After a close opening game Camille Serme finishes strongly to beat Rowan Elaraby for the first semi-final spot
[3] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-0 [8] Rowan Elaraby (Egy) 12-10, 11-3, 11-2 (31m)
It was a bit the Long John Silver match today – both girls will forgive me for the fun labelling but they are both trying to recover from a leg injury, and the outcome was anything but certain.
As Camille said at the end, the first game was crucial, because the adrenaline was helping both girls and it is clear that it was running more fluidly in the second for the French woman.
After the second game, Rowan I think received treatment at the back and was warned as she was late on court. But to be fair, it felt she was never really moving the way she normally does…
Camille : I knew she was injured after the British Open, but I tried to make abstraction of my pain and hers! I think the first game is crucial, after that, I could see she was suffering.
I didn’t give her anything for free though, even when she was playing well, I was pushing and running after every shot, and I think that might have hurt – plus she might have been in pain
Still, had she taken the first game, things might have been completely different, as adrenaline helps really.
I missed the British Open so I was very keen to be here, to be able to play in front of the pyramids. I love this tournament, especially. So I’m very happy to reach the semis.
It’s good to have a physio on site and to have a day off tomorrow, have some time off and I can recover and be ready for the semi-final on Thursday.
