R1, Session 3: Zeina 3/2 Nadine, Kenzy 3-0 Salma

Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 3-0 Salma Eltayeb (EGY)  12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (23m)

 

Kenzy : With Salma, we played a lot in juniors, because we are in the same age group. All our matches are really tough, mentally and physically. I know her game, and she knows mine.

Today, I tried and focus on my own game, play sharp, don’t focus about tomorrow, don’t think about what’s going on outside. What made the difference today I feel was that I was very solid at the beginning and didn’t give her too many easy points.

I’m very proud of my tournament at Squash on Fire, because with my coaches, Omar Mohy, Abdelrhman Saber, Omar El Hadidi and Mostafa Hany, and of course my fitness coach, Mohamed Moneam, we worked a lot to change my game from a junior game to a more mature game.

And I get to play Nele again tomorrow and in the third today, I started thinking about Nele and our match tomorrow, and Salma was back in the game like a shot! So I went Kenzy, focus, you are not tomorrow yet, you have to win that one first!

Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-2 Nadine Shahin (EGY)  11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6 (43m)

Egypt’s Zeina Mickawy scored the first five-game win of the event as she battled back from 2-1 down to defeat compatriot Nadine Shahin and set up a second-round tie with No.7 seed Salma Hany.

Mickawy, the current World No.29, had lost out in the first round of her last three events on the PSA Squash Tour, but managed to rediscover her attacking accuracy in the latter stages of the match after falling 2-1 down, moving through to record an 11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6 win after 43 minutes of play inside the Palm Hills Sporting Club.

Zeina : “Of course, I actually feel very relieved. Nadine is such a fighter. We’ve been competing since we were in Juniors and I knew it was going to be a very tough match, both mentally and physically.

“But really, I’m glad I was composed and I held myself together at the end of the match and won in the end.

“I have lost my last two tournaments in the first round and I was so mad at myself. This time I said that it wouldn’t be another time and that I wouldn’t come out of here losing in front of my family and friends.

“I tried to give it a big push at the end and take it one point at a time and see what would happen. I’m glad it went my way.”