Quarter-Finals : Amina dethrones Nele as semi-finalists are decided
The 2024 VITAGEN Singapore Squash Open continued today with eight enthralling Quarter-Final matches.
There were two seeding upsets in contrasting matches – World Junior Champion Amina Orfi demolished defending champion Nele Coll while Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng overcame France’s Victor Crouin 20-18 in the fifth after 107 minutes!
The other matches went to seeding, including wins for top seeded Egyptians Ali Farag and Hania El Hammamy.
Check out the reports, reaction and photos below the results …
Women’s Quarters :
[1] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-1 [9/16] Katie Malliff (Eng) 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 (51m)
[3] Tinne Gilis (Bel) 3-1 [7] Sana Ibrahim (Egy) 11-5, 11-13, 11-3, 11-5 (56m)
[4] Siva Subramaniam (Mas) 3-2 [6] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (Egy) 9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 (46m)
[5] Amina Orfi (Egy) 3-0 [2] Nele Coll (Bel) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (42m)
Men’s Quarters :
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-0 [9/16] Balazs Farkas (Hun) 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 (26m)
[5] Eain Yow Ng (Mas) 3-2 [4] Victor Crouin (Fra) 9-11, 12-10, 11-1, 6-11, 20-18 (107m)
[3] Diego Elias (Per) 3-0 [9/16] Mohamed Zakaria (Egy) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4 (38m)
[2] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-1 [7] Youssef Ibrahim (Egy) 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 14-12 (60m)
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Coll completes the Semi-Final lineups
[2] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-1 [7] Youssef Ibrahim (Egy) 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 14-12 (60m)
In the last quarter-final match second seed Paul Coll beat Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim in a tense four-game encounter to set up an exciting semi-final match-up with reigning World Champion Diego Elias.
Coll looked instantly settled into his match against the Egyptian, defending comfortably against the shot-making of Ibrahim. It was the ‘Gunslinger’ that seemed to have the biggest effect on the game, giving away multiple strokes to help Coll to take the lead 11-5.
The New Zealand player continued to push comfortably in front. Ibrahim looked off the pace of the match as Coll absorbed all the pressure from the Egyptian and took the ball high on the court to put pressure on the struggling seventh seed to take a 2-0 lead.
In the closest game of the match to this point, Ibrahim and Coll’s play balanced out, with Ibrahim’s shot-making finally finding it’s targets more consistently, and the referee scrutinising the movement of the former World #1 Ibrahim claimed the game 11-8 to halve the deficit.
The fourth game saw both players trade points to 9-9. The Egyptian was the first to have a chance at taking the match at 10-9, but Coll fought back, earning a match ball for himself. Mistakes from Coll allowed Ibrahim to draw level again at 11-11 and 12-12, but Coll kept gaining the advantage when the pair were level, eventually winning at 14-12 after an unforced error from his opponent to earn his spot in the semi-finals.
“He’s very dangerous across the middle,” said Coll after the match, “He’s very hard to get in front of when he’s hitting the ball well.
“I was a little bit annoyed at the end of the third. I thought I had a bad call, but then I shouldn’t let that distract me… … but can’t think about the finish line, and I’m happy with how I reset in the fourth, came back and closed it out.
“I felt very good out there. First two were great, even the third was great, just needed to finish at the end of it.”
Clinical Amina dethrones Nele
[5] Amina Orfi (Egy) 3-0 [2] Nele Coll (Bel) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (42m)
A clinical performance from World Junior Champion Amina Orfi as she demolished defending champion Nele Coll in straight games to advance to the semi-finals.
It was the pair’s second meeting on the PSA Squash Tour after Coll prevailed in their match at last year’s Paris Squash. Orfi got her revenge though as she stormed to victory to end Coll’s title defence.
Coll cut a frustrated figure as Orfi ran away with the match, forcing Coll to defend as she unleashed some powerful drives into the back corners. Coll was unhappy with Orfi’s movement and the interference she felt she was having to deal with with while trying to come through and play the ball.
Orfi remained undeterred and pressed on to book her spot in the last four, where the 17-year-old will play fourth seed Sivasangari Subramaniam – a repeat of last week’s ACE Malaysia Cup final which Orfi won in five games, although Subramaniam prevailed in their HKFC final last year.
