Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-5 (99m)
Oh boy. If some matches you need to really fight to stay awake, that one had it all, intensity, blood injury, conduct stroke and blocking, with the ref making sure he kept everybody under control…
There is some very good in this match for young Asal, WR25 and only 18, still playing with goggles against experienced Alan Clyne, one of the most patient and relentless players out there, WR43 and 33 years old. Mostafa has been working very hard on his fitness, and today that’s the key I feel. He accepted the rallies against the incredibly fit and patient Clyne, and that’s something that he wouldn’t have done a few months back.
When I arrived, Mostafa had taken the first game only just 11/9, and was 9/9 in the second. On his second game ball, a bit of contact, Mostafa’s racquet clipped the Scot right over the right eye. Game stopped for a good 15m, with Physio Derek Ryan to the rescue, putting some sticky plaster to seal the opened wound and stop the bleeding.
Bless Olivia, Alan’s wife, she got him a light blue with stripes hair band to prevent the sweat from unsettling the plaster, but made him look like a gay pirate (no offence to either of them) poor thing…. So funny.
We all got back on court, and it’s Mostafa that closed it down on his 3rd game ball, after a few too many lets…
The third, well, too many errors from the young Ragging Bull, and as he had produced a lot of work out there, courtesy of his opponent, his movement became worse – it was not that good to start with to be honest. I wish he would stop blocking his opponents out, he is too good and too gifted for that, he doesn’t need that to win. It got to the point he finally got penalised with a conduct stroke that took the Scot up to 5/1.
At 9/4 Alan seemed to have match won, all credit to Asal, he came back very close, 8/9, after a stoppage at 7/4 for a self inflicted injury, but finally bowed 11/8…
The fourth was much shorter, and proved my point: Mostafa doesn’t need to take the line of his opponent out: he can win cleanly and fairly, perfect balance between length and attacking game. 7/0, 10/3, 11/5…
Mostafa
I know it looks like I’m blocking in purpose, but I promise you, I am working very hard with Mr Defrawy on my movement to force my return off the ball. When I’m not moving well, like I was in the first two games, I move awkwardly, and I am aware I’m in the way. But I’m really trying to work on it to avoid that situation.
Today, I’m very disappointed with my squash, very very disappointed. It was a poor performance. I can’t wait for tomorrow, a new day, a new squash, and a good match I hope against Diego, who is such a great player.
