Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0 Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 13-11, 11-5, 11-6 (33m)
Too many calls… So many calls… Jason Foster bless him should get a bonus for that one.. It was about a call a rally! Nothing nasty actually and even done with a big smile and cheeky faces from Mariam, Jason handled that one pretty well I’ll say.
Nour, on the other hand, was painful to watch. Limping at some point, trying to protect her right leg (the thigh heavily bandaged), and at other times, running as if she was pain-free.
Never easy for either girls that game for sure.
First game was the longest, 13/11, 8 winners each, some nice rallies and Nour moving well. She even had a game all, 11/10, but Mariam managed to close the opener on a stroke, 13/11.
Second game, limping Nour, 5m, 11/5.
Third, Nour gave it a last big push, hitting as hard as possible, losing a bit of accuracy, but will lead 6/2 before Mariam scored 9 points to close the match, 11/6, 11m game.
Mariam : The bandage on my right knee is more about prevention. I feel safe with it, and I’m trying to avoid any injuries…
I am just recovering, I was very sick for the past three weeks, I had a bad flew. I went to NSL, won my match and the player of the week award, and then stayed in bed for the next weeks!
I’m so proud of the way I handled the match today, because Nour is injured, and it’s tough mentally to play an injured player!. And maybe she was thinking that I’m injured as well, and maybe, it played on her mind as well!
Today, I feel she didn’t play her usual squash, she played very chilled. So I’m so happy I managed to win in three.
The day after tomorrow, I’m playing Sherbini, I can’t wait for PSA to change those kind of draws any time soon!
Joke apart, we just played in Houston, so looking forward to play her again here…