“I’m so happy with my performance,” said Orfi afterwards.
“She’s been World #4, so I knew I had to be prepared. She is very physical, so even if it was going to be 3-0 it would have taken some time. I’m so happy with my performance.
“My father is my biggest supporter together with my mum. He’s always there for me, even when I’m not playing very well. He’s been with me through every step of the way and I’m so grateful for him.”
Defending Champ Farag ends Farkas run
[1] Ali Farag (Egy) 3-0 [9/16] Balazs Farkas (Hun) 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 (26m)
Men’s defending champion Ali Farag powered into the semi-finals after a routine win over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas.
Farkas was appearing in his first Gold quarter-final after upsetting sixth 6 seed Fares Dessouky in the previous round but wasn’t able to replicate that performance as Farag surged to an 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 victory.
Farag did squander five game balls in the third game as Farkas threatened a comeback, but the Egyptian soon steadied the ship to complete the win in straight games.
“He’s so talented,” said Farag afterwards.
“From the same upswing he can play any shot in the book. It’s quite hard and I had to cut him off at the source. I couldn’t give him any loose shots in the midcourse area and, apart from the first few points of every game, I think I did that well.
“I had to accept that it would be tough at the start of games and hopefully I would run away with it.
“I’ve had two great matches so far, so I can’t complain. I’m coming up against a great man in form, with Eain Yow winning the bronze event last week and upsetting the seedings here.
“I know I’m up for a tough task, but I’m in good form as well, so it should be a good match.”
Hania tested by Katie
[1] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-1 [9/16] Katie Malliff (Eng) 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 (51m)
Women’s top seed Hania El Hammamy came through a testing battle against England’s World #33 Katie Malliff to earn her place in the last four.
A one-sided first game gave the impression that this would be a routine victory for the World #3, but it was anything but as Malliff came storming back to take the second.
The 21-year-old from Wendover gave El Hammamy as good as she got and produced some magnificent squash to draw level.
Malliff continued to make life difficult for the Egyptian in the third and did hold an early 6-4 lead, but El Hammamy extended the rallies to sap the energy from the younger player’s legs.
After conceding the third, Malliff showed signs of fatigue in the fourth game as El Hammamy ran away with things, taking the last 11-3.
In the semis she will take on her Tinne Gilis, last year’s runner-up.
“I didn’t know what to expect and it’s different when you’re on court with someone new,” said El Hammamy afterwards.
“Every time the ball went short she had great hands. It was a great match, for sure. It was tough for me to find my length on that court, I needed time to adjust.”
World Champ Elias beats World Junior Champ Zakaria
[3] Diego Elias (Per) 3-0 [9/16] Mohamed Zakaria (Egy) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4 (38m)
Men’s World Champion Diego Elias ended the run of World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria to book his spot in the semi-finals for the third time in a row.
Elias – a beaten finalist in both of the previous iterations of this tournament – was coming up against a player appearing in his first Gold quarter-final after Zakaria upset eighth seed Sebastien Bonmalais in the previous round.
The 28-year-old Peruvian stroked the ball around beautifully and utilised his trademark deception and hold to halt the movement of the 17-year-old.
“Playing when you’re 17 years old against the top players is so much fun,” said Elias afterwards.
“I’m sure he’s enjoying it and he wants to do his best. He’s such an amazing player, and I’m sure he’s going to be one of the best in the future.
“He has every shot and what I like the most is his length. He hits the ball very deep in the back corners, and that’s something not many players do, so I was very impressed with that. At the front he has almost every shot, so he is going to be a nightmare in the future.
“I haven’t known him for that long, but he used to send me some messages on Instagram, so I knew who he was. Seeing him improve that much and being the youngest World Junior Champion is amazing. I hope he can stay healthy and have a great career.”
Siva delivers another marathon Malaysian win
[4] Siva Subramaniam (Mas) 3-2 [6] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (Egy) 9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 (46m)
Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam has earned her place in the semi-finals after a tough five-game battle with Egypt’s Fayrouz Aboelkheir.
The pair had to wait a while to finally take to the court after the previous match saw the schedule overrun, and it was Aboelkheir who started the better of the two. The 18-year-old went for winners whenever she could, with the extremely short nature of the rallies not playing into Sivasangari’s hands.
