R2: Tarek overcomes dangerous Bernie
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) 3-1 Bernat Jaume (ESP) 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 (51m)
To be honest, I didn’t exactly hold the press when Tarek lost the first game. It’s like a sort of habit they have, Ali Farag and Tarek, to lose the opener to put the opponent in a false sense of security. KIDDING.
I started wondering though, when I saw the Momenator playing right in the soft hand of the Spanish/Egyptian player, giving to one of the best counterdropping player plenty of soft shots to the front! LENGTH, LENGTH, LENGTH, I kept mumbling…
Joke apart, I thought that the Spaniard played a superb squash. He needed a bit more fitness – he told me he is recovering from injury – and some BRAIN IN THAT SILLY HEAD OF HIS!!!
I explain:
After taking the first game rather comfortably, in 11m, 11/6, we were really close scorewise, 2/2, 3/3, 4/4. A couple of errors creep in Bernie’s squash, 6/4 Tarek. Then the Spaniard calls his ball not up, and makes sure the ref is told that he should have seen it/called it himself, in some strong words.
“Warning for descent”, quite rightly goes the ref. And what does that silly beggar do? He pulls his tongue out right there! No other choice for the ref than “conduct stroke Mr Jaume”, score is 8/4 (instead of 7/4).
We had another outburst when at 6/8 when Bernie slipped on the right back corner, putting some sweat there. As the players were not playing in that area, the ref, following the directives, didn’t stop the rally. Bernie wanted the rally to stop and was gesturing to that effect, and ended up putting the ball in the tin.
Eruption again, well contained by our Minister (he truly is). “you can’t wait for us to play the ball in that area to stop the rally”, our player goes. “Yet, that’s how it works”, retorts the ref. he can only apply the rules, not really change them, you know…
And Bernie finally calmed down but still lost that crucial game, 11/8, again 11m.
Good response from the Spaniard in the third, 2/0, 3/1, only caught up 4/4, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7. A clever move from the ref at that point, as Bernie tins his shot, he throws the racquet on the floor in frustration, should have been a “conduct warning for racquet abuse” but it would truly have added insults to injury. That’s how you contain the fire from spreading further out… 11/7 for Tarek, 12m.
Superb effort from Bernie in the 4th, with Tarek looking in control, 4/1, 6/28/4, 9/5. But running on fumes, the Spanish finds his best squash, intense and fast-paced rallies, 9/9!!
It would take 2 match balls for the Momentator to clinch that game finally, Bernie giving it all and slipping twice on the last match point, I’m sure Tarek and his camp had a good sigh of relief as the ref called the score…
Bernie : I’ve been trying to get better on the mental thing, we are trying, we are trying. I am aware that because of myself, I put myself in the position where they (the refs) can pick on me. I am “the bad guy”, so I have to change that. But it’s alright, I’ve got a few more years.
I’ve got a little bit of an edge tonight, and counterdropping is what I do. I trained with Tarek, so I knew that he would struggle a little bit if I was sharp and if I was on my game, I knew he wouldn’t have an easy night.
But I have nothing to lose as well, I’ve been dealing with injuries, so I wasn’t expecting much of myself, but the summer is coming, so I can get everything right.
I’ve been living in Egypt for nearly two years now, I have a great set up in Alexandria, Sporting Club. I’m not working with anybody in particular, but with a lot of people. I have a nice place there, a bunch of good friends, and it’s perfect for training, and it’s working pretty well so far…
Tarek : “It was a bit nerve-wracking today,” Momen said after the match. “Especially since I have never played Bernat before. We have practised a few times but never played each other in a match, so it was really difficult for me today.
“I did not know what to expect, so I had to stay calm, although I wasn’t feeling very calm at points. I feel like I just played the big points better in the end.
“Whenever I deviated from my plan, I just tried to remind myself to stick to the basics – try to build the rally and not take too many risks. I’m just very glad that the last game didn’t slip away from my hands.”
