[5] Mazen Hesham (Egy) 3-0 Youssef Ibrahim (Egy) 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
A solid performanc from Amazing Mazen tonight I thought. He played his game, his pace, his shots, darn well. Seven minutes first game, 3/0, 5/1, 11/3. Youssef didn’t see much.
It looked like Prince Charming was finding his footing in the second, 3/0, 4/1, but with a huge rally, Mazen levelled 5/5 and kept his nose in front from that point on, 10/7, 11/8, 19m game, 6 winners from Youss, and 7 from Mazen.
But Youssef couldn’t physically stay with Mazen playing his game. And he got punished at the start of the third again, 5/2, 8/4. A little come back at that point, 6/8, and the Black Falcon closes the game and match with a sublime lob that dies in the right back corner, saluted by the knowledgeable crowd, 11 7, 11m.
In an entertaining three games, its @Thesquashfalcon who comes out on top against compatriot Youssef Ibrahim 🔥
The thought of 'The Black Falcon' below 👇#OptasiaChampionships pic.twitter.com/9vYkD8S9FR
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) March 23, 2023
Youssef
I didn’t play the game I wanted to play.
I thought I warmed up well but that’s what happens with that injury, in the first game, my knee seems to be stuck and I struggle to move. I was only reacting. He was playing with so much confidence…
I tried to play long rallies in the second, but I made crucial errors at crucial moments. Also, the court is very dead, so you have to attack, you can’t really play a lot of long rallies. He was moving very well and hitting a lot of winners, I tried to attack as well but I didn’t feel right on court today, bad day at the office but he played better…
Mazen
“Before the match, I was really tired, mentally. I think everyone has been, you saw that in the first round. I think it’s good for me, it sharpens me and playing Ibrahim, who’s very dangerous and hungry, so I had to be on my mental and push from the start and I think I surprised myself even, which is very good!”
