R2: Intense and powerful with Farida winning in 5 against Hana M
[8] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-2 Hana Moataz (EGY) 11-5, 4-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5 (45m)
My first thought after watching the match is Farida played through the interferences a lot today, although she was going through them with a bit too much force I felt. But her game is based on power. And when power often comes inaccuracy and errors.
And that’s exactly what happened in the 2nd, Farida clipped the tin 6 times…
The third is so interesting as well, with Farida tinning the ball as bell ringers at Christmas! 6 unforced errors as well in that game, whereas she came back from 5/2 and 8/4 to 9/9. But she tinned the last two points, being frustrated with the ref as she felt wrongdone – I felt the decisions were actually correct as she was more going to the player than the ball itself. But what do I know.
A very good effort of adjusting the brain in place in the 4th, crucial as she was leading 8/4 but Hana found a way back in, 8/8, 9/9, two superb winners to close the game, 11/9.
I felt that Hana run out of fuel in the 5th, the energy she had to contain the power of her opponent too its toll. A good mental win for Farida today.
Farida : Today was about the mental side of squash. Today, I experienced something I never experienced before, my periods started just one hour before the start of the match.
It’s my first time playing a match on the first day of my period. I wouldn’t say I was tired, but I felt a bit of pain, and it was very mental, I felt heavy on the court, and I felt I couldn’t get to the ball.
So every time she was playing something to the front, because I was telling myself ‘oh you are so heavy you can’t get to the front’, I wasn’t actually able to run to the front.
Although on a couple of points, I KNEW I could get to those shots to the front, but overall, I wasn’t
So, my coach, Kika, told me ‘you’ve been through a lot in practice, much more than this’. I played in practice much more than this. So I told myself, this is nothing compared to have I have experienced through my practice.
So at the end, I was telling myself, do what you know, and I just played long rallies and go for shorts whenever I was ready. And it was actually working very well.
I actually happy that I went through this, doubted myself that I can get to any shot, so I’m happy that even if I have 0 confidence in myself, I can still win.