[3] Diego Elias (PER) 3-2 [2] Karim Gawad (EGY) 9-11, 3-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-5 (76m)
Diego can be proud of himself.
Not just because he won that superb match between two great gladiators, but because he won that battle in his brain. He thought about giving it up. And didn’t. And fought back. And got it all back…
First game, Karim is being the best at being Karim he can. It’s incredible combination of shots, and Diego is just outplayed from 4/4, 7/4, and if the Peruvian claws back to 8/8, Karim is flying out there, the crowd loves it, and the Egyptian strings 3 points, 11/8 on a stroke.
Karim is playing so well, is being so champagne squash, that Diego stops moving. Is he injured? Is he just overplayed? I’m not sure. In 6m, the game is over. 11/3…
Diego will be grateful he had his dad in his corner. A bit like when Basma, Mo’s mum, used to come to his corner, when Mo was losing 2/0, and just found the words. She was the only one that could do that. And today, I suspect Mr Elias found the right words…
And our Diego, prompt to let the head go, losing focus, and hunger, put his head down, and his racquet up. Karim didn’t do ANYTHING different. He was still as BRILLIANT as he was in the first two games. But Diego didn’t let go of that third.
Up 4/1, 7/4, he managed to hold off Karim’s remontada, 8/9, got two game ball 10/8. And when Karim found his incredible winners to get back level 10/10, he clinched that crucial game, 12/10, 16m game, immaculate squash from those two.
The crowd was enjoying it so much, although they were in awe of Karim’s squash, they wanted more of the battle. And battle, they had in the fourth! Close the whole game, with Diego the nose in front but it 9/9, and we are close to a match ball for the Egyptian.
10/9, Diego, game ball, a flick from Karim, 10/10. A drop shot stuck to the wall for the Peruvian, 11/10, second game ball, anihilated again… It was only the third game ball that got the cake, 13/11, 21m very long minutes!
The 5th, the tiredness started to show for the 34yo Egyptian from 3/2, 3/3, 4/3, as he was penalised with 3 strokes in a row. After that, Diego just let the points roll off his racquet, and it’s 10/4, 11/5 in 10m.
Well deserved standing ovation for both players….
Diego : “I didn’t feel I was playing well from the start.
‘I was getting frustrated, but he was playing so well. My dad told me to keep fighting, and I was just thinking that I haven’t been in these matches for a while, so I wanted to run around and stay on court, and I was just happy with how I fought.
“A lot of times I would have given up, but I feel really proud that I could come back and win 3-2. Karim is a former world No.1 and a former World Champ, he’s one of the best and I’m really pleased I could play against him again. He’s still playing at a great level and I hope he can play for a few more years.
“I’ve been here a few times and I’ve made the final so hopefully tomorrow I can claim the title.”
