[6] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-2 [3] Camille Serme (FRA) 9-11, 17-15, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8 (91m)
“Please, could I play somebody else” pleaded la Panthère at the end of the match, with a big sad smile on her face… Since September 2019, they played 7 times… and three times since the end of the lockdown, I kid you not…
You cannot find anything wrong with either of them on court. Both fair players, truly, both fighting till the end and leaving everything on the court, both extremely skilful, both attacking, lobbing defending, retrieving…
I was asked by a little young lady “what my expectations were for the result of the match”. “I could tell you but then I would have to kill you”. Then added “it will be a question of nerves really.”
Nerves were on Camille in the first game to be honest, as Hania led the whole of the game, 2/0, 3/1, 5/2, 7/4, only to be caught out 7/7, 9/9. A kill and a tin, 11/9 Camille, 12m of effective game (as 10 were used to clean a bit of sand), Camille having won the last four points.
The second game is a typical Hania/Camille game, as in, intense, unpredictable, magic, flamboyant. Close the whole way, with Camille slightly ahead this time round, and Hania a bit frustrated with some of the ref’s decision. 6/6, 7/7, and it’s a big push from Camille, 10/8.
Seven, yes, seven errors overall out of 8 points will follow. Nobody wants to with that game I noticed. Nevine, Hania’s mum, can cancel her gym membership: the way she was doing push-ups out of her armchair, she’ll have aches tomorrow I tell you. Camille had four game balls, but it’s the Gazelle that finally closes it down on her own fourth game ball, 17/15 in 29m…
Middle of the third, a bit drop of energy for the French lady, from 4/4, it’s 9/5, 11/6 with 5 errors from Cam, and 0 from Hania, 9m. Anything you can do I can do better, Camille is back with a vengeance in the 4th, Hania will make 6 unforced errors, it’s 11/8 for the French in 11m.
The 5th, well, from 2/2, Hania zooms to 7/2, Camille seems out but never saying die, she pushes up the court, and again puts her opponent under extreme pressure, back to 7/9! Nevine has got Iron Triceps by now, the rallies are sumptuous, one match ball saved at 10/7, but a tin from Camille, and it’s 11/8 in 14m…
Camille
If you compare it with my match with Sabrina, it’s a completely different level of game. I’m often edgy in the first rounds, and then, it’s like if I “allow myself to lose” if that makes sense, therefore I relax a bit and play better.
But to be honest, and sorry to be a bit sharp, but I’m up to here playing her, and I’m sure she feels the same! She is the Woman of the Moment, and it seems I’m the one who has to stop her all the time. Could somebody try as well please?…
Tactically, I’m happy, sometimes I was not exactly on target, and I was paying the price for it. Also, she gave me a few more free points, which she doesn’t do normally and that got me back in the match…
But I just lacked a bit of energy at the end…
Hania
“It’s a shocking number, 91 minutes!
It’s always tough against Camille. One year ago, on this court, in front of the Pyramids, that’s when I first started to beat Camille and it’s special today at all. It’s never easy to come up every tournament and show this performance and to play five games against her.
“Today, I’m just happy that I managed to keep pushing myself until the last point. I think everyone can see that I was relieved when Camille put the last shot in the tin, I didn’t even celebrate, I just wanted to get off court and recover.
“I’m glad I have a rest day tomorrow so I can be well-prepared for the semis.”
