R1 : Women’s Evening Set Two

Hana Ramadan and Nada Abbas win all-Egyptian matches, Coline Aumard and Milou van der Heijden advance

Hana Ramadan (Egy) 3-1 Zeina Mickawy (Egy)    11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 17-15 (48m)
Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-2 Emilia Soini (Fin)    11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-1 (49m)
Milou van der Heijden (Ned) 3-0 Menna Nasser (Egy)    11-9, 11-2, 11-6 (23m)
Nada Abbas (Egy) 3-1 Hana Moataz (Egy)    11-3, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6 (39m)

Milou : I felt pretty comfortable today, but you never that until you actually start. The beginning was a bit shaky I got a very strokes against me straight away, so I knew I had to straighten that out, and I manage to really change my game. Then I just found my rhythm and that was good then.

I think I was lifting the ball really well when I was under pressure, I was using height, we’ve got some lovely high ceiling here, so we should take advantage. And I think that really suit my game.

I played Amanda Sobhy but it was a very long time ago. Any chance to play a top 10 player is a good opportunity to gain experience…

Nada :Hana and I we grew up together, we’ve been playing for so many years together. The pressure is different when you play somebody of your own age, and who you’ve been playing for so long.

I’m really happy to be through, and today I was really impressed with the way she played. She hadn’t playing since the worlds as she travelled to Harvard, and she really impressed me today. I haven’t seen her play like that for so long. She put me under so much pressure, I had to play my best. So happy to go through.

And also, I’m very happy that I have been playing well again, I’ve been struggling for so long with so many injuries, I had to interrupt my career several time. So really happy to play well.

I’m playing Mariam, no real thoughts about that, we haven’t played for so long. I think in all my career, even when we were younger, I must have played her once.

I’m playing the tournament to enjoy it, I’m so glad I’m back again playing without injury nor pain. I’ll do my best to be back at the level I believe I belong. I was a top 20, then my ranking dropped to 33 in one tournament. So I’m just trying to come back, trying to enjoy the moment.

Coline : Today I felt I was playing on egg shelves, with the court that was slippery and her attacking game that suited that court pretty well. I never was comfortable out there, I kept thinking about what to do not to get injured instead of focusing on what to do to win 3/0.

It was a tough year because of my injury and I am still scared, whereas I just played 5 games and not a scratch.

I’m so happy to be back, she played a super match, all credit to her. So at 2/2, I told myself I had to change something if I didn’t want to lose. So every time I was slipping, I was smiling it off. And it’s helped me to relax. Then the will to do took the upperhand

Tomorrow, I’m playing Salma Hany, I got a win out of her in Black Ball 2020, but then she beat me in Manchester. I respect her a lot, I love her game. Let’s hope that tomorrow, I can focus on the task ahead and not on my fear.