastics, and so on, but we are developing our
Squash entity at the moment.
"The History of Squash started thirty years ago, but only with
two courts. Then two years ago, we expanded our squash
facilities to what it is today, eight courts, trying to attract
as many members we could to play squash, with the angle of
"quantity more than quality". That was our short term goal.
 "But
now, we have a long term goal, which is to focus on quality as
well as quantity. We have our stars of today, Karim Abdel
Gawad and Yathreb Adel. But we have also created an "Olympic
Program" in Al-Ahly Club, with the vision that our young
athletes will one day be part of the Olympics.
"That's why we have recruted Mostafa Asal, British Junior
U17 Champion, but also Jana Galal, British Junior
Champion U11 runner up, who we hope one day will participate to
the Olympics as we believe squash will be Olympic soon... "
As they say around here "Insh'Allah"!!!
Then I went down the stairs, and found the first court on my
left, with players that looked like U19 boys... Ok I didn't have
my glasses on, sue me. So I put myself on the left corner, as
ever, starts shooting my action photos, then check on my camera
my shots... And I think to myself, 'that's funny, that player
looks like Karim Abdel Gawad'. And I start shooting again...
finally realising that it was INDEED Karim Abdel Gawad, playing
in the event of course as is Yathreb Adel, as they are both
under contract with Al-Ahly Club!
As Steve Cubbins commented - all the way from Witley Bay,
England, under snow: BLOND....
And I was lucky enough to finally meet Karim's fiancée, Farah
Bendary, what a graceful and beautiful young lady, Karim my
friend you are a lucky man!
So there we are, with a nice program of matches starting at 12
tomorrow. Stay tuned people, more to come!!!! |
Al-Ahly Stars with
Yathreb's Dad
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