Greg Marche 3-2 Zahed Salem 16-14, 6-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-4 (90m)
A very frustrated Zahed I thought when I managed to glimpse at a bit of squash, at the start of the 4th. “Stroke stroke stroke” he mumbled at the start of the game, which is never a good sign as it means the player is still thinking of a lost game… But 6/6 7/7, and finally 9/7, 11/8 for Zahed in 11m despite offering 5 tins to his opponent. Just to give you an idea, first game was 32m and probably crucial, second 14, third 17…
A effing lot of work if you ask me. Both attacking well, Zahed finding the front corner again and again, Greg producing a lot of retrieving as usual, and himself finding some lovely winners, a very high quality of squash for this closing mathc.
In the 5th, Zahed still made too many errors, 5, and from 3/3, it’s all about the French who’ll take the match 11/4, 8m game, and a very frustrated Egyptian, with a very relieved French…
Greg
So happy to get out of this one. Absolutely no feeling in the racquet, three days in the hotel with no hitting the ball, you don’t have an idea of how the court reacts, it’s the same for everybody, but it’s really not ideal conditions to produce quality squash.
There were good phases but there was a lot of off moments. I knew it was going to be a tough one, we know each other’s game pretty well since the juniors, so very happy to get through that one, and to have a day off tomorrow.
I feel good physically I worked hard during the lockdown, but the racquet skills still not completely there. But I told myself it was not that important today, I was motivated, and that’s thanks to the break that did me a hell of a good.
Diego awaits, it will be a good match…
