[4] Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-2 [8] Melissa Alves (FRA) 11-5, 1-11, 11-1, 7-11, 13-11 (56m)
The Weirdest match… Don’t ask me…
The first four games were a bit onesided, 4/0 in the 4th for Nada, who ends up losing the game 11/7 and was pretty long, 14m – especially compared to the first three games (8m, 5m, 6m).
The 5th turned up to be a classic, 3/3, 4/4, 6/6, 8/6 Nada, who makes two errors, back to 8/8 we are, as Melissa scores 4 points from 6/8 to 10/8.
If Nada saves the first one fair and square, Melissa will remember asking for a let at 9/10 where she has free access to the ball, and is penalised with a no let. 10/10.
Nada, ball zooms out of court, 11/10, another no let for Melissa, 11/11, and finally a match ball for Nada, 12/11, point that she wins with a deep backhand that dies in the back corner…. 13/11, 15m last game…
Never in doubt was Nada’s coach for that one, Hania El Hammamy, who has been coaching Karim as well… Busy day for the Gazelle.
𝙈𝙖𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨! 😲
How did Nada Abbas reach this ball at match ball down?!?#OptasiaChampionships pic.twitter.com/EbScgfNoRj
— SQUASHTV (@SquashTV) March 28, 2025
Melissa : “At the start, I think we were both playing our best squash only when the other wasn’t playing well. One player hit a few good shots, and the other struggled to respond. Neither of us could consistently find answers. There weren’t any big rallies—points went quickly.
Then we both started thinking, “Okay, how do we adapt?” By the end of the match, we were both playing our best I feel.
But what I did at the end was absolutely unforgivable. At 10/9, I have to play that shot—I should never call for a let. Never in a million years.
That’s a weak move, playing it safe like that. Initially, I felt her in my swing, but then I saw the timing clearly, and I waited too long before asking. The space was there—I just had to hit a straight drive. I made exactly the same mistake last year, and now, I’ve done it again.
For me, finishing a match like that is unforgivable. She played the big points bravely, went for them, while I was basically waiting for her to hand me the points. I think at that point, it’s a fair analysis.
Even though she earned the crucial points well, I wasn’t playing poorly—I was fighting hard. But there were two points where I had to step up. The first match ball she saved brilliantly—no regrets there. But the second one, I had to go for it, no excuses.
And I didn’t.
It’s unforgivable, and I’m truly gutted. It could have ended positively, even in defeat, but losing like this…
It was a long, tough match, a great battle with my body hurting everywhere from giving it everything. I’ll try to keep the positives, but this ending is unforgivable, and it’ll be very hard for me to accept.
Nada : “Going into this match, I knew the draw had changed and it was an opportunity for everyone in the bottom half, so going into the match, I was ready, I was feeling well.
“I was starting well but then in the second game I lost my focus. Maybe I was a bit relaxed because I was playing well. That is something I am definitely going to learn from.
“I just tried not to think about it in the second game, I didn’t panic, and I was fine with being bageled.
“I know that I’m not going to be able to beat everyone around me by sneaking points, winning short rallies, and trying to get points as quickly as possible. I realised that I have to stay in long rallies, build them and try and win them. I have been trying to work on this and accepting some of the matches, no matter the result and continue working on it.”