Despite dropping just three points in the second game as she drew level, Sivasangari was still struggling to read her opponent in the third as Aboelkheir once again restored her lead.
An 8-6 lead was squandered by the World #13 in the fourth game when Sivasangari won five unanswered points to bring the match back to all square. The fifth game was then all about the Malaysian as she stormed to victory for the loss of just two points.
“It was a tricky match. I’ve never played her before, but I knew I’ve seen her and she’s troubled a lot of the top players, so I knew what was coming. It was tough mentally more than physically. I didn’t feel that tired, but she was taking away my rhythm and I couldn’t find my length.
“In the fourth and fifth I managed to find my length and I think that opened up the court a bit more. Then I took my opportunities well.
“It will be a completely different match tomorrow, it will be more physical. Both Nele and Amina are very consistent and attacking, but in a different way. I’ll let them battle it out tonight and then hopefully they will be tired and I will be fresh.
“Today was a bit tricky and a bit up and down. It feels like home though, it is so close by and the culture and the food is so similar.”
Ng wins a thriller !!!
[5] Eain Yow Ng (Mas) 3-2 [4] Victor Crouin (Fra) 9-11, 12-10, 11-1, 6-11, 20-18 (107m)
Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng came through a five-game-thriller and overturned three match balls against Frenchman Victor Crouin to become the first man to reach the last four and reach his first PSA Gold semi-final.
At 107 minutes, it was the longest match of the tournament so far, with the fifth game alone lasting a mammoth 39 minutes.
Crouin took the opening game, despite Ng starting the better of the two. The World #14 settled first and found his targets, however Crouin improved as the game unfolded to take a 1-0 advantage.
The squash was hugely entertaining and that continued into the second game, with Ng coming back to draw level with victory on the tie-break. Ng then ran away with the third game as he took the lead for the first time.
The momentum then shifted into Crouin’s favour as he struck the ball with aplomb to draw level. A 6-1 lead then saw Crouin poised to close out the win, however he was initially unable to capitalise, with a monumental fightback from Yow eventually seeing him draw level at 9-9.
An intense tie-break then played out, with Crouin increasingly frustrated with Ng’s movement. Both players held match balls, with Crouin unable to close out any of his three opportunities. For Ng, it was on his seventh match ball that he finally put his opponent away, with Crouin being penalised with a stroke against him after lunging for a tight ball in the front left corner.
“I was just surviving point, it just kept going on and on. At some stage I just switched off and played every ball. I’m not really sure what happened at the end, I’m just happy to get through.
“I’ve not been getting over the line with the top guys, I’ve been losing in five and I’ve been disappointed not to get through the rounds. From China onwards I’ve been building on the semis there and then winning in Malaysia. I feel like I’m starting to make more inroads now.
“If you look at me playing overseas then I wouldn’t try to get the crowd going, but today I tried to get them on my side today. I’m pleased to have them here supporting and looking forward to playing better squash tomorrow.”
Tinne battles past Sana into the semis
[3] Tinne Gilis (Bel) 3-1 [7] Sana Ibrahim (Egy) 11-5, 11-13, 11-3, 11-5 (56m)
Belgium’s Tinne Gilis became the first player to book her place in the semi-finals of this year’s VITAGEN Singapore Squash Open after she overcame Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim in four games at the OCBC Arena.
It was their fourth meeting on the PSA Squash Tour, with Gilis winning all three of their previous meetings. Gilis made a solid start to win the opening game as she put Ibrahim under severe pressure in the back corners as she took the lead. 11-5. She looked in control in the second too, but let three game balls slip as Ibrahim levelled 13-11.
Gilis was able to neutralise her opponent’s threat in the third and fourth games though, taking them 11-3, 11-5 to reach the semi-finals again.
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“That wasn’t easy at all, I wasn’t expecting it to be. Sana has been playing her best squash so far this season and she’s been beating some of the top 10 players, so I wasn’t taking this lightly at all. She pushed me to the limit and I had to really focus on every point. Even at the end she fought for every ball and she is so dangerous.
“I know she’s a very attacking player and obviously shots will go in, but I knew the longer the match went the more errors would come. I had Hollie in my corner and she told me exactly that. She told me to take a deep breath, slow it down, and be patient. I think I’m lucky today that she was there to tell me to calm down.”
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